Frequently asked questions

These mirror the questions answered in the app at qurangallery.com/mirath/faq.

How reliable is this calculator?

It works in exact fractions — never decimals that could drift — and is checked against known answers from the classical books of farāʾiḍ, covering fixed shares, residuaries, blocking, ʿawl, radd, and the famous named cases.

Inheritance is a serious responsibility. Always confirm a real distribution with a qualified scholar before acting on it.

Which school of law (madhab) does it follow?

All four Sunni schools — Ḥanafī, Mālikī, Shāfiʿī, and Ḥanbalī. For almost every family they agree, and the calculator says so. When they genuinely differ — chiefly when a grandfather inherits with siblings — it computes each school and flags the difference so you can compare.

Does it account for debts and bequests?

Yes. Open “Debts, funeral & bequest” under the estate value. Funeral costs and debts are paid first, then a bequest (waṣiyya) of up to one third of the remainder, and only what is left is divided among the heirs. The one-third cap is enforced automatically.

Why does the spouse receive less when there are children?

The Qurʾan (4:12) sets the husband at one half without a child and one quarter with one; the wife at one quarter without a child and one eighth with one. A surviving child reduces the spouse’s fixed share.

Why did a brother (or another heir) receive nothing?

Because of blocking (ḥajb): a nearer heir can exclude a more distant one. A son, for instance, blocks the grandchildren and all the brothers and sisters. The calculator shows blocked heirs greyed out with the exact reason, so it is never a mystery.

What are ʿawl and radd?

ʿAwl is when the fixed shares add up to more than the whole estate, so every share is scaled down in proportion. Radd is the opposite — the shares fall short with no residuary heir, so the surplus is returned to the fixed-share heirs (the spouse excluded). Both are handled automatically, and the result badges tell you when they apply.

Does it calculate Shia (Jaʿfarī) inheritance?

No. This tool covers the four Sunni schools only. The Jaʿfarī school follows a fundamentally different model (no residuary system, no ʿawl, three priority classes) and is out of scope.

What about adopted children, step-children, or unmarried partners?

They are not heirs under the fixed-share system of farāʾiḍ, so they are not included. A person may, however, provide for them through the bequest (waṣiyya), within its one-third limit.

Does it handle distant relatives (dhawū al-arḥām)?

Not yet. When none of the fixed-share or residuary heirs survive, the estate can pass to distant kindred (uncles’ daughters, maternal relations, and so on) by a separate, disputed method. That is planned for a later version.

Is any of my information saved?

No. The entire calculation runs in your browser. Nothing you enter — the heirs, the estate value — is sent anywhere, stored, or logged.

Why does it sometimes say “needs a scholar’s review”?

For a small number of rare compositions the result is genuinely disputed or beyond the current rule set (for example, a grandfather competing with both full and paternal siblings, al-muʿādda). Rather than show a number it is not certain of, the calculator defers to a scholar.

More help

• The rules — the reference in plain language.
• The calculator — try your own family.