In Ja'fari fiqh the heirs fall into three classes: parents and children first, then grandparents and brothers and sisters, then uncles and aunts. Anyone in a nearer class shuts out the classes after it, while the husband or wife inherits alongside every class. A wife takes 1/8 if there are children or grandchildren and 1/4 if not, but from buildings, trees and other assets, not from land.
The calculator above follows the rulings of Ayatollah Sistani, the marja followed by most Shia families in Pakistan. Where his rulings leave a small part for the heirs to settle by agreement, the result says so rather than guessing.
The three classes of heirs
| Class | Who is in it | Main rule |
|---|---|---|
| First | Father, mother, sons, daughters, and grandchildren when no child is alive | Parents take 1/6 each when there are children; a son takes twice a daughter |
| Second | Grandparents on both sides, brothers and sisters, and their children when no brother or sister is alive | Mother's side takes 1/6 or 1/3 equally; father's side the rest, male twice female |
| Third | Paternal and maternal uncles and aunts, then their children | Mother's side 1/3, father's side 2/3 |
A grandchild takes the share of the parent who connects them: a son's daughter takes a son's share, and a daughter's son takes a daughter's share (Sistani, ruling 2756). The spouse always inherits, whichever class is present.
Where Shia shares differ from Sunni shares
- No asaba. There is no special class of male residuaries. A daughter shuts out the deceased's brothers, sisters and uncles completely.
- No 'awl. If the fixed shares add up to more than the whole, the daughters or sisters take what is left after the spouse and parents.
- Radd to blood relatives. A surplus returns to the parents and daughters in proportion, never to the wife. A husband who is the only heir takes everything.
- Mother's third. With a spouse and the father, the mother still takes 1/3 of the whole estate. The Sunni Umariyyatan rule is not followed.
- Hajib. Brothers and sisters reduce the mother's share only if the father is alive and there are two brothers, one brother and two sisters, or four sisters on the father's side.
- Children of daughters count as children: they reduce the spouse's share and inherit in the first class.
- Wife and land. She gets nothing from land itself or its value. She takes her share of the value of buildings and trees.
- Wasiyyat to an heir is valid within one third, which the Sunni schools allow only with the other heirs' consent.
Worked example: husband, parents and one daughter
A woman dies leaving Rs 12,000,000, her husband, her father, her mother and one daughter. The fixed shares are husband 1/4, father 1/6, mother 1/6 and daughter 1/2, which add up to 13/12.
| Heir | Ja'fari fiqh | Hanafi fiqh ('awl) |
|---|---|---|
| Husband | 1/4 = Rs 3,000,000 | 3/13 = Rs 2,769,231 |
| Father | 1/6 = Rs 2,000,000 | 2/13 = Rs 1,846,154 |
| Mother | 1/6 = Rs 2,000,000 | 2/13 = Rs 1,846,154 |
| Daughter | 5/12 = Rs 5,000,000 | 6/13 = Rs 5,538,462 |
Ja'fari fiqh keeps the spouse's and parents' shares whole, and the daughter takes the 5/12 left over. The Hanafi method cuts every share in the same proportion.
The wife's share when the estate includes land
Sistani's Minhaj al-Salihin states that the wife does not inherit from land, neither the land itself nor its value. She inherits from the value of the buildings and trees on it, and from all other assets. So enter the value of the bare land in the calculator, and her share is taken from the rest.
Example. A man leaves Rs 20,000,000, of which Rs 12,000,000 is the value of the land. His heirs are his wife, one son and one daughter.
- Wife: 1/8 of the Rs 8,000,000 non-land assets = Rs 1,000,000.
- Son: 7/12 of the non-land assets plus 2/3 of the land = Rs 12,666,667.
- Daughter: 7/24 of the non-land assets plus 1/3 of the land = Rs 6,333,333.
The calculator divides the land among the other heirs as if the wife were not there. In Sunni fiqh the same wife would get 1/8 of everything, Rs 2,500,000. The land inheritance calculator shows the same rule in kanal and marla.
Cases Sistani leaves for the heirs to settle
In a few cases Sistani says the right share is in doubt, and by obligatory precaution the heirs must settle that part by agreement (musalaha). The calculator shows it as a separate line.
- Father, mother and one daughter, with two brothers of the deceased (ruling 2750): father 1/5, mother 1/6, daughter 3/5, and 1/30 to be settled. On Rs 6,000,000 that is Rs 1,200,000, Rs 1,000,000, Rs 3,600,000 and Rs 200,000 to settle.
- One sister and a maternal grandparent (ruling 2771): the sister 1/2, the grandparent 1/3, and 1/6 to settle.
- Children of a brother or sister (ruling 2766) and maternal uncles and aunts (ruling 2776): the split between males and females is settled by agreement. The calculator shows 2 to 1 for the first and equal shares for the second.
The eldest son also receives his father's Quran, ring, sword and clothes (hibwa) before the division. The calculator does not put a value on these.
This page follows Ayatollah Sistani's published rulings. Other maraji agree on almost all of it but differ in some details, so check with the office of your own marja. For court cases, Pakistani courts apply Ja'fari fiqh to the estate of a Shia deceased.
Shia inheritance questions
What is the wife's share in Shia inheritance?
One eighth if the husband left any child or grandchild, and one quarter if he did not. Several wives share that fraction equally. Her share is taken from buildings, trees, cash and other assets, not from land. If she is the only heir, she takes 1/4 and the rest goes to the Imam, handed in practice to a mujtahid.
Does an only daughter get the whole estate in Shia fiqh?
If she is the only heir besides a spouse, yes. She takes her half and the rest by radd, after the spouse's share. If a parent is alive, the parent takes 1/6 and they share the surplus in proportion: one parent and one daughter end up with 1/4 and 3/4.
Do brothers inherit with a daughter in Shia law?
No. Brothers and sisters are in the second class, and any child, grandchild or parent of the deceased excludes them. This is one of the biggest differences from Sunni fiqh, where a full brother takes the residue after a daughter's half.
Does MFLO section 4 apply to Shia estates?
The Ordinance is written for all Muslim citizens of Pakistan. Ja'fari fiqh already gives grandchildren their parent's share when no child of the deceased is alive. Section 4 goes further and gives it even when other children are alive. Tick the MFLO box in the calculator to see that result.
Is the mother's share reduced by the deceased's brothers?
Only when the father is alive and the deceased had two brothers, one brother and two sisters, or four sisters, sharing the deceased's father. Maternal half siblings do not count. The brothers and sisters themselves get nothing, as the father excludes them.
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Last reviewed 29 September 2026. Results are estimates; official notices always take precedence.