Darul Ifta Ibn Masood

Inheriting from a non-Muslim

· 29 Rajab 1445 AH1 min readEnglish

Question

A brother, who has recently reverted to Islam, asked if Muslims can inherit from non-Muslims? Are there any special conditions associated with this inheritance?

Answer

A Muslim does not inherit from a non-Muslim, nor does a non-Muslim inherit from a Muslim. However, if a non-Muslim (living in a non-Muslim country) bequeaths his wealth (partly or wholly) to a Muslim, then the Muslim qualifies to receive the bequeathed wealth. Similarly, a Muslim is permitted to bequeath up to one third of his estate to a non-Muslim.

References (Arabic / Urdu sources)

عن أُسَامَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِىَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ، قَالَ: لا يَرِثُ الْمُسْلِمُ الْكَافِرَ، وَلا الْكَافِرُ الْمُسْلِمَ (صحيح البخاري ص 1001 ج2)

وَاخْتِلَافُ الدِّينِ أَيْضًا يَمْنَعُ الْإِرْثَ وَالْمُرَادُ بِهِ الِاخْتِلَافُ بَيْنَ الْإِسْلَامِ وَالْكُفْرِ بِقَوْلِهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – «لَا يَرِثُ الْمُسْلِمُ الْكَافِرَ وَلَا الْكَافِرُ الْمُسْلِمَ» ، وَأَمَّا اخْتِلَافُ مِلَلِ الْكُفَّارِ كَالنَّصْرَانِيَّةِ وَالْيَهُودِيَّةِ وَالْمَجُوسِيَّةِ وَعُبَّادِ الْوَثَنِ فَلَا يَمْنَعُ الْإِرْثَ حَتَّى يَجْرِيَ الْمِيرَاثُ بَيْنَ الْيَهُودِيِّ وَالنَّصْرَانِيِّ وَالْمَجُوسِيِّ؛ لِأَنَّ الْكُفْرَ كُلَّهُ مِلَّةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ (البحر الرائق ص500 ج8)

الْحَرْبِيُّ الْمُسْتَأْمَنُ إذَا أَوْصَى لِلْمُسْلِمِ وَالذِّمِّيِّ يَصِحُّ فِي الْجُمْلَةِ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ إنْ كَانَ دَخَلَ وَارِثُهُ مَعَهُ فِي دَارِ الْإِسْلَامِ فَأَوْصَى بِأَكْثَرَ مِنْ الثُّلُثِ وُقِفَ مَا زَادَ عَلَى الثُّلُثِ عَلَى إجَازَةِ وَارِثِهِ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ وَارِثٌ أَصْلًا تَصِحُّ مِنْ جَمِيعِ الْمَالِ كَمَا فِي الْمُسْلِمِ وَالذِّمِّيِّ، وَكَذَلِكَ إذَا كَانَ لَهُ وَارِثٌ لَكِنَّهُ فِي دَارِ الْحَرْبِ. (الفتاوي الهندية ص132 ج6)

Answered by
Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb
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Source: Darul Ifta Ibn Masood — https://fataawa.co.za/inheriting-from-a-non-muslim/
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/ibnmasood-30105

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