Surah al-Ahzāb

Shaykh al-Islam—may Allah have mercy on him—said:

Allah Most High says:

“The Prophet has a greater claim over the believers than they have over themselves, and his wives are their mothers. Blood relatives have a greater claim upon one another in Allah’s Book than do other believers and emigrants, though you may still show kindness to your allies. That is inscribed in the Book.”

This conveys a meaning like that of the authentic hadith:

“I have a greater claim over every believer than he has over himself. Whoever leaves wealth, it belongs to his heirs; whoever leaves a burden or dependants, their care falls to me.”

Allah gave him a greater claim over them than they have over themselves, then gave relatives a greater claim upon one another. For his having a greater claim over them than they have over themselves entails his having a greater claim over them than their blood relatives have. Yet this does not entail his owning their wealth while they are alive, nor, likewise, after their death. Rather, it entails his shouldering their burdens and providing for their dependants from his own funds: the fifth, a fifth of that fifth, or all the fay’ revenues, according to the well-known difference of opinion.

This also shows that the priority entitling someone to inherit, mentioned in the Prophet’s words—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—

“to the nearest male relative,”

is conditional upon faith.