Islamic Mirath

Understanding Islamic Mirath in Pakistan

In Pakistan, the distribution of inheritance for Muslim citizens is governed by the **Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act**. This calculator helps you understand the legal shares assigned to different heirs under Sunni Hanafi jurisprudence.

General Principles of Distribution

• Debts First: Before any distribution, all debts of the deceased, funeral expenses, and valid bequests (up to 1/3) must be paid.
• Fixed Shares (Zawi al-Furud): These are heirs whose shares are specifically mentioned in the Quran (e.g., Mother, Father, Spouse).
• Residuaries (Asaba): These are heirs who take the remainder after fixed shares are distributed (e.g., Sons).
• Exclusion (Hajb): Certain relatives can exclude others. For example, a son excludes the brothers and sisters of the deceased.

The 2:1 Rule

One of the most well-known rules in Islamic inheritance is that a male heir (like a son) generally receives double the share of a female heir of the same rank (like a daughter). This is balanced by the traditional Islamic social structure where males are legally responsible for the financial maintenance of the family.