Prepared by: Emrah Demirci · Faraid app developer
Published: July 13, 2026 · Updated: September 5, 2026
This content is for education and general information only. Consult a qualified Islamic inheritance scholar and local legal professional before distributing a real estate.
Quick answer: How is an inheritance share determined?
Identify every surviving heir and the net estate before assigning fixed shares and any residue. The presence of a spouse, child or parent can change another heir’s entitlement. The core references are An-Nisa 4:11, 4:12 and 4:176.
A Faraid shares chart is a reference, not a final calculation. Every case must consider all surviving heirs, blocking rules (hajb), residuaries (asabah), proportional adjustment (awl), return (radd) and any relevant madhhab difference.
| Heir | Principal share | Main condition |
|---|---|---|
| Husband | 1/2 | The deceased wife has no child or son's descendant |
| Husband | 1/4 | The deceased wife has a child or son's descendant |
| Wife or wives | 1/4 | The deceased husband has no child or son's descendant |
| Wife or wives | 1/8 | The deceased husband has a child or son's descendant |
| Mother | 1/3 | No descendant and fewer than two siblings; excluding the Umariyyatayn cases |
| Mother | 1/6 | A descendant or two or more siblings are present |
| Father | 1/6 | A male descendant is present; with only female descendants he may also take the residue |
| One daughter | 1/2 | No son is present |
| Two or more daughters | 2/3 | No son is present; they share this fraction |
| Son with daughter | Residuary | They share the residue in a two-to-one ratio |
| One full sister | 1/2 | No descendant, father/grandfather or full brother |
| Two or more full sisters | 2/3 | Under the same conditions, shared between them |
| One maternal sibling | 1/6 | No descendant or father/grandfather |
| Multiple maternal siblings | 1/3 | They share equally when no descendant or father/grandfather exists |
How to use this chart
- Determine the net estate after appropriate funeral costs, debts and a valid bequest.
- List every potentially eligible surviving heir before assigning shares.
- Allocate fixed shares, then distribute any residue to the eligible asabah.
- Apply awl or radd only when the case requires it and according to the selected madhhab.
An example with a shared result
Assume that only a wife, one son and one daughter survive, with a $240,000 net estate. The wife receives 1/8 ($30,000). The children divide the $210,000 residue two to one: $140,000 for the son and $70,000 for the daughter. Under these assumptions, the four schools agree on this allocation.
References: An-Nisa 4:11 and 4:12. Adding another heir can change the result.