Chapter on Spousal Inheritance

A husband receives one-half of his deceased wife’s estate when she leaves no child—male or female—whether by him or by another man, nor any grandchild through a son, however remote. If such a descendant exists, his half is reduced to one-quarter. His share can never exceed one-half nor fall below one-quarter, except to the extent diminished by ʿawl (proportional reduction of the fixed shares).

A wife is entitled to one-quarter of her deceased husband’s estate provided he leaves no child, male or female, by her or by another woman, nor any grandson through a son, however remote. Should such a descendant exist, her share becomes one-eighth. Her allotment is never increased beyond one-quarter and never drops below one-eighth, save for what ʿawl may proportionally reduce.

Whether the surviving wives are one, two, three, or four, they divide the one-quarter or the one-eighth equally among themselves: together they may not receive more than one-quarter when there is no child or paternal grandchild, nor less than one-eighth, except as decreased by ʿawl.