A single maternal half-sibling—male or female—inherits one-sixth. When there are two or more of them, they are entitled to one-third, which they share equally, with no preference given to males over females. The proof is the Almighty’s words: “If a man or a woman leaves no parent or child but has a brother or a sister, each of them shall receive one-sixth; but if they are more than one, they share one-third equally.” (Qur’an 4:12)

The scholars unanimously agree that the “brother” and “sister” in this noble verse refer to maternal half-siblings, and Ibn Masʿud and Saʿd ibn Abi Waqqas even recited it as: “…has a brother or sister from the same mother.” Because Allah mentioned them without making any distinction, the text establishes equality between males and females in this share.

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim said, “This is the sound analogy and the just balance that accords with the Qur’an’s indication and with the understanding of the foremost Companions.”

A solitary maternal half-sibling is entitled to the one-sixth only if three conditions are met:

1. No inheriting descendant is present.
2. No inheriting male ascendant—the father or grandfather—is present.
3. He or she is the only maternal half-sibling.

For maternal half-siblings to receive the one-third, three conditions apply. The first is that they must be at least two in number—whether both are male, both female, one male and one female, or more than that.