(176) “They ask you for a ruling. Say, ‘Allah gives you a ruling concerning one who dies leaving neither descendants nor ascendants: If a man dies and has no child but has a sister, she shall receive half of what he leaves. He shall inherit from her if she has no child. If there are two sisters, they shall receive two-thirds of what he leaves. If there are siblings, both men and women, the male shall receive the share of two females. Allah makes this clear to you so that you do not go astray. Allah has full knowledge of all things.’”
Allah Most High states that the people asked His Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—for a ruling concerning one who dies leaving neither descendants nor ascendants, as indicated by His words: “Say, ‘Allah gives you a ruling concerning one who dies leaving neither descendants nor ascendants.’” This refers to a deceased person who leaves no child of his own, no child of a son, no father, and no paternal grandfather. Hence He says: “If a man dies and has no child”; that is, neither male nor female, whether his own child or a child of his son.
Likewise, he has no father, as indicated by the fact that siblings inherit in this case, whereas, by consensus, brothers and sisters do not inherit in the presence of the father. Thus, if a person dies leaving neither a child nor a father, “but has a sister”—that is, a full sister or a paternal half-sister, not a maternal half-sister, whose ruling has already been discussed—“she shall receive half of what he leaves”; that is, half of her brother’s estate, including money, real estate, furnishings, and anything else, after debts and bequests have been discharged, as previously explained.
“He”—that is, her full brother or paternal half-brother—“shall inherit from her if she has no child.” No fixed share is assigned to him because he is a residuary heir. He therefore receives her entire estate if there is neither a fixed-share heir nor another residuary heir sharing with him; otherwise, he receives whatever remains after the fixed shares have been distributed.
“If there are two sisters”—that is, two or more—“they shall receive two-thirds of what he leaves. If there are siblings, both men and women”; that is, when full or paternal half-brothers are present together with their sisters, “the male shall receive the share of two females.” The sisters’ prescribed shares then cease to apply, and their brothers make them residuary heirs.
“Allah makes this clear to you so that you do not go astray.” That is: ⦗218⦘ He makes clear to you the rulings you need, elucidating and explaining them as a favor and kindness from Him, so that you may be guided by His clarification and act according to His rulings, and so that you do not stray from the straight path through ignorance and lack of knowledge.
“Allah has full knowledge of all things.” That is, He knows the unseen and the seen, and all matters past and future. He knows your need for Him to clarify matters and teach you, so He teaches you, from His knowledge, that which will benefit you continually in every time and place.
End of the commentary on Surah al-Nisā. Thus, all praise and thanks belong to Allah.