Islamic Inheritance: Parents & Son Shares

Parents' shares when there is a son

Quran 4:11 is explicit: if the deceased left a child (walad), each parent takes one-sixth. Together that is one-third of the estate. The mother does not take one-third in this scenario—the one-third for the mother applies when there is no child and the parents inherit (with further rules if siblings exist). With a son present, both father and mother are fixed-share heirs at 1/6 each.

The father may also act as a residuary in other family trees; when a son exists, the son is the primary Asabah for the remainder after the parents' sixths (and any spouse share).

The son as residuary (Asabah)

A son does not take a fixed fraction like “exactly half” in the parents+son-only case. He takes whatever remains after Furood. With father 1/6 + mother 1/6, the son receives 4/6 = 2/3. If there were also daughters, sons and daughters share the residue with the male receiving twice a female's portion (4:11)—see the wife and daughters guide for daughter-only and mixed sibling patterns.

Multiple sons share that residue equally among themselves (still after parents' sixths). Grandchildren through a deceased son involve further classical rules (e.g., whether a son's son inherits when a son is alive)—those edge cases need a scholar or a full Faraid tool run, not a one-row table.

If a spouse is also present (4:12)

Briefly: with children, a surviving wife takes 1/8 and a surviving husband takes 1/4 (4:12). Parents still take 1/6 each when there is a child. The son (or sons/daughters as Asabah) takes the remainder after spouse + parents. Multiple wives share the single wife-portion. Always settle debts and valid bequests (within limits) before dividing shares.

Worked example: parents + one son, no spouse

Net estate after debts and funeral costs: $120,000.

• Father: 1/6 = $20,000
• Mother: 1/6 = $20,000
• Son (remainder): 2/3 = $80,000

Check: 20,000 + 20,000 + 80,000 = 120,000. Use the Faraid calculator when you add a spouse, multiple children, or grandparents—the arithmetic grows quickly.

Worked example with a wife

Same $120,000 net estate; heirs: wife, father, mother, one son.

• Wife (with child): 1/8 = $15,000 (4:12)
• Father: 1/6 = $20,000
• Mother: 1/6 = $20,000
• Son (remainder): 120,000 − 15,000 − 20,000 − 20,000 = $65,000

This is an educational illustration. Jurisdiction, school details (e.g., Radd), and non-Muslim heirs or missing persons can change outcomes—consult a qualified scholar or court process where you live.

When there is no son (contrast)

If only daughters survive with parents, daughters take fixed shares (one daughter 1/2; two or more share 2/3) and the father often takes residue as Asabah after his own sixth—or school-specific combinations apply. That pattern is covered in wife and daughters. The parents+son case is simpler for many families because the son clearly absorbs the remainder after the two sixths.

If there are no children at all, 4:11 changes the mother's share (often one-third when parents alone inherit, or one-sixth if siblings exist) and the father takes residue—do not apply the “1/6 each + son 2/3” table to a childless estate.

Before you divide numbers

Faraid applies to the net estate. Funeral expenses and proven debts come first. A valid wasiyyah (bequest) is generally capped at one-third and cannot override a Quranic heir's fixed right without consent rules your school recognizes. Civil-law wills that contradict Faraid may need separate legal advice where you live; this article explains the classical Quranic shares, not every country's probate statute.

Practical checklist

1. List all living heirs (spouse, parents, children, siblings if relevant).
2. Pay debts and funeral expenses; apply valid bequests within allowed limits.
3. Assign Furood from 4:11 / 4:12, then residue to Asabah.
4. Verify with the Faraid tool and a local Mufti for edge cases.

Frequently asked questions