Search In Fatwa

Inheritance of property written in someone's name only 'on paper'

Question

We are kindly requested for our guidance & assistance for a “Sharai” matter in the according to Quran-o-Sunnat and Sahee Hadees. A person start some business & purchase some property in his life in the name of his relatives but he does not explain to any one that the business & property in the name of relatives. Now the person died so, who is “Sharai” deserve to claim for property & business?

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 ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

If this person (i.e. the deceased) made his relatives the actual owners of those properties [i.e. they were disposing of those properties as their real owners], then the ownership of those properties was transferred to them and they are entitled to it.

However, if he wrote those properties in their names only on paper as a formality for legal reasons, then it is not sufficient grounds in Islamic law for the transfer of ownership to them; rather, he remains the owner of those properties, and when he dies, those properties are to be transferred to his legitimate heirs – each according to his prescribed share.

Allaah Knows best.

Related Fatwa