The science of Faraid is built on a finite set of rules: ten relationships give rise to fixed Quranic shares, three categories of residuary heirs absorb the residue, and a small number of doctrines (hajb, ‘awl, radd) reconcile the system when the shares do not sum neatly to one. Once these rules are internalised, almost any inheritance problem can be solved by patient application. The difficulty, for the student and the practitioner alike, is not the complexity of any single rule but the combinatorial richness of their interaction — a deceased may leave a wife, two daughters, both parents, and a paternal uncle, and the shares must all be computed in light of one another.
This article provides detailed share tables for every category of heir recognised by the four Sunni schools of jurisprudence. Each table is accompanied by explanatory notes drawn from Ibn Qudamah’s al-Mughni, al-Marghinani’s al-Hidayah, al-Nawawi’s al-Majmu‘, Malik’s al-Muwatta’ with the commentary of al-Zurqani, and contemporary scholarship including AAOIFI’s Sharia standards and the resolutions of the Fiqh Academy. Worked numerical examples follow each table to make the application concrete.
1. The Spouse Shares
The shares of the husband and wife are fixed by the Qur’an (4:12) and depend on a single variable: whether the deceased has any descendants. A “descendant” for this purpose includes a son, a daughter, a son’s son, a son’s daughter, and lower descendants through the male line. Descendants through the female line (a daughter’s son or daughter) do not affect the spouse’s share.
1.1 Husband’s Share
| Condition | Share of Husband |
|---|---|
| Wife has no descendant (and no son’s son, etc.) | 1/2 of the estate |
| Wife has a descendant (son, daughter, son’s son, son’s daughter) | 1/4 of the estate |
Ibn Qudamah notes that the husband’s share is reduced from one-half to one-quarter when a descendant exists because the descendant’s claim on the estate is stronger — the descendant’s maintenance after the deceased’s death falls to the heirs, and the system therefore gives the descendant the larger portion. The husband, in any case, retains the duty of maintaining the deceased’s children if they remain in his household.
Worked Example 1: A man dies leaving a wife, no descendants, and a father. His net estate is £100,000.
- Husband (deceased was a woman): 1/2 = £50,000. (We assume here for the example that the “wife” predeceased; in our framing, the surviving spouse is the husband.)
- Father (as residuary, no fixed share): residue = £50,000.
- Total: £100,000.
Worked Example 2: A woman dies leaving a husband, a daughter, and a mother. Net estate £120,000.
- Husband: 1/4 (deceased has a descendant) = £30,000.
- Mother: 1/6 (deceased has a descendant) = £20,000.
- Daughter: 1/2 (alone, no son) = £60,000.
- Sum of fixed shares: £110,000. Residue: £10,000.
- No residuary exists. The residue returns to the fixed-share heirs (other than the spouse) under radd: the mother and the daughter share the residue in proportion to their shares (1/6 : 1/2 = 1:3). Mother receives £2,500; daughter receives £7,500.
- Final: Husband £30,000; Mother £22,500; Daughter £67,500.
1.2 Wife’s (or Wives’) Share
| Condition | Share of Wife/Wives |
|---|---|
| Husband has no descendant | 1/4 of the estate (shared equally among wives if multiple) |
| Husband has a descendant | 1/8 of the estate (shared equally among wives if multiple) |
The Qur’an says: “And for them [your wives] is one-fourth of what you leave, if you have no child. But if you have a child, for them is one-eighth.” (4:12). Multiple wives share their collective portion equally, regardless of the duration of marriage or the number of children each has borne. Al-Marghinani, in al-Hidayah, notes that this rule applies even to a recently married wife — the share attaches at the moment of marriage, not at the duration of cohabitation.
Worked Example 3: A man dies leaving two wives, a son, and a daughter. Net estate £200,000.
- Wives (collectively): 1/8 = £25,000. Each wife receives £12,500.
