Islamic Estate Planning Attorney

Islamic Inheritance

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A Guide to Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies

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I have been seeing more and more clients invested in cryptocurrencies. In some instances, it has not done anything yet, but it has been life-changing for them in others. I started learning about cryptocurrencies to understand their appeal and, more importantly, how to do Islamic Estate Planning for them appropriately.  

I have a new Guide/ Frequently Asked Questions on the subject available here. It covers basics for Muslims who are unfamiliar with the relatively new asset class (but also old, since it is, after all, currency) and subjects like storage, succession, and zakat. It is not investment advice. 

Check out the FAQ

Share it with any friends or family members who have been curious about the subject.  

To schedule a 15-minute zoom call to discuss the Islamic Estate Planning Process, click here. Please feel free to share this with anyone else that may benefit from it.

A 529 and Islamic Estate Planning FAQ for you

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Estate Planning is all about looking towards a future that by its nature, is uncertain.  Saving for college is not a sure thing, since children grow up to not go to college, or go without needing parents to pay for it. One of the most popular programs is known as a “529 plan.”  I added a “Frequently Asked Questions” on 529 plans for parents who may be interested.

I have a collection of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on Islamic Inheritance and Islamic Estate Planning questions here.

To schedule a 15-minute zoom meeting on Islamic Estate Planning and learn about the process, you can click here.

My review of Uplift for Zakat (I like them)

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I have written about Zakat for years now, often out of concern this  pillar of Islam is more like a ruin at the moment, thanks to the way Muslim nonprofits treat it.  This includes one of my more widely read essays (written with Sh. Osman Umarji), “This article could be zakat eligible.”

Uplift is really an antidote to a lot of what is happening in the Muslim nonprofit world when it comes to zakat.  There is no real conflict between your mission as a zakat donor and their mission.  They endeavor to get it right. I do know there are other Muslims who care about getting zakat as right as we can make it.  Perhaps you are one of those people.  Get to learn about their work in my review of the organization here.

Also

For any of your friends and families who want to do their Islamic Estate Planning, you can click on my calendar link for a 90-minute appointment (to do the planning) here. I have a comprehensive FAQ on Islamic Estate Planning the the process for getting it done here.

For a 15-minute appointment just to discuss the process, you can click here.

Read My Guide to “Zakat-Eligible” Shenanigans

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Ramadan Mubarak to you and yours.

As I do every Ramadan, I wanted to delve into Zakat.  This month I expect to write several articles related to Zakat (as opposed to the usual one).  Ever wonder what Muslim nonprofits consider Zakat-eligible?

  • A $5,000 honorarium for a speaker?
  • An advertising campaign on Google?
  • Buy the hors d’oeuvres for an intimate fundraising dinner?

Welcome to the rule-free, practically post-apocalyptic world of “Zakat-eligible” Muslim nonprofits, where some Muslim leaders treat fiqh the same way a teenager thinks of a high school dress code.  I wrote a guide on how to distinguish between worthy places to donate, and the kinds of places you should seriously consider avoiding.

You can check it out here.  My goal that zakat not be an exercise in getting away with nonsense, but that we as donors consider the economic impact of our zakat.

If you or any of your friends and family are exploring doing an Islamic Estate Plan, a link for my 15-minute mini-consultation to go over the process is here.

 

Using “Islam” as a tool of oppression

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When a “Non-Muslim” is not

I had previously written about a case in the United Arab Emirates where a Muslim daughter was declared non-Muslim by judicial fiat.  This saga highlighted an unfortunate fact about Islamic inheritance that family members can weaponize its rules to commit injustices.  

I had once spoken to someone who initially identified herself as a “non-Muslim.” She had previously converted to Islam but fell out of practicing it regularly. She was part of a blended family. One faction of the family felt the other part is out of Islam and should not get anything from the family patriarch, this woman’s husband.

Here is the problem, though; this woman never left Islam. She was only practicing less than what her husband and other portions of the blended family expected of her. They declared her “non-Muslim” so often she internalized this allegation despite never having left Islam while continuing to insist she was still a believer.  Yes I know, it’s a little complicated. But families often are.

Enjoin the good, forbid the evil?

It is a widespread occurrence for parents to want their children to pray more. It is common for spouses to want each other to be more religious.  We all want our family members to do better; we encourage them to do the right thing and discourage them from doing wrong. This desire is fundamental to who we are.  As we know from the Quran (3:114)

They believe in Allah and the Last Day, encourage good and forbid evil, and race with one another in doing good. They are ˹truly˺ among the righteous.

However, it is quite another thing to weaponize the fact that a person does not pray regularly to deny inheritance rights ordained in the Quran.  

Parents will often be disappointed by their children. Spouses will disappoint each other. Being part of the blended family could mean a life of complex politics and hurt. However, none of this is ever a reason to declare, unjustly, that a person has left Islam and is therefore not entitled to inheritance. A person who has left Islam can tell you that, by word or deed, like declaring atheism or praying at a Christian church.  It is not your place to start engaging in inductive reasoning to get more inheritance for yourself or to hold it over somebody to encourage more prayer.  In my view, this is counterproductive and harmful.

Your Parting Shot

Unfortunately, I have seen several families who have had family members that have left Islam in my Islamic Estate Planning practice.  Sometimes, people do come back.   Always be careful when making consequential decisions that could result in injustice.  Muhammad (sws) is reported in Ahmad and Ibn Majah to have said: 

“A man may do good deeds for seventy years but if he acts unjustly when he leaves his last testament, the wickedness of his deed will be sealed upon him, and he will enter the Fire. If, (on the other hand), a man acts wickedly for seventy years but is just in his last will and testament, the goodness of his deed will be sealed upon him, and he will enter the Garden.”

Inheritance can be a tool for injustice and cruelty. You have the power to use this tool in this way if you want. That can be your parting shot when you leave this world.  Then again, you can choose not to be unjust.  

 

To schedule a 15-minute no-obligation consultation to go over the Islamic Estate Planning process for your family, click here.