Category: Last Will and Testament

What is an estate plan?

  A standard estate plan includes a Will, a healthcare directive/living will, and a durable power of attorney. A will is not complicated or expensive. You do not need to be rich to have a will. Even if you have...
Read More

I am an American Muslim. Does the Sharī‘a...

  Many Muslim scholars living in the United States suggest that American Muslims are obligated to have an Islamic will, because without one, the estate will be divided according to non-Islamic laws. If you leave a surviving spouse and...
Read More

How is an Islamic will different from a...

An Islamic will covers everything that a secular will covers, including:  Appointing an executor to distribute your estate and manage your affairs after death;  Appointing a guardian to care for your children and manage their inheritance until...
Read More

What is the difference between a secular will...

An Islamic will covers everything that a secular will covers, including: Appointing an executor to distribute your estate and manage your affairs after death; Appointing a guardian to care for your children and manage their inheritance until adulthood; Leaving...
Read More

What assets does my Islamic will cover?

Your Islamic will, like a secular will, covers all the assets that make up your estate. When you die, the interests you have in all your property—real and movable—become part of your estate. According to American law, title to...
Read More

Can I leave my estate to a friend...

If you do not have any surviving Islamic heirs, many Muslim scholars in the United States have advised that leaving a bequest to a Muslim charity and leaving the balance of your estate to a non-Islamic heir family member...
Read More

If I do not have surviving Islamic heirs...

Let me provide some background. Sharī‘a divides the Islamic heirs or Islamic beneficiaries of your estate into three categories: Qur’anic heirs (ahl al-fara’id). Qur’anic heirs take a predetermined share—either one-half, one-quarter, one-eighth, two-thirds, one-third, or one-sixth. They are: Four...
Read More

My only surviving Islamic heir is my spouse;...

Yes. A surviving spouse would take her prescribed share from the estate. A wife’s Islamic inheritance share would be 1/4 (or 1/8 if the husband had children) of her husband's net estate. A husband’s Islamic inheritance share would be...
Read More

Shariawiz is an online service that provides legal forms and information about Islamic inheritance. Shariawiz is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Use of this website is subject to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.