- Son and daughter as residuaries at 2:1 ratio. Residue = £175,000. Divided into 3 portions (2 for son, 1 for daughter): each portion = £58,333.33.
- Son: £116,666.67; Daughter: £58,333.33.
- Total: £200,000.
2. The Parents’ Shares
The shares of the father and the mother depend on two variables: whether the deceased has a descendant (son, daughter, son’s son, son’s daughter), and whether the deceased has brothers (full, paternal, or maternal — the schools differ on this).
2.1 Father’s Share
| Condition | Share of Father |
|---|---|
| Deceased has a descendant (son, daughter, son’s son, son’s daughter) | 1/6 plus the residue (asabah) |
| Deceased has no descendant but has brothers (two or more, or one according to some schools) | 1/6 (no residue, since brothers may inherit) |
| Deceased has no descendant and no brothers | The whole estate as residuary |
The father’s share is one of the most intricate in Faraid. When the deceased has a descendant, the father takes one-sixth as a fixed share plus the residue as the nearest male agnate — a dual capacity unique in the system. The classical jurists refer to this as fard bil-juz’iyyah wa ‘asabah bil-baqi — “a partial fixed share and residuary in the remainder.”
When the deceased has no descendant but has brothers, the father takes one-sixth and the brothers (if eligible) take the residue. The brothers are partially excluded by the father in some schools but not in others — a question we examine below.
2.2 Mother’s Share
| Condition | Share of Mother |
|---|---|
| Deceased has a descendant OR two or more brothers (full, paternal, or maternal) | 1/6 of the estate |
| Deceased has no descendant and no brothers (or one brother) | 1/3 of the estate |
| Deceased has a spouse and both parents (the umariyyatayn case) | 1/3 of the residue after the spouse’s share |
The reduction of the mother’s share from one-third to one-sixth in the presence of two or more brothers is grounded in the Qur’anic text itself: “And if he has brothers [and/or sisters], for his mother is a sixth.” (4:11). The jurists disagreed on whether the word “brothers” in this verse requires two or more, or whether a single brother suffices. The Hanafi, Shafi‘i, and Hanbali schools require two or more; Imam Malik, in al-Muwatta’, holds that even a single brother (whether full, paternal, or maternal) reduces the mother’s share to one-sixth. This is a significant point of divergence between the Maliki school and the others.
2.3 The ‘Umariyyatayn (the Two ‘Umar Cases)
A famous problem arises when the deceased leaves a husband, a father, and a mother (and no descendants). The fixed shares are: husband 1/2, mother 1/3, father 1/6 + residue. The total of the fixed shares (1/2 + 1/3 + 1/6) = 1. So the father’s residue is zero. The result is that the mother receives 1/3 (more than the father’s 1/6), which the second Caliph ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab deemed inequitable — given that the father, as the nearest male agnate, should not receive less than the mother.
‘Umar resolved the matter by giving the mother one-third of the residue after the husband’s share, rather than one-third of the whole estate. This produces: husband 1/2, residue 1/2; mother 1/3 of residue = 1/6; father takes the remaining 1/3. The father now receives twice the mother, in line with the general principle. This became the practice of the majority of the Companions, and the four schools follow it. The case is named al-gharrawayn (the two deceivers) or al-umariyyatayn (the two ‘Umar cases), the latter because the symmetric case with a wife instead of a husband (wife 1/4, parents) was also resolved by ‘Umar.
Worked Example 4 (the ‘Umariyyatayn): A woman dies leaving a husband, a father, and a mother. Net estate £120,000.
- Husband: 1/2 = £60,000.
- Residue: £60,000.
- Mother: 1/3 of residue = £20,000.
- Father: residue after mother = £40,000.
- Total: £120,000. The father now receives twice the mother.
If the case were computed naively without the ‘Umariyyatayn adjustment, the mother would receive 1/3 of the whole (£40,000) and the father 1/6 of the whole (£20,000) — the inversion that ‘Umar corrected.
