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

· 1 Dhuʻl-Hijjah 1434 AH1 min readFatwa 27115English
Wills and Inheritance

Question

1. Does a predeceased child have a share in your estate?

2. In a will it states that if any of my children predeceased me than the predeceased childs share must be given in equally to there children (i.e your grand children) in stripes. In this correct?

3. If the deceased made a verbal wisiyat with witnesses that can testify, should the wisiyah 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:

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].

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 (Arabic / Urdu sources)

[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]

Answered by
Hanif Yusuf Patel
Checked & approved by
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
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