- Does a predeceased child have a share in the estate?
- In a will it states that if any of my children predeceased me then the predeceased child`s share must be given in equally to their children (i.e. the grandchildren) in stripes. Is this correct?
- If the deceased made a verbal Wasiyyah with the witnesses that can testify, should the Wasiyyah be carried out?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
- A predeceased child will not inherit from the estate of his or her parents.
- The grandchildren cannot be equated to one`s children in inheritance. Therefore the concept of per stirpes is incorrect[1].
- The Wasiyyah of the deceased is valid and subsequently it is incumbent upon the executors to execute the Wasiyyah[2]. However, the following points are important to consider:
- It is not permissible to make a Wasiyyah for any heir; and if such a Wasiyyah is made, it will not be executed, unless all the heirs consent to it[3].
- A Wasiyyah can be made only from the remaining 1/3 of the estate after burial expenses and payment of debts [4].
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Hanif Yusuf Patel
Student Darul Iftaa
UK
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net
References
[1] وان كان للميت ابن, فلا شيء لبنت الإبن
[Al-Muhit al-Burhani, 23:289, Idarah al-Qur`an wa al-Uloom al-Islamiyyah]
اولى العصبات باالميراث الابن, ثم ابن الابن
[Ibid, 23:307]
[2] قال محمد في الجامع الصغير في رجل يوصي إلى رجل فقبله في حياته الموصي فالوصية لازمة
[Al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah, 6: 137; Al-Bahr al-Ra`iq, 9:307, Rashidiyyah]
[Ahsan al-Fatawa, 9:292, H.M Saeed Company]
[3] لا تجوز الوصية للوارث عندنا إلا أن يجوزها الورثة
[Al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah, 6:90, Rashidiyah; Ad-Durr al-Mukhtar ma`a Radd al-Muhtar, 6:655-6, H.M. Saeed Company; Bada`i as-Sana`i, 6:423, Deoband]
[Fatawa Mahmoodiyyah, 24: 498, Dar al-Iftaa Jamiah Farooqiyyah, Karachi]
[4] ولا تجوز بما زاد على الثلث … الا أن يجيزها الورثة بعد موته وهم كبار … لا تجوز لوارثه … … الا أن يجيزها الورثة … الوصية
[Al-Hidayah, 4: 638-40, Maktabah Rahmaniyyah, Lahore]