Who inherits in Islam
See which surviving relatives inherit in Sunni Faraid: spouse, parents, children, siblings, and extended agnates.
Each ruling below links to the Quran, a Hadith, or IslamQA. Links open on those sites.
Two kinds of heirs
Quranic heirs (ashab al-furud) take a fixed fraction named in the Quran or the Sunnah.Sources:Quran 4:11 (Shares of children and parents, after debts and bequests; opens in a new tab)Quran 4:12 (Shares of spouses and maternal siblings, after debts and bequests; opens in a new tab)IslamQA 225165 (Rules of inheritance: fixed shares, residue, and impediments; opens in a new tab)
Residuary heirs (asaba) take what remains after those fixed shares.Sources:Sahih al-Bukhari 6732 (Give the fixed shares; the remainder goes to the closest male relative; opens in a new tab)Sahih Muslim 1615a (Give the shares to those entitled; the remainder goes to the nearest male heir; opens in a new tab)IslamQA 225165 (Rules of inheritance: fixed shares, residue, and impediments; opens in a new tab)
Some people, such as the father or a daughter with a brother, can take both a fixed share and residue.Sources:Quran 4:11 (Shares of children and parents, after debts and bequests; opens in a new tab)IslamQA 171811 (Wife one-eighth, parents one-sixth each, children take the residue 2:1; opens in a new tab)IslamQA 12911 (A daughter's share: one-half, two-thirds, or residue with a son; opens in a new tab)
Heirs in this calculator
- Husband, or up to four wives. Wives share one Quranic portion.Sources:Quran 4:12 (Shares of spouses and maternal siblings, after debts and bequests; opens in a new tab)Quran 4:3 (Marriage is limited to four wives; opens in a new tab)IslamQA 140167 (Order of the estate, heirs, and blocking; opens in a new tab)
- Father, mother, paternal grandfather, great-grandfather, and both grandmothers.Sources:Quran 4:11 (Shares of children and parents, after debts and bequests; opens in a new tab)IslamQA 175366 (A grandfather stands in for a missing father; a grandmother for a missing mother; opens in a new tab)Sunan Abi Dawud 2894 (The Prophet gave a grandmother one-sixth; opens in a new tab)
- Sons, daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in the son's line.Sources:Quran 4:11 (Shares of children and parents, after debts and bequests; opens in a new tab)IslamQA 131473 (A living son blocks grandchildren in the son's line; opens in a new tab)Sahih al-Bukhari 6736 (A son's daughter takes one-sixth with one daughter, completing two-thirds; opens in a new tab)
- Daughter's children as distant kindred (except in the Maliki school).Sources:IslamQA 70575 (A daughter's children do not inherit as agnates; opens in a new tab)IslamQA 135906 (Paternal uncles, blocking, and distant kindred; opens in a new tab)
- Full siblings, paternal half-siblings, and maternal (uterine) siblings.Sources:Quran 4:12 (Shares of spouses and maternal siblings, after debts and bequests; opens in a new tab)Quran 4:176 (Shares of full or paternal siblings in kalalah; opens in a new tab)IslamQA 166553 (Maternal siblings share equally; full siblings follow 4:176; opens in a new tab)
- Full and paternal brothers' sons.Sources:Sahih al-Bukhari 6732 (Give the fixed shares; the remainder goes to the closest male relative; opens in a new tab)IslamQA 85136 (A wife takes one-quarter; residue goes to the closest male agnate; opens in a new tab)
- Full and paternal uncles, and their sons.Sources:IslamQA 135906 (Paternal uncles, blocking, and distant kindred; opens in a new tab)Sahih al-Bukhari 6732 (Give the fixed shares; the remainder goes to the closest male relative; opens in a new tab)
Count only people who outlive the deceased. A living closer heir often blocks a farther one. See blocking rules.Sources:IslamQA 127945 (An heir must be alive after the deceased; opens in a new tab)IslamQA 140167 (Order of the estate, heirs, and blocking; opens in a new tab)
Who does not inherit here
Version 1.0 does not cover every class of distant kindred, an unborn child, a missing person, a killer of the deceased, or a difference of religion. The Sunnah blocks a killer, and it blocks inheritance between a Muslim and a disbeliever.Sources:IslamQA 13772 (A killer, or a difference of religion, blocks inheritance; opens in a new tab)IslamQA 428 (A Muslim does not inherit from a non-Muslim; opens in a new tab)Sahih al-Bukhari 6764 (A Muslim and a disbeliever do not inherit from one another; opens in a new tab)Jami at-Tirmidhi 2109 (The killer does not inherit; opens in a new tab)
Use the free calculator to work out each heir's fraction, percentage, and amount. Open the calculator