Skip to content
Assabile

Umm al-Aramil: dividing the inheritance

The division according to the majority view, with the basis of each share. Add the value of the estate to see the amounts, or edit the example to fit your family.

Inheritance result

A man dies leaving his 3 wives, his paternal grandmother, his maternal grandmother, 8 full sisters and 4 maternal half-sisters.

Edit this example

Who gets what

  1. 3 wives1/17 each 317 17.65%
  2. The paternal grandmother 117 5.88%
  3. The maternal grandmother 117 5.88%
  4. 8 full sisters1/17 each 817 47.06%
  5. 4 maternal half-sisters1/17 each 417 23.53%

Family tree

The paternal grandmother 117
The maternal grandmother 117
8 full sisters 8171/17 each
4 maternal half-sisters 4171/17 each
The deceasedالمتوفى
3 wives 3171/17 each
Add amounts Optional: the amount of each share, calculated on your device.

These amounts never leave your device and are not included in the shared link.

Why these shares?

  • 3 wives317

    The 3 wives share one quarter (1/4): the deceased left no child and no son’s child.

    The fixed share of 1/4 is reduced to 3/17 by ‘awl.

    Surah An-Nisa, verse 12

  • The paternal grandmother117

    The two grandmothers share one sixth (1/6) equally, in the mother’s absence.

    Hadith: Sunan Abu Dawud 2894

  • The maternal grandmother117

    The two grandmothers share one sixth (1/6) equally, in the mother’s absence.

    Hadith: Sunan Abu Dawud 2894

  • 8 full sisters817

    The full sisters share two thirds (2/3): no descendant, no father, no full brother.

    The fixed share of 2/3 is reduced to 8/17 by ‘awl.

    Surah An-Nisa, verse 176

  • 4 maternal half-sisters417

    The maternal half-brothers and half-sisters share one third (1/3), equally between men and women.

    The fixed share of 1/3 is reduced to 4/17 by ‘awl.

    Surah An-Nisa, verse 12

The verses behind these shares

The text, its translation and explanation; listen to them recited.

Surah An-Nisa, verse 12

وَلَكُمْ نِصْفُ مَا تَرَكَ أَزْوَٰجُكُمْ إِن لَّمْ يَكُن لَّهُنَّ وَلَدٌ فَإِن كَانَ لَهُنَّ وَلَدٌ فَلَكُمُ ٱلرُّبُعُ مِمَّا تَرَكْنَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ يُوصِينَ بِهَآ أَوْ دَيْنٍ وَلَهُنَّ ٱلرُّبُعُ مِمَّا تَرَكْتُمْ إِن لَّمْ يَكُن لَّكُمْ وَلَدٌ فَإِن كَانَ لَكُمْ وَلَدٌ فَلَهُنَّ ٱلثُّمُنُ مِمَّا تَرَكْتُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ تُوصُونَ بِهَآ أَوْ دَيْنٍ وَإِن كَانَ رَجُلٌ يُورَثُ كَلَٰلَةً أَوِ ٱمْرَأَةٌ وَلَهُۥٓ أَخٌ أَوْ أُخْتٌ فَلِكُلِّ وَٰحِدٍ مِّنْهُمَا ٱلسُّدُسُ فَإِن كَانُوٓا۟ أَكْثَرَ مِن ذَٰلِكَ فَهُمْ شُرَكَآءُ فِى ٱلثُّلُثِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ يُوصَىٰ بِهَآ أَوْ دَيْنٍ غَيْرَ مُضَآرٍّ وَصِيَّةً مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَلِيمٌ ۝١٢

12. And for you is half of what your wives leave if they have no child. But if they have a child, for you is one fourth of what they leave, after any bequest they [may have] made or debt. And for them [i.e., the wives] is one fourth if you leave no child. But if you leave a child, then for them is an eighth of what you leave, after any bequest you [may have] made or debt. And if a man or woman leaves neither ascendants nor descendants but has a brother or a sister, then for each one of them is a sixth. But if they are more than two, they share a third, after any bequest which was made or debt, as long as there is no detriment [caused]. [This is] an ordinance from Allāh, and Allāh is Knowing and Forbearing.

Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary

Explanation of the verse

You have half of what your wives leave, if they have no child. If they have a child, whether it is your child or not, then you get a fourth of the wealth they leave, after any bequest they have made and the repayment of any debts they had. Wives get a quarter of what you leave, if you have no child, whether it is their child or not. If you have a child, then they get an eighth of what you leave, after any bequest you have made and the repayment of any debts you had. If someone dies without any parents or children to inherit from them, but they have a brother or sister from the same mother as them, then each of them gets a sixth. If they have more than one brother or sister from the same mother as them, then they share a third, with brothers and sisters receiving the same share – this is after any bequest that they leave and the repayment of any debts they had, with the condition that the bequest does not cause harm to any of the inheritors, such as it being more than a third of the total of the wealth. The rulings contained in the verses about inheritance law are an obligation on you, and Allah knows what is in the interests of His servants in this world and the Afterlife. He is forbearing, and not quick to punish.

Surah An-Nisa, verse 176

يَسْتَفْتُونَكَ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِى ٱلْكَلَٰلَةِ إِنِ ٱمْرُؤٌا۟ هَلَكَ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ وَلَدٌ وَلَهُۥٓ أُخْتٌ فَلَهَا نِصْفُ مَا تَرَكَ وَهُوَ يَرِثُهَآ إِن لَّمْ يَكُن لَّهَا وَلَدٌ فَإِن كَانَتَا ٱثْنَتَيْنِ فَلَهُمَا ٱلثُّلُثَانِ مِمَّا تَرَكَ وَإِن كَانُوٓا۟ إِخْوَةً رِّجَالًا وَنِسَآءً فَلِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ ٱلْأُنثَيَيْنِ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ أَن تَضِلُّوا۟ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌۢ ۝١٧٦

176. They request from you a [legal] ruling. Say, "Allāh gives you a ruling concerning one having neither descendants nor ascendants [as heirs]." If a man dies, leaving no child but [only] a sister, she will have half of what he left. And he inherits from her if she [dies and] has no child. But if there are two sisters [or more], they will have two thirds of what he left. If there are both brothers and sisters, the male will have the share of two females. Allāh makes clear to you [His law], lest you go astray. And Allāh is Knowing of all things.

Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary

Explanation of the verse

They ask you, O Messenger, to give them a ruling with respect to the inheritance of the person who dies without any direct heirs, such as a father or child. Say: Allah explains the ruling with respect to such a person: If a person without any parent or child dies and he has a full sister or a half sister, she will receive half of the wealth he leaves – it being her set share. His full brother or half brother will receive whatever wealth he leaves behind by way of agnation, if there are no stipulated heirs; yet if there are stipulated heirs, he will inherit the balance that remains. If there are two or more full sisters or half sisters, they will inherit two thirds as their set share. If there are male and female (full or half) siblings, they will inherit by way of agnation in accordance with the rule: the male receives equivalent to the share of two females, which means that the share of the male will be double that of the female. Allah explains to you the ruling for the person who dies without direct heirs, as well as other laws of inheritance, so that you do not go astray in this regard. Allah knows everything and nothing is hidden from Him.

Step-by-step calculation

  1. The fixed shares

    • 3 wives : 14 (one quarter)
    • The paternal grandmother : 112
    • The maternal grandmother : 112
    • 8 full sisters : 23 (two thirds)
    • 4 maternal half-sisters : 13 (one third)
  2. Base of the calculation: 12

    All shares are brought to the same denominator: the estate is divided into 12 equal parts (asl al-mas’ala).

  3. ‘Awl: the shares exceed the estate

    The fixed shares add up to 17 parts out of 12: 17 becomes the base, and every share is reduced in proportion.

  4. Division within each group

    • 3 wives: 3/17, that is 1/17 each.
    • 8 full sisters: 8/17, that is 1/17 each.
    • 4 maternal half-sisters: 4/17, that is 1/17 each.
  5. Final base: 17 parts

    Each heir receives a whole number of parts out of 17.

    HeirShareParts out of 17Each
    3 wives 317 3 1
    The paternal grandmother 117 1 1
    The maternal grandmother 117 1 1
    8 full sisters 817 8 1
    4 maternal half-sisters 417 4 1
    Total117

According to the schools

Same result in the majority view and the four schools (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi‘i, Hanbali).

Similar examples

Wednesday, October 14, 2026 3 جمادى الأولى 1448 هـ