By: u/Taffles57
Verses 4:11–12 explain Islamic inheritance laws:
“Allah commands you regarding your children: the share of the male will be twice that of the female. If you leave only two ˹or more˺ females, their share is two-thirds of the estate. But if there is only one female, her share will be one-half. Each parent is entitled to one-sixth if you leave offspring. But if you are childless and your parents are the only heirs, then your mother will receive one-third. But if you leave siblings, then your mother will receive one-sixth—after the fulfilment of bequests and debts. ˹Be fair to˺ your parents and children, as you do not ˹fully˺ know who is more beneficial to you. ˹This is˺ an obligation from Allah. Surely Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
You will inherit half of what your wives leave if they are childless. But if they have children, then ˹your share is˺ one-fourth of the estate—after the fulfilment of bequests and debts. And your wives will inherit one-fourth of what you leave if you are childless. But if you have children, then your wives will receive one-eighth of your estate—after the fulfilment of bequests and debts. And if a man or a woman leaves neither parents nor children but only a brother or a sister ˹from their mother’s side˺, they will each inherit one-sixth, but if they are more than one, they ˹all˺ will share one-third of the estate—after the fulfilment of bequests and debts without harm ˹to the heirs˺. ˹This is˺ a commandment from Allah. And Allah is All-Knowing, Most Forbearing.”
My concern is the following:
In the case of a man dying, leaving two or more daughters, a mother, a father and a wife, the verses denote that the man’s estate is divided like this:
• 2/3 for the daughters
• 2/6 for the parents
• 1/8 for the wife
2/3 + 2/6 + 1/8 = 9/8; 112.5% of the man’s estate; impossible.
Some translations say “…your wives will receive one-eighth of what you leave…” which might mean one-eight after all other inheritance is paid. And one-eight of nothing is nothing, getting rid of the mathematical error. But I don’t know I don’t speak Arabic so I don’t know if that’s what it’s really saying, and why would the wives only get an eight of what little money is left? That doesn’t really seem fair.
And scholars have devised a system to proportionally lower the inheritance, given something like this happens.
Someone explain this please…
(edit: I could be wrong about the scholar thing, feel free to correct me, I just wanna learn)
@otter@lemmy.ca
Thanks for adding the additional information.