3. The Children’s Shares
3.1 Daughters
| Condition | Share of Daughter(s) |
|---|---|
| One daughter, no son | 1/2 of the estate |
| Two or more daughters, no son | 2/3 of the estate (shared equally among them) |
| One or more daughters with one or more sons | Residuary at 2:1 ratio (son:daughter) |
The Qur’an (4:11) says: “But if there are [only] daughters, two or more, for them is two-thirds of what he left. And if there is only one, for her is half.” When sons coexist with daughters, the daughters no longer take a fixed share; they become residuaries with their brothers, sharing at a 2:1 ratio in favour of the males. This shift from fixed to residuary status is one of the most misunderstood aspects of Faraid.
Worked Example 5: A man dies leaving a wife, two daughters, no sons, and a father. Net estate £240,000.
- Wife: 1/8 (deceased has descendants) = £30,000.
- Father: 1/6 (deceased has descendants) + residue.
- Two daughters: 2/3 = £160,000.
- Sum of fixed shares: 1/8 + 1/6 + 2/3 = 3/24 + 4/24 + 16/24 = 23/24. Residue = 1/24.
- Father takes the residue: 1/24 of £240,000 = £10,000.
- Father total: £40,000 (1/6) + £10,000 (residue) = £50,000.
- Total: wife £30,000; father £50,000; daughters £160,000. Sum = £240,000.
3.2 Sons
Sons do not take a fixed share; they are always residuaries. A sole son inherits the entire residue (or the whole estate if no other heirs exist). Multiple sons share the residue equally among themselves.
3.3 Son’s Daughters (and Lower Granddaughters through the Male Line)
| Condition | Share of Son’s Daughter(s) |
|---|---|
| One son’s daughter, no surviving daughter, no son’s son | 1/2 of the estate |
| Two or more son’s daughters, no surviving daughter, no son’s son | 2/3 of the estate (shared equally) |
| Son’s daughter(s) coexisting with one daughter of the deceased | 1/6 as a corrective share (to complete the 2/3) |
| Son’s daughter(s) coexisting with two or more daughters | Excluded (hajb hirman) |
| Son’s daughter(s) coexisting with son’s son of equal or lower degree | Residuary at 2:1 ratio with the son’s son |
| Son’s daughter(s) coexisting with a son of the deceased | Excluded (the son blocks all lower male-line descendants) |
The son’s daughter occupies a delicate position: she inherits only in the absence of closer descendants, and her share is reduced or extinguished by the presence of a single daughter of the deceased (in which case she takes a corrective 1/6 to complete the 2/3 allotted to female descendants). Ibn Qudamah explains that the son’s daughter stands in for her deceased father; her claim is therefore subordinate to the claim of an actual daughter of the deceased.
4. The Siblings’ Shares
The shares of siblings depend critically on the type of sibling (full, paternal, or maternal) and on the presence of descendants or male ascendants of the deceased.
4.1 Maternal (Uterine) Siblings
| Condition | Share of Maternal Sibling(s) |
|---|---|
| One maternal sibling (brother or sister), no descendant, no father/grandfather | 1/6 (regardless of sex) |
| Two or more maternal siblings, no descendant, no father/grandfather | 1/3 shared equally (regardless of sex) |
| Deceased has a descendant OR a father/grandfather | Excluded |
The Qur’an (4:12) says: “And if a man or woman has no ascendant or descendant but has a brother or sister [maternal], then for each one of them is a sixth. But if they are more than two, they share a third.” The maternal siblings inherit equally regardless of sex — the only sibling category in which sex is irrelevant. They are excluded by any descendant (son, daughter, son’s son, son’s daughter) and by the father or paternal grandfather.
