Daughter’s demand for equal share in inheritance
Question
What should we do if our sisters are demanding equal share of our deceased father’s inheritance, because they object to the amounts afforded to them by Islamic law? Can they be given an equal share to keep the peace?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم
Answer
Objecting to the Islamic law in this manner is a grave sin that can endanger one’s Īmān. Allah Almighty has fixed the shares of the heirs and He is The Wisest. You are under no religious or moral obligation to give them an equal share. However, if you wish to do so voluntarily, this will be a gift from you to them and this is permissible. It must however be noted that there should be no direct or indirect pressure on any heir to make such a gift.
قال الله تعالى: للذكر مثل حظ الأنثيين. وقال تعالى: تؤمنون ببعض الكتاب وتكفرون ببعض. وقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: لا يحل مال امرئ مسلم إلا بطيب نفسه، رواه أحمد (٢٠٦٩٥ و ١٥٤٨٨) والدارقطني (٢٨٨٣ وما بعده) وغيرهما، وجوّد الزيلعي في تخريج أحاديث الهداية (٤/١٦٩) أحد أسانيد الدارقطني، وراجع التلخيص الحبير (٣/١١٢)۔
Allah knows best
Yusuf Shabbir
24 Jumādā al-Thāniyah 1445 / 7 January 2024
Approved by: Mufti Shabbir Ahmed and Mufti Muhammad Tahir
