Question:
Can we agree to share the inheritance among ourselves in the manner we want after the passing of our father?
The Fatwa
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
The Answer
It is permissible for the heirs to distribute the estate of the deceased in a manner they see fit if all the heirs are in mutual agreement with no force or coercion to distribute the assets differently.
The Fiqh of the Answer
Islam has specific rules on how a deceased person’s estate is distributed to their heirs. The stipulations are defined in the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
However, there is allowance in Sharī’ah for the heirs to mutually all agree on exchanging, swapping and redistributing assets among themselves. If all the heirs unanimously agree to distribute the estate in a manner that differs from the standard shares of distribution, based on their particular circumstances or needs, it will be acceptable if it is done according to the conditions mentioned below. This departure and mutual agreement to redistribute the assets of the estate is referred to as Takhāruj in Fiqh.
The conditions for Takhāruj are as follows:
- Mutual agreement is among the key conditions for Takhāruj. In a similar case, Imām al-Tahāwi states that the bequest of a deceased for an heir is not permitted except with the permission of the remaining heirs. The agreement must be made by all the heirs unanimously.
- The heirs should all possess mental capacity.
- The heirs must all be adults.
- The new distribution of inheritance must be without undue influence.
It is important to approach Takhāruj option caution and seek guidance from a local scholar, to ensure that the amended distribution of inheritance is compliant with Shar’ī principles.
And Almighty Allah Alone Knows Best
Maulana Ammar Y Badat
Trainee Mufti
Reviewed and approved by
Mufti Faraz Adam
Darul Iftaa Muadh ibn Jabal
www.fatwa-centre.com | www.darulfiqh.com
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قال أبو جعفر: ولا وصية لوارث، إلا أن يجيزها الورثة بعد موت الوصي، وهم أصحاء بالغون (شرح مختصر الطحاوي للجصاص)
وَالْأَصْلُ فِي جَوَازِ التَّخَارُجِ مَا رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ فِي الْأَصْلِ فِي أَوَّلِ كِتَابِ الصُّلْحِ عَنْ أَبِي يُوسُفَ عَمَّنْ حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ: أَنَّ إِحْدَى نِسَاءِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ صَالَحُوهَا عَلَى ثَلَاثَةٍ وَثَمَانِينَ أَلْفًا عَلَى أَنْ أَخْرَجُوهَا مِنَ الْمِيرَاثِ. وَقَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَيْضًا: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو يُوسُفَ عَمَّنْ حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ بِتَخَارُجِ أَهْلِ الْمِيرَاثِ، وَكَذَلِكَ رَوَى الْحَاكِمُ الشَّهِيدُ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ: أَنَّ إِحْدَى نِسَاءَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ صَالَحُوهَا عَلَى ثَلَاثَةٍ وَثَمَانِينَ أَلْفًا عَلَى أَنْ أَخْرَجُوهَا مِنَ الْمِيرَاث (فتح القدير للكمال ابن الهمام)
(وَمِنْهَا) الرِّضَا فِي أَحَدِ نَوْعَيْ الْقِسْمَةِ، وَهُوَ رِضَا الشُّرَكَاءِ فِيمَا يَقْسِمُونَهُ بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ إذَا كَانُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الرِّضَا، أَوْ رِضَا مَنْ يَقُومُ مَقَامَهُمْ، إذَا لَمْ يَكُونُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الرِّضَا فَإِنْ لَمْ يُوجَدْ لَا يَصِحُّ، حَتَّى لَوْ كَانَ فِي الْوَرَثَةِ صَغِيرٌ لَا وَصِيَّ لَهُ، أَوْ كَبِيرٌ غَائِبٌ، فَاقْتَسَمُوا؛ فَالْقِسْمَةُ بَاطِلَةٌ؛ لِمَا ذَكَرْنَا أَنَّ الْقِسْمَةَ فِيهَا مَعْنَى الْبَيْعِ، وَقِسْمَةُ الرِّضَا أَشْبَهُ بِالْبَيْعِ، ثُمَّ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ الْبَيْعَ إلَّا بِالتَّرَاضِي، فَكَذَا الْقِسْمَةُ، إلَّا إذَا لَمْ يَكُونُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الرِّضَا كَالصِّبْيَانِ وَالْمَجَانِينَ فَيَقْسِمُ الْوَلِيُّ أَوْ الْوَصِيُّ إذَا كَانَ فِي الْقِسْمَةِ مَنْفَعَةٌ لَهُمْ؛ لِأَنَّهُمَا يَمْلِكَانِ الْبَيْعَ فَيَمْلِكَانِ الْقِسْمَةَ، وَكَذَا إذَا كَانَ فِيهِمْ صَغِيرٌ وَلَهُ وَلِيٌّ، أَوْ وَصِيٌّ، يَقْتَسِمُونَ بِرِضَا الْوَلِيِّ أَوْ الْوَصِيِّ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ نَصَبَ الْقَاضِي عَنْ الصَّغِيرِ وَصِيًّا، وَاقْتَسَمُوا بِرِضَاهُ فَإِنْ أَبَى تَرَافَعُوا إلَى الْقَاضِي، حَتَّى يَقْسِمَ بَيْنَهُمْ، وَمِنْهَا حَضْرَةُ الشُّرَكَاءِ أَوْ مَنْ يَقُومُ مَقَامَهُمْ فِي نَوْعَيْ الْقِسْمَةِ، حَتَّى لَوْ كَانَ فِيهِمْ كَبِيرٌ غَائِبٌ لَا تَجُوزُ الْقِسْمَةُ أَصْلًا وَلَا يَقْسِمُ الْقَاضِي أَيْضًا إذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ عَنْهُ خَصْمٌ حَاضِرٌ وَلَكِنَّهُ لَوْ قَسَمَ لَا تُنْقَصُ قِسْمَتُهُ؛ لِأَنَّهُ صَادَفَ مَحِلَّ الِاجْتِهَادِ فَلَا يُنْقَضُ (بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع)
وَالصُّلْحُ فِي حُكْمِ الْإِكْرَاهِ كَالْبَيْعِ، فَإِنَّهُ يَعْتَمِدُ تَمَامَ الرِّضَا كَالْبَيْعِ وَكَمَا أَنَّ الْإِكْرَاهَ بِالْجِنْسِ وَالْمُقَيَّدِ بِعَدَمِ الرِّضَا فِي الْبَيْعِ فَكَذَلِكَ فِي الصُّلْحِ (المبسوط للسرخسي)
قَوْمٌ دَخَلُوا عَلَى رَجُلٍ لَيْلًا وَشَهَرُوا عَلَيْهِ سِلَاحًا وَهَدَّدُوهُ حَتَّى صَالَحَ رَجُلًا عَنْ دَعْوَاهُ عَلَى شَيْءٍ فَفَعَلَ قَالُوا عَلَى قِيَاسِ قَوْلِ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ يَجُوزُ الصُّلْحُ؛ لِأَنَّ الْإِكْرَاهَ عِنْدَهُ لَا يَكُونُ إلَّا مِنْ السُّلْطَانِ وَعِنْدَ صَاحِبَيْهِ يَتَحَقَّقُ الْإِكْرَاهُ مِنْ كُلِّ مُتَغَلِّبٍ يَقْدِرُ عَلَى تَحْقِيقِ مَا أَوْعَدَ وَالْفَتْوَى عَلَى قَوْلِهِمَا (مجمع الضمانات)