4.2 Full Siblings
| Condition | Share of Full Sibling(s) |
|---|---|
| One full sister, no full brother, no descendant, no father/grandfather, no full paternal uncle (etc.) | 1/2 of the estate |
| Two or more full sisters, no full brother, no descendant, no father/grandfather | 2/3 of the estate (shared equally) |
| Full sister(s) with full brother(s) | Residuary at 2:1 ratio |
| Deceased has a descendant (son, daughter, son’s son, son’s daughter) | Excluded |
| Deceased has a father or paternal grandfather | Excluded |
The full siblings inherit in the absence of descendants and male ascendants. The full sister, like the daughter, takes one-half if alone and two-thirds if two or more, and shifts to residuary status if a full brother coexists. The full brother is always a residuary.
4.3 Paternal Siblings
| Condition | Share of Paternal Sibling(s) |
|---|---|
| One paternal sister, no full sibling, no descendant, no father/grandfather | 1/2 of the estate |
| Two or more paternal sisters, no full sibling, no descendant, no father/grandfather | 2/3 of the estate (shared equally) |
| Paternal sister(s) coexisting with one full sister | 1/6 as a corrective share (to complete the 2/3) |
| Paternal sister(s) coexisting with two or more full sisters | Excluded |
| Paternal sibling(s) with paternal brother(s) | Residuary at 2:1 ratio |
| Deceased has a descendant or father/grandfather | Excluded |
The paternal siblings inherit only when no full sibling of the same degree exists. The paternal sister takes a corrective one-sixth when she coexists with a single full sister, mirroring the relationship between the son’s daughter and the daughter.
Worked Example 6: A man dies leaving a wife, a full sister, a paternal sister, and a mother. Net estate £120,000. The deceased has no descendants, no father, no grandfather.
- Wife: 1/4 (no descendant) = £30,000.
- Mother: 1/3 (no descendant; only one full sister and one paternal sister — not “two or more brothers” under the majority view; the Maliki view would reduce the mother to 1/6 even with one sibling).
- Full sister: 1/2 = £60,000.
- Paternal sister: 1/6 (corrective) = £20,000.
- Sum of fixed shares: 1/4 + 1/3 + 1/2 + 1/6 = 3/12 + 4/12 + 6/12 + 2/12 = 15/12 > 1. This triggers ‘awl (proportional reduction), which we treat in detail in another article.
- Under ‘awl, the shares are reduced proportionally using the denominator 15: wife 3/15, mother 4/15, full sister 6/15, paternal sister 2/15.
- Wife: 3/15 × £120,000 = £24,000.
- Mother: 4/15 × £120,000 = £32,000.
- Full sister: 6/15 × £120,000 = £48,000.
- Paternal sister: 2/15 × £120,000 = £16,000.
- Total: £120,000.
5. The Grandparents’ Shares
5.1 Paternal Grandmother(s)
The maternal grandmother and the paternal grandmother inherit one-sixth (shared between them if both exist) when the mother of the deceased is absent. The schools differ on whether the maternal grandmother inherits in her own right or only through the paternal line; the majority (Hanafi, Shafi‘i, Hanbali) hold that both grandmothers inherit one-sixth shared, while Imam Malik restricts inheritance to the paternal grandmother only. Ibn Abbas is reported to have held that the maternal grandmother does not inherit, but the majority position prevailed.
5.2 Paternal Grandfather
The paternal grandfather inherits in place of the father when the father is absent. His share is identical to the father’s in most cases, but a complication arises when the deceased also has siblings. The grandfather, as the nearest male agnate, would normally exclude the siblings; but the siblings, particularly full brothers, may collectively claim more than the grandfather would receive as a residuary. The four schools resolved this in different ways:
- Hanafi school: the grandfather takes the better of (a) one-sixth as a fixed share, or (b) the residue as a residuary. He shares the residue with the full and paternal brothers (at 2:1 ratio for brother:grandfather under one method).
- Maliki school: the grandfather takes the best of three options — one-sixth, the residue, or one-third of the estate. The siblings share the residue with him in some configurations.
