The Seven Quranic Fractions
The Quran specifies six fractional shares:
- 1/2 — given to: wife (no children), daughter (no son), full sister (no father/son)
- 1/4 — given to: husband (with children), wife (with children)
- 1/8 — given to: wife (with children, shared among co-wives)
- 2/3 — given to: two or more daughters (no son)
- 1/3 — given to: mother (no children + no two brothers), certain secondary heirs
- 1/6 — given to: mother (with children), father (with son), grandmother (no mother)
Who Are the ‘Asaba (Residuaries)?
After the ashab al-furud (quota-holders) take their shares, what remains goes to the ‘asaba — the agnatic (male-line) relatives:
- Father, grandfather
- Son, grandson (through sons)
- Full brother, half-brother (on father’s side)
- Uncle, male cousins (through father’s line)
The ‘asaba inherit “from the roots to the branch” — all the remaining estate after fixed shares.
‘Awl (Reduction) and Radd (Return)
‘Awl: When the fractional shares sum to more than 1.0 (e.g., 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/3 = 13/12), each fractional heir receives proportionally less — the denominator expands. The ‘Uthman consensus established this principle.
Radd: When the fractional shares sum to less than 1.0 and there are no ‘asaba, the remainder “returns” to the quota-holders in proportion to their shares.
When to Call a Faraid Specialist
Islamic inheritance calculations become complex with: multiple co-wives, disputed paternity, adopted children (they do not inherit in Islamic law, though wasiyya is permitted), non-Muslim heirs, or estates in non-Muslim countries. A faqih or faradi specialist should be consulted for any estate with non-standard family configurations.
See also: Fiqh Al Fara Id, Fiqh Al Waqf, Fiqh Al Hibah, Fiqh Al Wasiyyah, Fiqh Al Sadaqah Al Jariyah