It was a judgment acknowledged by the Companions with no recorded objection, and it accords with the jurisprudential maxim of blocking the means to wrongdoing; for the husband who issued that divorce intended—wrongly—to deprive her of her inheritance, so he was treated in a way that thwarted his design. This rationale is not confined to a particular period such that the right to inherit would be limited to the waiting period alone. Allah knows best.

Husband and wife inherit from one another by virtue of the marriage contract itself, even if death occurs before consummation or private seclusion. This follows the general wording of the noble verse: “And you are entitled to one-half of what your wives leave behind … and they are entitled to one-quarter of what you leave behind” (Quran 4:12). The marital bond is a strong and noble tie that carries numerous rulings and brings about great benefits; therefore Allah allocated to each spouse a share of the other’s estate upon death, just as He assigned portions to their blood relatives. This should impel both husband and wife to regard one another with respect and veneration.

Such are the rulings of Islam—every one of them is goodness and blessing. We ask Allah, Mighty and Exalted, to keep us steadfast upon them and to let us die adhering to them.