Islamic Will Writers

Prescribed for you when death approaches any one of you if he leaves wealth is that he should make a bequest for the parents and near relatives according to what is acceptable – a duty upon the righteous

- Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 180

‘Ibn Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “It is a duty of a Muslim who has anything to bequeath not to let two nights pass without including it in his will”.’

- Sahih al-Bukhari

Allah has made it the duty of all Muslims to leave a Will to dispose of their financial affairs following death. This is to ensure that their wealth is distributed fairly amongst family members and to avoid conflict amongst creditors and family members. The precise details of who inherits and how much are laid out in the Quran and hadith.

The key principles of an Islamic Will are as follows:

• A Muslim’s debts and funeral and burial expenses are paid, including any obligations to Allah such as unpaid ‘zakah’ (charity), ‘mahr’ (bridal money) and ‘kafarah’ (compensation for omitted acts of worship);

• A Muslim may leave a gift of up to one third of the remainder to anyone not entitled to a fixed share under Islamic law, e.g. to a charity or other individual i.e. non-believer, adopted, step, or illegitimate child; and

• If no gifts are left then the entire estate shall be distributed in fixed shares prescribed in the Quran, where certain fixed shares pass to certain family members. This is usually your parents, spouse and children.

Under Islamic laws of inheritance and, as a Muslim can bequeath up to one-third of his/her assets to whoever he/she pleases, we remind you when making your Islamic Will to consider those that are less fortunate and to leave this one-third, or part of it, to a Muslim charity so that your legacy can continue to work and help others after your death, as a ‘sadaqa jariya’ or on-going charitable work.

Here is a list of some of the charities you may wish to leave a gift to:

Islamic Relief - www.islamicrelief.org.uk

Muslim Charity - www.muslimcharity.org.uk

Islamic Aid - www.islamicaid.org.uk

Muslim Aid - www.muslimaid.org.uk

Muslim Hands - www.muslimhands.org.uk