I need to declare the beneficiaries for my super & bank accounts. Can you kindly guide what percentages of benefit should I mention for each dependent in the light of Islamic teachings? My immediate dependents include one wife and one 3 yrs old son. Other family members include my father, mother & one brother who live outside Australia.

Question:

I need to declare the beneficiaries for my super & bank accounts. Can you kindly guide what percentages of benefit should I mention for each dependent in the light of Islamic teachings?
My immediate dependents include one wife and one 3 yrs old son. Other family members include my father, mother & one brother who live outside Australia.

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

According to the Islamic law of inheritance, the distribution of the estate will only commence after the following three things have been settled from the estate of the deceased:

1)      Funeral expenses (not including any extravagances)
2)      Debts (if any) including the legal costs
3)      Bequests (if any) made to non-heirs. This is not to exceed one third of the estate after the above mentioned two things have been settled.

Once the above have been taken care of from your estate, your remaining estate will be divided into 24 equal shares and distributed as follows:

– Your father will get 4 shares.
– Your mother will get 4 shares.
– Your wife will get 3 shares.
– Your son will get 13 shares.

Your brother will not get anything.

And Allah knows best.

Mufti Faizal Riza
20/12/2011
Darul Ifta Australia
www.mufti-online.net

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