Bequest and Will (Wasiyyah)

Shortened Question:

Can the predeceased or the children of the predeceased inherit from the deceased grandparents? And should the Wasiyyah be executed?

Question:

  1. Does a predeceased child have a share in the estate?
  2. In a will it states that if any of my children predeceased me then the predeceased child`s share must be given in equally to their children (i.e. the grandchildren) in stripes. Is this correct?
  3. If the deceased made a verbal Wasiyyah with the witnesses that can testify, should the Wasiyyah be carried out?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

  1. A predeceased child will not inherit from the estate of his or her parents.
  2. The grandchildren cannot be equated to one`s children in inheritance. Therefore the concept of per stirpes is incorrect[1].
  3. The Wasiyyah of the deceased is valid and subsequently it is incumbent upon the executors to execute the Wasiyyah[2]. However, the following points are important to consider:
  4. It is not permissible to make a Wasiyyah for any heir; and if such a Wasiyyah is made, it will not be executed, unless all the heirs consent to it[3].
  5. A Wasiyyah can be made only from the remaining 1/3 of the estate after burial expenses and payment of debts [4].

 

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Hanif Yusuf Patel

Student Darul Iftaa
UK

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

www.daruliftaa.net

 

References

[1] وان كان للميت ابن, فلا شيء لبنت الإبن

[Al-Muhit al-Burhani, 23:289, Idarah al-Qur`an wa al-Uloom al-Islamiyyah]

اولى العصبات باالميراث الابن, ثم ابن الابن

[Ibid, 23:307]

 

[2] قال محمد في الجامع الصغير في رجل يوصي إلى رجل فقبله في حياته الموصي فالوصية لازمة

[Al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah, 6: 137; Al-Bahr al-Ra`iq, 9:307, Rashidiyyah]

[Ahsan al-Fatawa, 9:292, H.M Saeed Company]

[3] لا تجوز الوصية للوارث عندنا إلا أن يجوزها الورثة

[Al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah, 6:90, Rashidiyah; Ad-Durr al-Mukhtar ma`a Radd al-Muhtar, 6:655-6, H.M. Saeed Company; Bada`i as-Sana`i, 6:423, Deoband]

[Fatawa Mahmoodiyyah, 24: 498, Dar al-Iftaa Jamiah Farooqiyyah, Karachi]

[4] ولا تجوز بما زاد على الثلث ... الا أن يجيزها الورثة بعد موته وهم كبار ... لا تجوز لوارثه ... ... الا أن يجيزها الورثة … الوصية

[Al-Hidayah, 4: 638-40, Maktabah Rahmaniyyah, Lahore]

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Posted in Inheritance & Will on 17th Jan 2016 by Our Imam | 1822 Views