What Is Faraid? A Plain-Language Guide to Islamic Inheritance

The Quranic Foundation

Faraid (Arabic: فرائض) refers to the Islamic rules of inheritance that determine how a deceased person's estate is distributed among their heirs. The word comes from the root “fard,” meaning “obligation” — because these are not suggestions but obligations prescribed directly in the Quran.

The primary Quranic verses on inheritance are found in Surah An-Nisa (4:11-12 and 4:176). These verses specify exact fractions for different heirs — 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/3, 1/6, and 2/3 — making Islamic inheritance one of the most precisely defined areas of Islamic law.

Who Inherits?

Islamic inheritance recognizes several classes of heirs, each with specific rights:

• Spouse — husband or wife always receives a fixed share (1/4 or 1/8 depending on whether there are children)
• Children — sons and daughters are primary heirs.Sons typically receive twice the daughter's share as residuary heirs.
• Parents — father and mother each receive 1/6 when there are children, with the father potentially taking more as a residuary heir
• Siblings — inherit when there are no children and no father (in most schools)
• Grandparents and extended family — may inherit in specific situations when closer heirs are absent

Key Concepts

Awl (Proportional Reduction)

Sometimes the prescribed shares add up to more than the total estate. When this happens, all shares are proportionally reduced so they sum to 100%. This is called “awl” — every heir receives a slightly smaller share, but the proportions between heirs remain fair. Learn more about the awl and radd mechanisms.

Radd (Remainder Redistribution)

When the prescribed shares add up to less than the total estate, the remainder can be redistributed to eligible heirs. Different schools of law handle this differently — some include the spouse in radd, others exclude them.

Hajb (Exclusion)

Certain heirs are excluded by the presence of other heirs. For example, in most Sunni schools, siblings are excluded when the father is alive — the father “blocks” them from inheriting. Understanding these exclusion rules is essential for accurate calculations.

Wasiyyah (Charitable Bequest)

Before faraid distribution, a person may designate up to one-third (33.33%) of their estate as a wasiyyah (charitable bequest). This is deducted from the estate first, and the remaining amount is distributed according to faraid rules.

Why It Matters Today

For Muslims living in the West, understanding faraid is particularly important because secular estate laws (like intestacy rules) do not follow Islamic principles. Without a proper will that specifies Islamic inheritance shares, your estate may be distributed in ways that contradict your religious obligations.

Mirath helps you understand your faraid obligations by calculating the distribution across all five major schools of Islamic law — Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanbali, and Ja'fari — so you can make informed decisions about your estate plan. Calculate your faraid distribution now.