In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful.

And may Allah bless Muhammad.


Book of Inheritance


A slave does not inherit from a free person, one slave does not inherit from another, and a free person does not inherit from a slave—unless the slave in question is his own property, in which case whatever the slave possesses reverts to him. No one may inherit from someone who is not of the same religion and creed, whether through blood or through any other tie.


The right of inheritance is established only by one of three causes: (1) a confirmed, well-known blood relationship; (2) a valid bond of walāʾ (clientage), which takes the place of kinship when no kinship exists; or (3) a sound marriage. Once a child born in lawful wedlock is attributed to his father, succession becomes due. Similarly, in every disputed marriage where lineage is affirmed, the ḥadd penalty is waived, and once both parties acknowledge the union, the right to inherit is secured.


Not every blood relative inherits merely on account of the womb. Among such relatives, only those for whom Allah has assigned a portion—either in His Book or on the tongue of His Messenger—are heirs, as will be outlined in summary in the Book of Prescribed Shares, if Allah wills. And everyone among the Muslims for whom Allah has granted an inheritance by virtue of his kinship—