Islamic inheritance calculator

Before the division: what is taken out of the estate

Only what remains after three deductions is divided among the heirs, in this order: funeral costs, the deceased’s debts, then his bequests. The Quran states four times that the shares apply “after any bequest he may have made or debt”, and Ali reports that the Prophet ﷺ settled debts before bequests. (Quran 4:11 · Quran 4:12 · al-Tirmidhi 2094 · al-Nawawi, Minhaj al-Talibin)

A bequest (wasiyya) may not exceed one third of what remains after debts — “a third, and a third is a lot” — and may not benefit an heir: “Allah has given everyone his due; there is no bequest for an heir,” unless the other heirs accept it after the death (the majority view according to Ibn Qudama). Enter the remaining amount in the calculator. (al-Bukhari 2742 · Abu Dawud 2870 · al-Nawawi, Minhaj al-Talibin · Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni)

The fixed shares (faraʾid) and their conditions

The Quran sets six fractions: one half, one quarter, one eighth, two thirds, one third and one sixth. Who receives which depends on the other living relatives: (Quran 4:11 · Quran 4:12 · Quran 4:176 · Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni)

Those who inherit the residue (ʿasaba)

What remains after the fixed shares goes to the male relatives on the father’s side, the closest first: “Give the fixed shares to those entitled to them; what remains goes to the nearest male.” The order is: sons, son’s sons, father, grandfather, full brothers, paternal half-brothers, their sons, paternal uncles, then their sons. At the same degree, the full relative comes before the half relative. (al-Bukhari 6732 · Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni · Mukhtasar Khalil (Maliki))

Sons, son’s sons and brothers share this residue with their sisters, a male receiving the share of two females. Full or paternal sisters also take the residue when there are daughters: this is the Prophet’s ﷺ judgment reported by Ibn Masud (daughter 1/2, son’s daughter 1/6, the rest to the sister). (Quran 4:11 · Quran 4:176 · al-Bukhari 6736)

Who excludes whom

The spouse, father, mother, son and daughter are never excluded. For the others: the son excludes the son’s children; two daughters exclude the son’s daughters, unless a son’s son makes them residuaries; the father excludes the grandfather, the siblings and (except for the Hanbalis) his own mother; the mother excludes the grandmothers; any descendant, the father or the grandfather exclude maternal half-siblings. (Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni · al-Nawawi, Minhaj al-Talibin · Mukhtasar Khalil (Maliki))

Even when excluded by the father, two or more siblings reduce the mother’s share from a third to a sixth. (Quran 4:11 · Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni · Mukhtasar Khalil (Maliki))

Special cases

ʿAwl — when the fixed shares exceed the estate, all are reduced in the same proportion. Example from the books: a wife, the father, the mother and two daughters (1/8 + 1/6 + 1/6 + 2/3); the base 24 is raised to 27, the wife gets 3/27 = 1/9, each parent 4/27, the two daughters 16/27. (ruling of Umar · Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni · al-Nawawi, Minhaj al-Talibin)

Radd — when a part remains and there is no residuary heir, it is returned to the fixed-share heirs in proportion, except the spouse. Example: a daughter and the mother (1/2 and 1/6) finally receive 3/4 and 1/4. (Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni · al-Nawawi, Minhaj al-Talibin · Mukhtasar Khalil (Maliki))

The two “Umariyya” cases — spouse, father and mother: the mother receives a third of what remains after the spouse (1/6 with a husband, 1/4 with a wife), the father the rest. (ruling of Umar · Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni · Mukhtasar Khalil (Maliki))

Where the schools differ

For the vast majority of estates, the four schools (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafiʿi, Hanbali) reach the same division. They differ in a few situations, which the calculator detects: it then shows each school’s division instead of choosing one for you. (Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni)

• Grandfather with siblings: excluded by the grandfather for the Hanafis; shared by Zayd’s method for the others. (al-Sirajiyya (Hanafi) · Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni)
• Mushtaraka: full brothers share the maternal siblings’ third for the Malikis and Shafiʿis, nothing for the Hanafis and Hanbalis. (Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni · Mukhtasar Khalil (Maliki))
• Father’s mother with the father: an heir for the Hanbalis only. (Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni)
• “Malikiyya”: with husband, mother, grandfather, two maternal siblings and a brother, the Malikis give the whole residue to the grandfather. (Mukhtasar Khalil (Maliki))
• Radd: practised by all schools today; early Malikis and Shafiʿis gave the residue to the public treasury. (al-Nawawi, Minhaj al-Talibin · Mukhtasar Khalil (Maliki))