- Shafi‘i school: the grandfather takes the better of one-sixth or the residue, and shares with the siblings in the manner prescribed by al-Shafi‘i.
- Hanbali school: similar to the Maliki approach, taking the best of three options.
This “grandfather with siblings” (al-jadd ma‘a al-ikhwah) problem is one of the most technically intricate in Faraid. For practical purposes, when a grandfather and siblings coexist, the matter should be referred to a specialist.
6. Comprehensive Reference: The Ten Heirs and Their Shares
The following table consolidates all the fixed shares in a single reference. It is intended for the practitioner who needs to scan quickly for the relevant share.
| Heir | Share | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Husband | 1/2 | Wife has no descendant |
| Husband | 1/4 | Wife has a descendant |
| Wife (collective) | 1/4 | Husband has no descendant |
| Wife (collective) | 1/8 | Husband has a descendant |
| Father | 1/6 + residue | Deceased has a descendant |
| Father | 1/6 | Deceased has no descendant but has brothers |
| Father | Whole estate | Deceased has no descendant, no brothers |
| Mother | 1/6 | Deceased has descendant or 2+ brothers |
| Mother | 1/3 | Deceased has no descendant, no brothers |
| Mother | 1/3 of residue | The ‘umariyyatayn case |
| Paternal grandfather | As father | Father is absent |
| Grandmother(s) | 1/6 shared | Mother is absent |
| Daughter | 1/2 | Alone, no son |
| Daughters (2+) | 2/3 shared | No son |
| Daughter(s) with son(s) | Residue at 2:1 | — |
| Son’s daughter | 1/2 | Alone, no daughter, no son’s son, no son |
| Son’s daughters (2+) | 2/3 shared | No daughter, no son’s son, no son |
| Son’s daughter with one daughter | 1/6 | Corrective share |
| Full sister | 1/2 | Alone, no full brother, no descendant, no male ascendant |
| Full sisters (2+) | 2/3 shared | No full brother, no descendant, no male ascendant |
| Full sister(s) with full brother(s) | Residue at 2:1 | — |
| Paternal sister | 1/2 | Alone, no full sibling, no descendant, no male ascendant |
| Paternal sisters (2+) | 2/3 shared | No full sibling, no descendant, no male ascendant |
| Paternal sister with one full sister | 1/6 | Corrective share |
| Maternal sibling (1) | 1/6 | No descendant, no male ascendant |
| Maternal siblings (2+) | 1/3 shared equally | No descendant, no male ascendant |
7. Worked Comprehensive Example
To consolidate the above, consider the following: a Muslim man dies leaving a wife, one daughter, one son, a father, a mother, and a full brother. His net estate is £360,000.
Step 1: Identify the fixed-share heirs and their shares.
- Wife: 1/8 (deceased has a descendant) = £45,000.
- Father: 1/6 (deceased has a descendant) = £60,000; plus residue as asabah.
- Mother: 1/6 (deceased has a descendant and 2+ brothers — actually here only one brother, but the deceased has a descendant, so the mother takes 1/6 in any case) = £60,000.
Step 2: Identify the residuary heirs. The son and the daughter are residuaries at 2:1 ratio. The full brother is excluded by the son (descendant) and by the father (male ascendant). The father is also a residuary (the nearest male agnate), but in this case the son is closer.
Step 3: Compute the residue. Fixed shares: 1/8 + 1/6 + 1/6 = 3/24 + 4/24 + 4/24 = 11/24. Residue = 13/24.
However, the son is the nearest male agnate, and the father’s residuary capacity is therefore subordinated. The father takes 1/6 only (not the residue). The residue passes to the son and daughter at 2:1.
- Residue = 13/24 × £360,000 = £195,000.
- Divided into 3 portions: £65,000 each.
- Son: 2 × £65,000 = £130,000.
- Daughter: £65,000.
