Book of Inheritance
Chapter: Those Who Inherit from Uterine Relatives and Others

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.

Among men, ten categories inherit. Eight of them inherit by lineage, while two inherit for reasons unconnected with blood ties—the two reasons being marriage and manumission.
The eight who inherit through lineage are: the father, his father (the grandfather), the son, the son’s son, however remote; the full brother—whether he shares both parents or only the father—and the son of such a brother, whether full or paternal; and the paternal uncle together with his son, continuing downward however far the line extends. These are the heirs who inherit by reason of kinship, and their respective shares differ, as we shall explain, if Allah wills.

The two who inherit without any blood relationship are the husband and the patron who conferred the blessing of manumission; whoever succeeds that patron simply takes his place. Thus the total comes to ten classes, not ten specific individuals.

As for women, seven categories inherit. Five of these are by lineage and two by the same secondary causes just mentioned—marriage and manumission. The five are: the mother, the grandmother however high, the daughter, the daughter’s daughter however low, and the sister in whatever form her relationship may take.