Enter your family members and see how an estate is divided under Islamic inheritance law. This free calculator applies the fara’id (the fixed shares set out in the Quran and Sunnah) and lets you choose the school of thought: Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i, Hanbali, or Ja’afari.
How the Islamic inheritance calculator works
Islamic inheritance (fara’id, sometimes spelled faraid) assigns fixed shares to specific relatives and distributes the remainder to residuary heirs. Proximity in the family tree is important: closer relatives can exclude more distant ones, and the presence of children changes what a spouse or parent receives. The calculator handles these rules. Select your marital status, then add children, parents, grandparents, and siblings (full, paternal, and maternal) as they apply. The results show each heir’s share as a fraction and a percentage.
Three things the calculator assumes:
- Debts, funeral expenses, and any wasiyyah (bequest of up to one-third) come out first. The shares shown apply to what remains.
- All heirs listed are Muslim. Under the classical rules a non-Muslim relative does not inherit from a Muslim by fara’id; that does not stop you from providing for them through a wasiyyah or a lifetime gift.
- Step-relatives and adopted children are not fara’id heirs, though again they can be provided for by wasiyyah.
What the calculator cannot do
A calculation is not a plan. In the United States, Islamic shares have no legal force on their own; state law decides who receives your property unless you have a will or, better, a living trust that carries out the fara’id. Retirement accounts, life insurance, and jointly titled property often pass outside a will entirely, which is where most Muslim estate plans go wrong. If your situation involves any of those, a blended family, property overseas, or a family member who has left Islam, the calculator is a starting point rather than an answer.
Frequently asked questions
Which school of thought should I choose?
The four Sunni schools agree on most cases and differ in a handful, most visibly on the shares of grandparents alongside siblings. If you follow a particular madhhab, choose it. If you’re unsure, the differences rarely affect the immediate family (spouse, children, parents).
Why does my daughter receive half of what my son receives?
The Quran sets the share of a son at twice that of a daughter (4:11). The reasoning and the family obligations that accompany it are discussed in our article on why daughters inherit half.
Can I leave everything to my spouse?
Not under fara’id. A widow receives one-quarter if there are no children and one-eighth if there are; a widower receives one-half or one-quarter. The rest goes to other heirs. Many couples address this through the ownership of the family home and through planning during life. See the surviving spouse’s share.
How do I make these shares legally binding?
Through an estate plan drafted for it: usually a living trust with the Islamic distribution written in, plus correctly aligned beneficiary designations on accounts and insurance. Our guide to the Islamic living trust explains how it works, and the Islamic inheritance guide covers the rules in depth.
Turn the calculation into a plan
Attorney Ahmed Shaikh is a Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law who has helped hundreds of Muslim families put the fara’id into a legally binding plan. Bring your calculator results to a free 15-minute call.
This calculator and page are for education. They are not legal advice and do not create an attorney-client relationship.