Step 4: Final distribution.
| Heir | Amount |
|---|---|
| Wife | £45,000 |
| Father | £60,000 |
| Mother | £60,000 |
| Son | £130,000 |
| Daughter | £65,000 |
| Total | £360,000 |
The full brother receives nothing, excluded by the son and the father. The father’s share is one-sixth only, because the son’s existence as a nearer male agnate displaces the father’s residuary capacity.
8. Notes on Schools’ Divergences
While the four Sunni schools agree on the vast majority of Faraid, several important points of divergence exist:
- The mother’s share with one sibling: the Hanafi, Shafi‘i, and Hanbali schools hold that the mother takes one-third if there is only one brother; the Maliki school holds that even a single brother reduces her to one-sixth.
- The grandfather with siblings: as noted above, the four schools have different methods for resolving this case.
- The daughter with full sister (al-mushtarakah): the Hanafi school makes the full sister residuary with the daughter; the other schools give the full sister her fixed share.
- The maternal grandmother: the majority include her among inheriting grandmothers; the Maliki school restricts inheritance to the paternal grandmother.
- The excluded paternal grandfather’s siblings: subtle differences exist in the rules for when the grandfather excludes siblings entirely.
In practice, a testator should specify his madhhab in his will to avoid disputes among heirs of different schools. The Fiqh Academy of the Muslim World League has issued guidance to this effect.
9. Conclusion
The Faraid share tables, though extensive, are ultimately the application of a small number of Quranic and prophetic principles to a wide range of family configurations. Once the basic shares are memorised and the rules of exclusion internalised, the practitioner can solve almost any inheritance problem with patience and care. The tables in this article are intended as a reference; for actual estate distribution, the practitioner should consult a qualified scholar and, where applicable, a solicitor. The next articles in this series address the advanced doctrines of ‘awl and radd, the rationale of the 2:1 ratio, contemporary estate planning, and the implementation of Faraid in Western legal systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Do stepchildren inherit under Faraid?
No. Faraid relationships are based on blood (nasab) and valid marriage. Stepchildren do not inherit from a step-parent unless they receive up to one-third through a wasiyyah. However, a step-parent may make gifts to stepchildren during life.
Q2. If a wife is pregnant at the time of her husband’s death, is the unborn child an heir?
Yes. The four schools recognise the unborn child (al-haml) as a potential heir, and distribution should be postponed until the pregnancy is resolved, or shares should be distributed on the assumption that the child will be born alive. If the child is born alive, the distribution is recalculated to include the child’s share.
Q3. Does a child born out of wedlock inherit from the father?
The majority position is that a child born out of wedlock inherits from the mother but not from the biological father, because the legal filiation (nasab) was not established through valid marriage. However, if the father acknowledged the child and the acknowledgment is legally valid, the child may inherit from the father according to some contemporary scholars; the matter should be referred to a mufti.
Q4. How are joint bank accounts treated under Faraid?
The treatment depends on the legal nature of the account. In many jurisdictions, joint accounts pass to the surviving account holder by right of survivorship, bypassing the estate. From a Sharia perspective, the portion of the account belonging to the deceased forms part of the estate and should be distributed according to Faraid. Where the account was used by the deceased as a convenience for the surviving holder (e.g., an elderly parent adding a child for bill-paying), the entire balance may belong to the deceased’s estate. The ECFR has addressed this in several resolutions urging Muslims to clarify ownership of joint accounts.
Q5. What if the estate includes a family business?
A family business is part of the estate and must be valued and distributed according to Faraid. Practical challenges often arise where the heirs wish to continue the business as a going concern. In such cases, the heirs may agree to retain the business as a musharakah (partnership) in which each heir’s share corresponds to his Faraid portion, with a management agreement specifying decision-making. Alternatively, one heir may buy out the others at fair market value. AAOIFI Sharia Standard No. 12 on Sharikah provides useful guidance on structuring such arrangements.