Short answer
The Quran fixes shares for close family: the spouse, children, parents, and in some cases siblings and grandparents. What is left goes to the nearest male relatives through the male line. Adopted children, stepchildren and in-laws do not inherit, and Muslims and non-Muslims do not inherit from each other.
Heirs are of three kinds: sharers with fixed Quranic shares (ashab al-furud), residuaries (asabah) who take what remains, and distant kindred (dhawu al-arham) who inherit when the first two are absent. Unlawful killing of the deceased and difference of religion prevent inheritance. Shares are worked out case by case.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- In the classical view, distant kindred do not inherit and the remainder goes to the public treasury; later Shafi'is allowed them when no proper treasury exists.
- Maliki
- In the classical view, distant kindred do not inherit and the remainder goes to the public treasury; later Malikis allowed them when no proper treasury exists.
Explanation
Allah Himself set the shares of inheritance in Surah al-Nisa, and called them an obligation from Him. This system makes sure that women and men, parents and children, all receive something, and that no one can cut off a rightful heir.
The main heirs with fixed shares:
- Husband: one half, or one quarter if the wife left children.
- Wife: one quarter, or one eighth if the husband left children (shared if there are several wives).
- Daughters: one half for one, two thirds for two or more, when there are no sons.
- Mother: one sixth or one third, depending on children and siblings.
- Father: one sixth with children, and more as a residuary.
When there are sons, the sons and daughters share what remains, with a son receiving twice a daughter's share, as he carries the duty to support the family.
Who does not inherit:
- Adopted children, stepchildren, foster children and in-laws.
- A person who unlawfully killed the deceased.
- A non-Muslim from a Muslim, or a Muslim from a non-Muslim. The four schools agree.
- An ex-wife whose iddah has ended.
These people can still receive a bequest from the one third; see wills in Islam.
Real families have many combinations, and one heir can block or reduce another. To see the shares for your family, use the Islamic inheritance calculator (Hanafi), then confirm with a mufti before dividing an estate. Debts and the will are settled first; see paying the debts of the dead.
Ask a mufti about your own case. This answer explains the general ruling. When the details of your situation matter, as they do here, ask a qualified mufti and give them the full facts. Where to ask a scholar.
The evidence
Quran, Surah An-Nisaa 4:7
لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٌۭ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ ٱلْوَٰلِدَانِ وَٱلْأَقْرَبُونَ وَلِلنِّسَآءِ نَصِيبٌۭ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ ٱلْوَٰلِدَانِ وَٱلْأَقْرَبُونَ مِمَّا قَلَّ مِنْهُ أَوْ كَثُرَ ۚ نَصِيبًۭا مَّفْرُوضًۭا ﴿٧﴾
For men is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, and for women is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, be it little or much - an obligatory share.
Both men and women have obligatory shares.
Quran, Surah An-Nisaa 4:11
يُوصِيكُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِىٓ أَوْلَٰدِكُمْ ۖ لِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ ٱلْأُنثَيَيْنِ ۚ فَإِن كُنَّ نِسَآءًۭ فَوْقَ ٱثْنَتَيْنِ فَلَهُنَّ ثُلُثَا مَا تَرَكَ ۖ وَإِن كَانَتْ وَٰحِدَةًۭ فَلَهَا ٱلنِّصْفُ ۚ وَلِأَبَوَيْهِ لِكُلِّ وَٰحِدٍۢ مِّنْهُمَا ٱلسُّدُسُ مِمَّا تَرَكَ إِن كَانَ لَهُۥ وَلَدٌۭ ۚ فَإِن لَّمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ وَلَدٌۭ وَوَرِثَهُۥٓ أَبَوَاهُ فَلِأُمِّهِ ٱلثُّلُثُ ۚ فَإِن كَانَ لَهُۥٓ إِخْوَةٌۭ فَلِأُمِّهِ ٱلسُّدُسُ ۚ مِنۢ بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍۢ يُوصِى بِهَآ أَوْ دَيْنٍ ۗ ءَابَآؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَآؤُكُمْ لَا تَدْرُونَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ لَكُمْ نَفْعًۭا ۚ فَرِيضَةًۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًۭا ﴿١١﴾
Allah instructs you concerning your children: for the male, what is equal to the share of two females. But if there are [only] daughters, two or more, for them is two thirds of one's estate. And if there is only one, for her is half. And for one's parents, to each one of them is a sixth of his estate if he left children. But if he had no children and the parents [alone] inherit from him, then for his mother is one third. And if he had brothers [or sisters], for his mother is a sixth, after any bequest he [may have] made or debt. Your parents or your children - you know not which of them are nearest to you in benefit. [These shares are] an obligation [imposed] by Allah. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.