Some Companions held yet other views (Ibn Abbas rejected ʿawl, for example). They are not followed by the four schools and the calculator does not apply them. (Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni)

Who does not inherit, and cases to flag

Do not enter a relative who does not inherit: a Muslim does not inherit from a non-Muslim nor the reverse; whoever killed the deceased does not inherit (schools differ on accidental killing). An adopted child is not an heir, since inheritance arises from kinship, marriage or emancipation: he may be left up to a third by bequest. (al-Bukhari 6764 · Ibn Majah 2645 · al-Nawawi, Minhaj al-Talibin · Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni)

A wife divorced by a revocable divorce and still in her waiting period (ʿidda) inherits as a wife. If an heiress is expecting the deceased’s child, if an heir is missing, or if an heir died before the division, the calculation requires specific rules: consult a scholar. (Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni · al-Nawawi, Minhaj al-Talibin)

What about my country’s law?

In most Muslim countries, inheritance is governed by a family code drawn from fiqh, but each code settled some disagreements its own way. Under the result, in “Under your country’s law”, the calculator flags the differences that affect the case at hand. Here is the essentials, checked against the official texts:

• Morocco (2004 Family Code): Maliki school where the text is silent; the Justice Ministry’s official guide includes the spouse in radd; obligatory bequest for the children of a son or daughter who died before the deceased. (Morocco, Family Code, art. 349 · Moroccan Ministry of Justice practical guide · Morocco, arts. 369-372)
• Algeria (1984 Family Code, amended 2005): Zayd’s method for the grandfather; the spouse receives the rest only if there is no relative at all, even through women; grandchildren of a predeceased child take their parent’s place up to one third (tanzil). (Algeria, art. 158 · Algeria, Family Code, arts. 167, 180 · Algeria, arts. 169-172)
• Tunisia (Personal Status Code): the daughter or son’s daughter takes the residue even against brothers and uncles; obligatory bequest for the children of a son or daughter. (Tunisia, Personal Status Code, art. 143 bis · Tunisia, arts. 191-192)
• Senegal (1972 Family Code): Islamic rules apply only if the deceased expressed that wish, explicitly or through conduct; Zayd’s method and the Maliki special cases; no obligatory bequest. (Senegal, Family Code, art. 571 · Senegal, arts. 616-640)
• Egypt and Jordan: their own rule for the grandfather with siblings (sharing or residue, at least a sixth); obligatory bequest; in Jordan, the spouse shares in radd. (Egypt, Law 77/1943, art. 22 · Egypt, Law 71/1946, arts. 76-78 · Jordan, Personal Status Law 15/2019, art. 290 · Jordan, art. 312 · Jordan, art. 279)
• Saudi Arabia (2022 Personal Status Law): the grandfather excludes siblings, full brothers get nothing in the “Mushtaraka”, the father’s mother inherits alongside the father; no obligatory bequest. (Saudi Arabia, Personal Status Law, art. 212 · Saudi Arabia, art. 227 · Saudi Arabia, art. 214)
• UAE (2024 law, in force since 15 April 2025; the former law applies to earlier deaths): the spouse never shares in radd, the father’s mother inherits alongside the father, obligatory bequest for the children of a son or daughter. (UAE, art. 233 · UAE, art. 216 · UAE, Federal Decree-Law 41/2024, art. 179)
• France, Belgium and other EU countries: the applicable law is in principle that of the deceased’s last habitual residence, unless they chose the law of their nationality in a will. The Islamic division is therefore not applied automatically: see a notary. (Regulation (EU) No 650/2012, arts. 21-22)

What this calculator does not do

It does not divide the shares of relatives through women (a daughter’s children, maternal uncles…), known as dhawu al-arham: it only flags when the estate goes to them. It does not go beyond a son’s children, direct grandparents, and paternal nephews, uncles and cousins. It does not handle an unborn child, a missing person, an heir who died before the division, or undetermined sex. Finally, it follows classical fiqh: your country’s family code may provide otherwise on some points (obligatory bequest to orphaned grandchildren, radd to the spouse…). (Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni)