What is Islamic Inheritance Law (Faraid)?
Faraid (فرائض), also called Mirath or Tirkah, is the divine system of estate distribution prescribed in the Quran and Sunnah for every Muslim. The word Faraid is derived from Fardh, meaning “obligatory,” reflecting its binding nature in Islamic law. Unlike secular inheritance systems, Islamic inheritance law assigns precise, God-ordained fractions to each class of heir—leaving no room for personal preference when it comes to the mandatory shares.
The primary Quranic source for Islamic inheritance rules is Surah An-Nisa (Chapter 4), specifically verses 11, 12, and 176. These verses detail the shares of daughters, sons, parents, spouses, and siblings with remarkable precision. The Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) further elaborated these rules through authentic Hadith, stating: “Learn the rules of inheritance and teach them to people, for they are half of knowledge” (Ibn Majah).
Before any inheritance distribution can take place, Islam mandates three obligations be fulfilled in order: (1) funeral and burial expenses, (2) repayment of all debts — including deferred mahr owed to a wife — and (3) execution of any valid Wasiyyah (bequest), which cannot exceed one-third of the net estate and cannot benefit an existing heir. Only the remaining estate enters the Faraid distribution. If you also need to calculate your annual Zakat obligation, our dedicated Zakat Calculator handles gold, silver, cash, and business assets.
The Three Categories of Heirs in Islam
Islamic jurisprudence classifies every potential heir into one of three categories, determining how they receive their share of the estate:
1. Ashaab al-Furudh — Fixed-Share Heirs
These are the heirs whose shares are explicitly mentioned in the Quran or authentic Hadith. They receive a fixed fraction of the estate — either 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/3, 2/3, or 1/6 — regardless of who else is present. The fixed-share heirs include the husband, wife/wives, daughter, two or more daughters, father (with children present), mother, paternal grandfather, paternal and maternal grandmothers, full sisters, paternal half-sisters, and uterine siblings.
2. Asaba — Residuary Heirs
Asaba (عصبة) are heirs who inherit whatever remains after the fixed shares have been distributed. Sons are the primary Asaba; they inherit the residue individually or share it with daughters on a 2:1 ratio. The father becomes Asaba when there are no children. Full brothers, paternal half-brothers, and their descendants form subsequent levels of Asaba. A daughter can also become Asaba if she inherits alongside a son (“with a son” Asaba), receiving half his share.
3. Mahjub — Blocked Heirs
A Mahjub (محجوب) heir is one who is completely excluded from inheriting due to the presence of a closer relative. For example, the paternal grandfather is blocked by the father, the paternal grandmother is blocked by the mother or father, and full brothers are blocked by a son or the father. Our Faraid calculator automatically identifies and displays blocked heirs so you can verify every calculation transparently.
Quranic Inheritance Shares — Quick Reference Table
The following table summarises the six fixed Quranic fractions (Furudh al-Muqaddarah) and the conditions under which each heir receives them. This is the foundation of every Islamic inheritance calculation:
| Heir | Condition | Share | Quranic Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Husband | Deceased has no children | 1/2 | An-Nisa 4:12 |
| Husband | Deceased has children | 1/4 | An-Nisa 4:12 |
| Wife / Wives | Deceased has no children | 1/4 (shared) | An-Nisa 4:12 |
| Wife / Wives | Deceased has children | 1/8 (shared) | An-Nisa 4:12 |
| One Daughter | No son present | 1/2 | An-Nisa 4:11 |
| Two+ Daughters | No son present | 2/3 (shared) | An-Nisa 4:11 |
| Son(s) + Daughter(s) | Together as Asaba | Residue (2:1 ratio) | An-Nisa 4:11 |
| Mother | Deceased has children or 2+ siblings | 1/6 | An-Nisa 4:11 |
| Mother | No children, fewer than 2 siblings | 1/3 | An-Nisa 4:11 |
| Father | Deceased has children | 1/6 + residue | An-Nisa 4:11 |
| Father | Deceased has no children | Residue (Asaba) | An-Nisa 4:11 |
| Uterine Sibling (1) | No children or father | 1/6 | An-Nisa 4:12 |
| Uterine Siblings (2+) | No children or father | 1/3 (shared) | An-Nisa 4:12 |
Understanding Awl and Radd in Islamic Inheritance
Awl — Proportional Reduction
Awl (عول, “increase”) occurs when the sum of all fixed Fardh shares exceeds the entire estate (total greater than 100%). This happens in certain combinations of heirs — for example, a husband, two daughters, and a mother together would normally receive 1/4 + 2/3 + 1/6 = 13/12 of the estate, which is impossible. The solution, adopted unanimously by the Companions (Sahabah), is to increase the denominator proportionally, so each heir’s fraction is reduced on the same ratio. All four major Sunni schools agree on Awl. Our Faraid calculator automatically detects and applies Awl, notifying you when it occurs.
Radd — Return of the Surplus
Radd (رد, “return”) is the opposite scenario: fixed shares do not consume the entire estate and there is no Asaba heir to take the residue. The surplus is then “returned” proportionally to the fixed-share heirs. The Hanafi school (the default in this calculator) allows the surplus to be returned to all eligible heirs including the spouse. The Shafiʿī, Mālikī, and Hanbali schools exclude the spouse from Radd, sending the spousal residue instead to the Islamic treasury (Bayt al-Mal). Select your legal school in Step 1 to get the correct result for your jurisdiction.