The shares of children and parents.
Quran, Surah An-Nisaa 4:12
۞ وَلَكُمْ نِصْفُ مَا تَرَكَ أَزْوَٰجُكُمْ إِن لَّمْ يَكُن لَّهُنَّ وَلَدٌۭ ۚ فَإِن كَانَ لَهُنَّ وَلَدٌۭ فَلَكُمُ ٱلرُّبُعُ مِمَّا تَرَكْنَ ۚ مِنۢ بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍۢ يُوصِينَ بِهَآ أَوْ دَيْنٍۢ ۚ وَلَهُنَّ ٱلرُّبُعُ مِمَّا تَرَكْتُمْ إِن لَّمْ يَكُن لَّكُمْ وَلَدٌۭ ۚ فَإِن كَانَ لَكُمْ وَلَدٌۭ فَلَهُنَّ ٱلثُّمُنُ مِمَّا تَرَكْتُم ۚ مِّنۢ بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍۢ تُوصُونَ بِهَآ أَوْ دَيْنٍۢ ۗ وَإِن كَانَ رَجُلٌۭ يُورَثُ كَلَٰلَةً أَوِ ٱمْرَأَةٌۭ وَلَهُۥٓ أَخٌ أَوْ أُخْتٌۭ فَلِكُلِّ وَٰحِدٍۢ مِّنْهُمَا ٱلسُّدُسُ ۚ فَإِن كَانُوٓا۟ أَكْثَرَ مِن ذَٰلِكَ فَهُمْ شُرَكَآءُ فِى ٱلثُّلُثِ ۚ مِنۢ بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍۢ يُوصَىٰ بِهَآ أَوْ دَيْنٍ غَيْرَ مُضَآرٍّۢ ۚ وَصِيَّةًۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَلِيمٌۭ ﴿١٢﴾
And for you is half of what your wives leave if they have no child. But if they have a child, for you is one fourth of what they leave, after any bequest they [may have] made or debt. And for the wives is one fourth if you leave no child. But if you leave a child, then for them is an eighth of what you leave, after any bequest you [may have] made or debt. And if a man or woman leaves neither ascendants nor descendants but has a brother or a sister, then for each one of them is a sixth. But if they are more than two, they share a third, after any bequest which was made or debt, as long as there is no detriment [caused]. [This is] an ordinance from Allah, and Allah is Knowing and Forbearing.
The shares of spouses and of siblings in some cases.
Sahih al-Bukhari 6732
Sahih... ألحقوا الفرائض بأهلها فما بقي فهو لأولى رجل ذكر ...
"Give the fixed shares to those entitled to them, and what remains goes to the nearest male relative."
This sets the order of sharers and residuaries.
Sahih al-Bukhari 6764
Sahih... لا يرث المسلم الكافر ولا الكافر المسلم ...
"A Muslim does not inherit from a disbeliever, nor a disbeliever from a Muslim."
Difference of religion bars inheritance.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Durr al-Mukhtar, Kitab al-Fara'id. The classes of heirs and what prevents inheritance.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Fara'id. Distant kindred and the Hanafi order of heirs.
- Mukhtasar Khalil with al-Sharh al-Kabir, Bab al-Fara'id. The Maliki position on distant kindred and the treasury.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.