Case study

Islamic inheritance: parents as sole heirs

When a person dies without spouse, children, and only parents inherit.

Quick summary

Mother1/3
Father2/3 (Residue)

Note: If deceased has siblings, mother's share may be reduced to 1/6.

Calculate this case

Detailed explanation

When the deceased has neither spouse nor children, and both parents are alive, the distribution is simple:

Basic rule

  • The mother receives 1/3 of the estate
  • The father receives the rest (2/3) as residuary heir (Asaba)

Impact of siblings

The presence of two or more siblings reduces the mother's share to 1/6.

Numerical example

A person dies leaving €60,000 and both parents:

Calculation for €60,000

Mother (1/3)20 000 €
Father (residue 2/3)40 000 €

Variant: with siblings

If deceased also had 2 brothers:

Mother (reduced to 1/6)10 000 €
Father (residue 5/6)50 000 €

Frequently asked questions

Why does father receive more than mother?

Father has dual capacity: fixed share heir AND residuary heir (Asaba).

Why does siblings' presence reduce mother's share?

It's a Quranic rule. Presence of 2+ siblings indicates a large family.