Islamic Inheritance: Wife & Daughters Shares (Faraid)

Introduction to Faraid

The Islamic law of inheritance, known as Faraid, provides a highly structured and divinely ordained system for distributing a deceased person's estate. The rules are explicitly detailed in Surah An-Nisa of the Quran.

One of the most common questions regarding Faraid concerns the exact shares allocated to a surviving wife and her daughters, particularly when there are no surviving sons. Before any shares are calculated, debts, funeral expenses, and valid bequests (up to one-third, where applicable) are settled from the estate.

The Wife's Share

Under Islamic law, a surviving wife is a primary heir. Her share is fixed and depends solely on whether the deceased husband left behind any children or grandchildren.

• If there are children: The wife inherits 1/8 (12.5%) of the total estate after debts and bequests are settled.
• If there are no children: The wife inherits 1/4 (25%) of the total estate.
• Note on multiple wives: If the deceased had more than one wife, the wives equally share the 1/8 or 1/4 portion. They do not each get 1/8 or 1/4.

The Daughters' Share

Daughters are also primary heirs, but their specific allocation changes based on the presence of siblings (sons or other daughters).

Scenario 1: Daughters with No Sons

When the deceased leaves behind daughters but no sons, the daughters inherit fixed shares (Furood):

• One Daughter: She inherits exactly 1/2 (50%) of the estate.
• Two or More Daughters: They collectively inherit 2/3 (66.6%) of the estate, sharing it equally among themselves.

Scenario 2: Daughters alongside Sons

If the deceased leaves behind both sons and daughters, the daughters no longer take a fixed share. Instead, they become residuary heirs (Asabah bi-ghayriha) alongside their brothers. The rule applies that a male receives a portion equal to that of two females.

• Calculation: The remaining estate (after fixed shares for the wife, parents, etc., are distributed) is divided into equal portions. Each son receives two portions, and each daughter receives one portion.

Worked Example (Wife + Two Daughters, No Sons)

Assume a net estate of $240,000 after debts. The wife takes 1/8 = $30,000. Two daughters take 2/3 = $160,000 ($80,000 each). That leaves $50,000. If a father (or other Asabah) survives, he typically takes that remainder. If there are no residuary heirs, Radd rules may return surplus to the daughters (spouse shares are usually excluded from Radd in classical Hanafi practice)—confirm with a scholar for your jurisdiction.

What Happens to the Remaining Estate?

In a scenario where a man passes away leaving a wife and daughters (and no sons), the wife takes 1/8, and the daughters take either 1/2 or 2/3. This leaves a remainder of the estate.

Islamic law dictates that this remainder goes to the residuary heirs (Asabah), which typically includes the deceased's father, brothers, or paternal uncles. If there are no residuary heirs, the remaining amount may be proportionately returned (Radd) to the existing fixed-share heirs (excluding the spouse). Because of these complexities, it is highly recommended to consult a scholar or use a dedicated calculator for exact distributions.

Parents and Other Heirs

If a mother or father also survives, they take their own Quranic fractions (for example, each parent often takes 1/6 when children exist). Those fixed shares reduce what remains for Asabah after the wife and daughters are paid. Always map the full family tree before finalizing percentages—our Faraid calculator is built for multi-heir cases.