Asalamo Elekum Wa Rahmatullah.
May Allah bless you and your team for serving muslim comunnity and doing great effort to correct the belief of people.
I have question about “will’. i would be appreciate if you copy your fatwa to my personal email also.
Question
A) Do you have any calculator or any authentic website, where we can calculate wealth share for my “will”. If not can we use following website. Do you confirm that their calculation is correct ?
http://www.inheritancecalculator.net/
The reason I am asking for calculator, if I get distributoin now, then i will not know at the time of my death who will be alive or not. so i want to keep starndard website or your calculator to calculate each member share at the time of my death.
B) Does shariah allow us to give more or less in our “wasiyat” to someone. Like i give one child more and other child less due to obediency. if yes, it is preferable or not. I heard that Allah said that we should not takeaway any right or amount from our wealth which sharia already set in shariah. like we can “Aaq (urdu word) our anyone, even that peson is not obedience to us.
May Allah bless you here in this world and hereafter.
Jazakallahu Khairan
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salaamu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullaahi wa-barakaatuh.
The answers to your queries are as follows:
1. The laws of inheritance and succession and their application are intricate. A virtual calculator will not be able to adequately distribute the shares. Therefore, we advise against all virtual calculators. Upon the demise of a person, we advise the inheritors to consult an ‘Aalim or Mufti to advise the heirs and their shares.
2. A wasiyyah (bequest) of up to one-third of one’s estate may be made only for a non-heir[1]. A bequest in favor of an heir is invalid[2]. Accordingly, after your demise, your children will receive the shares allocated to them by Shari’ah. They cannot receive more or less than that.
One may gift his belongings to his children in his lifetime. In doing so, one should maintain equality amongst the children. It is incorrect to give preference to one child over the other. However, if there is a justifiable reason in Shari’ah to prefer one child over the other in gifting, then that is permissible[3]. For instance, a child who has dedicated himself to serving the parent(s) may be gifted more than his siblings. Similarly, if one is handicapped or has a lower income than his siblings, then that will be a justifiable reason. However, in all instances, one should ensure that it does not lead to animosity and disunity in the family. It is the responsibility of the parents to ensure and maintain love, harmony and unity in the family.
And Allaah Ta’aala Knows Best.
Muajul I. Chowdhury
Student, Darul Iftaa
Astoria, New York, USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
[1] احسن الفتاوى (9/ 292)
كفاية المفني (8/ 410)
[2] السراجى فى الميراث للسجاوندى (ص: 2)
تتعلق بتركة المية حقوق اربعة مرتبة……..ثم تنفذ وصاياه من ثلث ما بقي بعد الدين
[3] حاشية ابن عابدين (6/ 127)
(وأما) كيفية العدل بينهم فقد قال أبو يوسف العدل في ذلك أن يسوي بينهم في العطية ولا يفضل الذكر على الأنثى وقال محمد العدل بينهم أن يعطيهم على سبيل الترتيب في المواريث للذكر مثل حظ الأنثيين كذا ذكر القاضي الاختلاف بينهما في شرح مختصر الطحاوي وذكر محمد في الموطإ ينبغي للرجل أن يسوي بين ولده في النحل ولا يفضل بعضهم على بعض. وظاهر هذا يقتضي أن يكون قوله مع قول أبي يوسف وهو الصحيح لما روي أن بشيرا أبا النعمان أتى بالنعمان إلى رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – فقال إني نحلت ابني هذا غلاما كان لي فقال له رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – كل ولدك نحلته مثل هذا فقال لا فقال النبي – عليه الصلاة والسلام – فأرجعه وهذا إشارة إلى العدل بين الأولاد في النحلة وهو التسوية بينهم ولأن في التسوية تأليف القلوب والتفضيل يورث الوحشة بينهم فكانت التسوية