(F 76) What are the Islamic inheritance rules in the following cases: (1) In the case of the death of an unmarried son or daughter, leaving behind a father, mother, and both male and female siblings? (2) In the case of the death of the only son (whose mother has already passed away) who was married and left behind a wife, two daughters, a father, and brothers and sisters from the father? And what would be the inheritance distribution if the father passed away before the son?


Firstly: The son passed away and left behind a father, mother, and siblings:
• As for the siblings, they do not inherit anything because they are blocked (from inheritance) by the presence of the father. However, their presence affects the mother’s share, which is partially blocked, not completely denied. The inheritance distribution is as follows: the mother gets one-sixth, and the father takes the rest as a compulsory share (Ta’seep). (Although, in theory, the father would take two-thirds and one-sixth as ta’seep , but in practice, the father takes everything except the mother’s one-sixth).
Secondly: In the case of the death of the only son (whose mother has already passed away) who was married and left behind a wife, two daughters, a father, and brothers and sisters from the father:
• As for the siblings, they are blocked (from inheritance) by the presence of the father as we mentioned earlier.
• The wife takes one-eighth (of the inheritance) with the presence of children.
Therefore, the inheritance distribution is as follows: The two daughters get two-thirds, the wife gets one-eighth, and the father takes the rest as a compulsory share (Ta’seep).
And Allah knows best.
Fatwa by Dr. Khālid Naṣr