Why divide the estate into 48 parts?
Question
I read a recent question posted on mufti's website called "inheritance question", in it mufti divides the estate up into 48 parts for 6 heirs, is there any particular reason for that? Because I have seen other mufti's also dividing the estates into 48 shares, so I just wanted to know if there is some reason behind it.
Answer
The laws of inheritance have been recorded in the Quraan and the Hadith of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). It is in conformity with these laws that estates are wound and distributed.
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
يُوصِيكُمُ اللَّـهُ فِي أَوْلَادِكُمْ لِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ الْأُنثَيَيْنِ فَإِن كُنَّ نِسَاءً فَوْقَ اثْنَتَيْنِ فَلَهُنَّ ثُلُثَا مَا تَرَكَ وَإِن كَانَتْ وَاحِدَةً فَلَهَا النِّصْفُ وَلِأَبَوَيْهِ لِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِّنْهُمَا السُّدُسُ مِمَّا تَرَكَ إِن كَانَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ فَإِن لَّمْ يَكُن لَّهُ وَلَدٌ وَوَرِثَهُ أَبَوَاهُ فَلِأُمِّهِ الثُّلُثُ فَإِن كَانَ لَهُ إِخْوَةٌ فَلِأُمِّهِ السُّدُسُ مِن بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ يُوصِي بِهَا أَوْ دَيْنٍ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ لَا تَدْرُونَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ لَكُمْ نَفْعًا فَرِيضَةً مِّنَ اللَّـهِ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا ﴿النساء: ١١﴾
- Answered by
- Mufti Zakaria Makada
- Checked & approved by
- Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)
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