How to Use This Islamic Inheritance Calculator
This free online Faraid calculator is designed to be simple, accurate, and suitable for all four major Sunni schools of Islamic law. Here is how to get your results in three steps:
- Enter the Net Estate Value — First deduct funeral expenses, all outstanding debts, and any Wasiyyah (maximum 1/3 to non-heirs). Enter only the distributable net amount. Select your currency (PKR, USD, GBP, EUR, SAR, AED, and more) and the applicable legal school (Hanafi or other Sunni schools).
- Select the Surviving Heirs — Click each heir card that applies. For heirs with variable counts (wives up to 4, multiple sons, daughters, brothers, sisters), use the + and − buttons to set the exact number. Husband and wife are mutually exclusive — selecting one automatically deselects the other.
- View the Results — Click “Calculate Shares” to see each heir’s Quranic fraction, exact monetary amount, and percentage of the estate. Any Awl reduction, Radd surplus, or blocked heirs are clearly labelled. You can modify heirs and recalculate as many times as needed.
Differences Between the Four Madhabs on Inheritance
While the core Quranic shares are agreed upon by all Sunni schools, a few notable differences exist in edge cases:
- Radd and the Spouse: Hanafis return the residue to the spouse; Shafiʿis, Malikis, and Hanbalis do not.
- Paternal Grandfather with Brothers: The Hanafi position (following ʿAli ibn Abi Talib) excludes brothers when the grandfather is present. Other schools (following Zayd ibn Thābit) share the residue between them.
- Uterine Relatives (Dhawī al-Arhām): Hanafis and Hanbalis allow distant relatives to inherit when no primary heirs exist. Malikis and Shafiʿis send the estate to Bayt al-Mal instead.
For authoritative scholarly guidance on these differences, we recommend IslamQA.info — Inheritance Section and SeekersGuidance.org, both of which offer verified fatawa from qualified Islamic scholars.
Frequently Asked Questions About Islamic Inheritance
Is following Faraid law obligatory for Muslims?
Yes. Distributing an estate according to Faraid is Fardh — obligatory upon every Muslim who handles the estate of a deceased Muslim. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) instructed: “Divide the inheritance among the people of the Faraʿid according to the Book of Allah” (Sahih Muslim). Deliberately withholding an heir’s share or distributing an estate contrary to Faraid is considered a major sin in Islamic jurisprudence.
Can daughters be excluded from Islamic inheritance?
No. Islam explicitly and unconditionally guarantees women’s right to inherit. Daughters, wives, mothers, and sisters all have fixed shares prescribed in the Quran. Denying women their rightful share of an estate is a serious violation of Islamic law. In the pre-Islamic era (“Jahiliyyah”), women could not inherit; Islam’s inheritance verses (An-Nisa 4:7–12) overturned this injustice entirely.
Why does a son receive double the share of a daughter?
The 2:1 ratio between sons and daughters reflects the asymmetry of financial obligations in Islamic law. A son is legally obligated to fully maintain his wife, children, and potentially his parents, using his inheritance to fulfil these duties. A daughter’s inheritance, by contrast, is her personal property alone — her husband is obligated to provide for all her financial needs independently of her assets. Considered holistically, the financial advantage often favours women under the Islamic system.
Can a non-Muslim spouse inherit from a Muslim?
Under the four major Sunni schools, a non-Muslim does not inherit from a Muslim via Faraid, based on the hadith: “A Muslim does not inherit from a disbeliever, nor does a disbeliever inherit from a Muslim” (Bukhari and Muslim). However, a non-Muslim spouse may receive up to one-third of the estate through a valid Wasiyyah (bequest) made before the Muslim’s death, provided no other heir is being circumvented.
What happens to the estate if there are no heirs?
If a Muslim dies with no qualifying heirs from among the Faraid categories or Asaba relatives, the estate passes to the Bayt al-Mal — the Islamic public treasury — for the benefit of the Muslim community. In countries without an Islamic state treasury, Muslim scholars typically advise distributing the estate to Islamic charities or community institutions. Always consult a local Mufti for jurisdiction-specific guidance.
More Islamic Tools on DuaForAll
Alongside this Islamic inheritance calculator, DuaForAll offers a growing suite of free tools to support your Islamic financial and worship planning:
- 💰 Zakat Calculator — Calculate your annual Zakat obligation on gold, silver, cash, savings, investments, and business assets. Supports Hanafi and other Nisab thresholds in all major currencies.
- 🕐 Prayer Time Calculator — Accurate Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha times for any city worldwide, with multiple calculation methods.
- 🌙 Ramadan Calendar 2026 — Complete Suhoor and Iftar timetables, Ramadan start date, and the full Islamic calendar for 2026.
- 🤲 Daily Duas & Supplications — Authentic duas for morning, evening, before sleep, after prayers, and every occasion of daily life.
Scholarly Resources on Faraid
This calculator is an educational tool. For complex estates involving disputed heirs, missing persons, debts, or assets in multiple countries, always engage a qualified Islamic inheritance lawyer or Mufti. The following authoritative external resources provide deeper scholarly coverage of Faraid:
- 📚 IslamQA — Inheritance Fatawa — Hundreds of verified Q&As on specific inheritance scenarios, answered by the Permanent Committee and prominent scholars.
- 🎓 SeekersGuidance — Free structured courses on Islamic law including dedicated modules on Faraʿid from qualified Hanafi and Shafiʿi teachers.
- 📖 Quran.com — Surah An-Nisa 4:11–12 — Read the primary Quranic verses on inheritance with multiple translations and tafsir.