Chapter on Nullification of 'awl (proportional reduction) in Inheritance

Indeed, the Commander of the Faithful (as) used to say, "Surely, the One who counted the grains of sand in Alij knows that the shares (of inheritance) do not exceed six if people were to truly understand their proper allocations; they would never surpass six."

"Ibn Abbas used to say: Indeed, the One who counted the grains of sand in Alij surely knows that the shares (of inheritance) do not exceed six."

I sat with Ibn Abbas, and the topic of inheritance shares was brought up. Ibn Abbas said: "Glory be to Allah (swt) the Almighty! Do you think that the One who has counted the grains of the sand of Alij (a vast desert) made the shares of inheritance such that they consist of a half, a half, and a third? These two halves already consume the entire estate, so where is the share for the third?" Zufar ibn Aws Al-Basri said to him: "O' Ibn Abbas, who was the first to adjust the shares of inheritance (awl, proportional reduction)?" Ibn Abbas replied: "It was Ruma when the inheritance shares became entangled with each other and some shares began to clash with others." Ibn Abbas said: "By Allah (swt), I do not know whom Allah (swt) has given precedence to and whom He (swt) has delayed. I find nothing more appropriate than dividing this wealth according to the prescribed shares, so that each person entitled receives their due, and the effect of the adjustment (awl) of the inheritance falls upon them accordingly. By Allah (swt), if those whom Allah (swt) has given precedence were given precedence, and those whom Allah (swt) has delayed were delayed, no inheritance share would ever be reduced." Zufar ibn Aws asked him: "Who are those whom Allah (swt) has given precedence and those whom He has delayed?" Ibn Abbas replied: "Every share that Allah (swt), the Mighty and Majestic, has not reduced except to another obligatory share is what Allah (swt) has given precedence. As for what Allah (swt) has delayed, it is any share that, when displaced from its original allocation, receives only what remains. These are those whom Allah (swt) has delayed. For example, the husband is entitled to half, but if there are additional heirs that reduce his share, it decreases to one-fourth, and nothing can further reduce it. The wife is entitled to one-fourth, and if her share is reduced, it becomes one-eighth, with nothing further reducing it. The mother is entitled to one-third, but if her share is reduced, it becomes one-sixth, which cannot be further reduced. These are the shares that Allah (swt) has given precedence. As for those whom Allah (swt) has delayed, they include the shares of daughters and sisters. A single daughter or sister receives half, and if they are two or more, they receive two-thirds. However, if other heirs with higher precedence exist, they only receive what remains, and that is what Allah (swt) has delayed. Thus, when the shares given precedence and those delayed are combined, the shares that Allah (swt) has given precedence are distributed first in full. If anything remains, it is given to those whom Allah (swt) has delayed, but if nothing remains, they receive nothing." Zufar ibn Aws asked him: "What prevented you from suggesting this opinion to Ruma?" Ibn Abbas replied: "I was in awe of him." Al-Zuhri then said: "By Allah (swt), if it were not for the fact that a just and pious leader had preceded him and established his ruling with prudence, Ibn Abbas would not have had any disagreement from the scholars on this matter."

"The shares of inheritance are from six portions: two-thirds is four portions, half is three portions, one-third is two portions, one-fourth is one and a half portions, and one-eighth is three-fourths of a portion. No one inherits alongside the children except the parents, the husband, and the wife. The mother is not prevented from receiving one-third except by the presence of children or siblings. The husband's share does not exceed half, nor is it reduced from one-fourth. The wife's share does not exceed one-fourth, nor is it reduced from one-eighth. If there are four wives or fewer, they share equally. Siblings from the mother do not inherit more than one-third and are not given less than one-sixth, and in this, males and females are equal. They are not prevented from receiving one-third except by the presence of children or the father. Blood money (diyyah for accidental death) is distributed among those who inherit the estate."

inheritors who always inherit and are never excluded are six: the two parents, the son, the daughter, the husband, and the wife."