Inheritance of a wife and four sisters
Fatwa No: 193267

Question

Assalaamu ‘Alaykum; Please calculate the inheritance according to the following information -Does the deceased have female relatives who are entitled to inherit : (A wife) Number 1 (A full sister) Number 4 - Additional information : decease had 100 million in his bank when he died .he is my uncle, my mothers brother,

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

If these are the only heirs, then the wife receives one-fourth of the inheritance due to the absence of the children. Allaah The Exalted Said (what means): {And for the wives is one fourth if you leave no child...}[Quran 4:12]

To his full sisters must go two-thirds, as Allaah The Exalted Said regarding multiple full sisters (what means): {But if there are two sisters [or more], they will have two-thirds of what he left.}[Quran 4:176] This verse was revealed about the sisters of Jaabir ibn Abdillaah and they were seven, as narrated by Ahmad and Abu Daawood.

After apportioning the obligatory amounts to the wife and sisters, the remaining balance is further given to the sisters on top of what was due (i.e. they get the whole remaining inheritance, as there is no other heir).

Thus, the inheritance – the amount mentioned in the question – is divided into 16 shares: the wife receives one-fourth (4 shares) and the remaining twelve shares go to the four sisters, each receiving 3 shares, taking their due and the rest.

Allaah Knows best.

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