“Allah instructs you concerning your children: for the male is a share equal to that of two females. But if there are only daughters, two or more, then for them are two-thirds of what he leaves; and if there is only one, then for her is one-half. And for his parents, to each of them is one-sixth of what he leaves, if he has a child. But if he has no child and his parents inherit from him, then for his mother is one-third. And if he has siblings, then for his mother is one-sixth, after any bequest he may have made or any debt. Your fathers and your sons—you do not know which of them is nearer to you in benefit. This is an obligation from Allah. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.” (11)

His saying, Exalted is He: “Allah instructs you concerning your children: for the male is a share equal to that of two females,” to the end of the verse. Know that, in the Age of Ignorance, inheritance was determined by male status and strength: they would give inheritance to men, to the exclusion of women and children. Allah abolished this through His saying: “For men is a share of what parents and close relatives leave,” to the end of the verse.

In the Age of Ignorance and at the beginning of Islam, inheritance was also based on alliances. Allah, Exalted is He, says: “And those to whom your oaths have bound you—give them their due share” (al-Nisa 4:33). Thereafter, inheritance was based on emigration. Allah, Exalted is He, says: “As for those who believe but do not emigrate, you have no duty of protection toward them until they emigrate” (al-Anfal 8:72).

All of this was then abrogated, and inheritance came to be based on one of three matters: kinship, marriage, or the bond of emancipation. By kinship is meant that blood relatives inherit from one another, as Allah, Exalted is He, says: “Those related by blood are more entitled to one another in the Book of Allah” (al-Ahzab 33:6). By marriage is meant that each spouse inherits from the other. By the bond of emancipation is meant that the emancipator and his agnatic relatives inherit from the emancipated slave. With Allah’s help, Exalted is He, we shall now briefly explain which relatives inherit and how the heirs receive inheritance.

When a person dies leaving property, the expenses of preparing the deceased for burial are paid first, then his debts are settled, then his bequests are carried out. Whatever remains is divided among the heirs. (Then the heirs) (1) fall into three categories: some inherit by fixed shares, some inherit as residuary heirs, and some inherit by both. Those who inherit through marriage inherit only by fixed shares, while those who inherit through the bond of emancipation inherit only as residuary heirs.

As for those who inherit through kinship, some inherit by fixed shares, such as daughters, sisters, mothers, grandmothers, and maternal siblings. Some inherit as residuary heirs, such as sons, brothers, sons of brothers, paternal uncles, and their sons. Others inherit by both, such as the father: if the deceased has no child, the father inherits as a residuary heir. If the deceased has a son, the father inherits one-sixth as a fixed share. If the deceased has a daughter, the father inherits one-sixth as a fixed share and takes what remains after the daughter’s share as a residuary heir. The same applies to the grandfather. A residuary heir is one who takes the entire estate when alone, and takes whatever remains after the fixed-share heirs have received their shares.

The total number of heirs is seventeen: ten men and seven women. The male heirs are: the son, and the son’s son, even if