A man left his property of Rs. 640,000. A debt of Rs. 40,000 was due to him and Rs. 5,000 was spent on his burial. Distribute the amount between his widow, 1 daughter and 2 sons according to the Islamic Law.

Explanation

Under Islamic inheritance law, first deduct any outstanding debts and burial expenses from the total estate. Here, Rs. 640,000 – Rs. 40,000 (debt) – Rs. 5,000 (burial) = Rs. 595,000 net estate. The widow receives 1/8 share because the deceased has children, so her share = 595,000 × 1/8 = Rs. 74,375. The remaining 7/8 (Rs. 520,625) is distributed among the daughter and two sons according to the rule that a male receives double the share of a female, meaning the residue is divided into 5 parts: 1 part for the daughter and 2 parts each for the two sons.

Good to know

Islamic inheritance law (Ilm al-Faraid) is derived from the Quran, particularly Surah An-Nisa (4:11-12), which prescribes fixed shares for heirs. The widow's share is 1/4 if there are no children and 1/8 if there are children. Debts and funeral expenses must be settled before distributing the estate. The rule of double share for males over females applies to children of the deceased when they inherit together as residuary heirs (Asabah).

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