Understand Islamic Inheritance
Explore Faraid rules, historical cases, and inheritance laws in an accessible, interactive way.
The Islamic Inheritance Calculator is a free web-based tool that computes exact fractional shares according to Islamic law (Faraid). It supports all four Sunni Madhabs — Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanbali — as well as Egyptian law.
Whether you are a student of Islamic jurisprudence, an estate planner, or a family member trying to understand an estate, this tool provides precise, Sharia-compliant results in seconds.
Islam recognises two main categories: Qur'anic heirs (Ashab al-Furud) with fixed shares, and residuary heirs (Asabat) who inherit what remains.
| Heir | Share | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Husband | 1/2 if no children; 1/4 if children exist | |
| Wife / Wives | 1/4 if no children; 1/8 if children exist | |
| Father | 1/6 if son exists; residue if no son | |
| Mother | 1/3 if no children; 1/6 if children exist | |
| Daughter | 1/2 if sole; 2/3 if two or more daughters | |
| Son | Double the share of a daughter (Asabah) |
Hijab (الحجاب) refers to the blocking of one heir by another. A closer relative may reduce or completely exclude a more distant one.
Hijab Hirman — complete exclusion
A son blocks the grandson; a father blocks the grandfather; a full brother blocks the paternal half-brother.
Hijab Nuqsan — reduction
The presence of children reduces a husband's share from 1/2 to 1/4, or a mother's share from 1/3 to 1/6.
The four Sunni schools — Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali — agree on the majority of inheritance rules but differ on key edge cases.
| Issue | Hanafi | Maliki / Shafi'i / Hanbali |
|---|---|---|
| Radd (surplus return) | Returns to heirs excl. spouse | Maliki: no Radd; others allow it |
| Radd to spouse | Not allowed | Egyptian law allows it |
| Mushtarika case | Umar's ruling applied | Followed by Maliki & Shafi'i |
Aul — when shares exceed the estate
If the sum of all fixed shares exceeds 1, each share is proportionally reduced so they fit exactly into the estate.
Radd — when shares leave a surplus
If fixed shares sum to less than the estate and no residuary heir exists, the surplus returns to Qur'anic heirs proportionally. The Hanafi school excludes the spouse from Radd; Egyptian law includes them.
A Wasiyyah (وصية) is a voluntary bequest — a gift to non-heirs or charity, fulfilled before Faraid shares are distributed.
Islamic law caps the bequest at one-third (1/3) of the estate. A bequest to an existing heir requires the consent of all other heirs.
Priority of estate distribution:
① Funeral expenses → ② Outstanding debts → ③ Wasiyyah (max 1/3) → ④ Faraid shares
Gharraiyya (Umar's case)
Husband + Mother + Father. Umar ruled the mother receives 1/3 of the remainder after the husband's share — not 1/3 of the whole estate.
Mushtarika (the shared case)
Husband + Mother + full brothers + maternal siblings. Umar ruled full brothers share equally with maternal siblings rather than receiving nothing.
Akdariyya
Husband + Mother + Grandfather + Full sister. A unique Shafi'i ruling where grandfather and sister pool their shares and redivide them.
Run These Cases →The calculator walks you through 17 steps to collect heir information, then computes exact fractional shares for each eligible heir.
Step 1 — Choose a named historical case or custom input. Step 2 — Select a Madhab. Steps 3–15 — Enter surviving heirs. Step 16 — Enter any Wasiyyah. Step 17 — Enter a distribution amount to see monetary figures.
Ready to calculate?
Enter your heirs and get an accurate Islamic inheritance distribution in under a minute.
Open the Calculator →
