If a person dies and leaves behind four daughters, four sons and a wife, and he leaves for example 120,000 dirhams, how should his estate be divided? .

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

The division in this case is one of the issues of al-faraa’id (division of inheritance) which is governed by two verses in the Book of Allaah: 

1 – The verse in which Allaah states the inheritance of the wife (interpretation of the meaning): 

“but if you leave a child, they get an eighth of that which you leave”

[al-Nisa’ 4:12]

This verse allocates to the wife one-eighth of the estate if there is a son of the husband. 

2 – The verse in which Allaah states the inheritance of the children if there are both males and females (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Allaah commands you as regards your children’s (inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females”

[al-Nisa’ 4:11].

Based on this, the estate is to be divided as follows: 

1 – The wife gets one-eight of the estate. 

2 – The rest is given to the sons and daughters, with the male getting a share equal to that of two females. 

Dividing an estate of 120,000 dirhams is done in the following manner:

┌──────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│Inheritor             │Basic division of shares                                │Units for working out amount of shares                                     │Division of the estate                      │
├──────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                      │8                                                       │96                                                                         │120,000                                     │
├──────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│wife                  │1                                                       │12                                                                         │15,000                                      │
├──────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│4 sons                │7                                                       │56                                                                         │70,000                                      │
├──────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│4 daughters           │(included with sons’ shares)                            │28                                                                         │35,000                                      │
└──────────────────────┴────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┴────────────────────────────────────────────┘

 The value of one unit is: 120,000 divided by 96 = 1250 dirhams. 

The wife’s share of the estate is 12 x 1250 = 15,000 dirhams. 

The share of all the sons is 56 x 1250 = 70,000 dirhams. 

The share of one son is 70,000 divided by 4 = 17,500 dirhams. 

The share of all the daughters is 28 x 1250 = 35,000 dirhams. 

The share of one daughter is 35,000 divided by 4 = 8750 dirhams. 

And Allaah knows best.

Source: Islam Q&amp;A
