Inheritance and Succession, Islamic Law Of

The law of inheritance occupies an especially prominent place within Islamic law. The rules governing distribution of property on death are set out in the Quran in greater detail than any other subject. Muslims take great pride in the law of inheritance, and centuries of students have drawn inspiration from the law's elegance and precision. The rules of inheritance, according to Prophetic dictum, comprise fully half of all useful knowledge.

Social Context

An understanding of Islamic inheritance law requires some introduction to the social world from which it originates. For while the Quran revolutionized Arab society, the imprint of pre-Islamic inheritance is clearly evident in Islamic law. The basic social unit in pre-Islamic Arabia was the tribe. Membership in the tribe was based on male (agnatic) bloodlines. ...

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