Types of Heirs

**Heirs are of two types: Males and Females.** --- **Male Heirs (10):** **1-2.** Son and son's son (grandson through males), no matter how far down. - **Evidence:** "Allah instructs you concerning your children: for the male, what is equal to the share of two females" [An-Nisa: 11] **3-4.** Father and his father (grandfather through males), no matter how far up. - **Evidence:** "And for his parents, each one of them one-sixth of what he left" [An-Nisa: 11]. The grandfather is a father, and the Prophet ﷺ gave him one-sixth. **5.** Brother - whether full, paternal, or maternal. - **Evidence:** "If a man dies leaving no child but he has a sister, she will have half of what he left. And he inherits from her if she has no child" [An-Nisa: 176] **6.** Son of brother - except maternal brother's son (he is from dhawil-arham). **7-8.** Paternal uncle and his son - full or paternal only, not maternal (he is from dhawil-arham). **9.** Husband. - **Evidence:** "And for you is half of what your wives leave" [An-Nisa: 12] **10.** The emancipator or his substitute. - **Evidence:** "The wala' is a bond like lineage" and "The wala' belongs to the one who frees" --- **Female Heirs (7):** **1-2.** Daughter and son's daughter (granddaughter through males), no matter how far down. - **Evidence:** "for the male, what is equal to the share of two females. But if there are [only] daughters, two or more, for them is two-thirds of what he left. And if there is only one, for her is half" [An-Nisa: 11] **3.** Mother. - **Evidence:** "And for his parents, each one of them one-sixth... But if he had no children and the parents inherited from him, then for his mother is one-third" [An-Nisa: 11] **4.** Grandmother - the Prophet ﷺ gave her one-sixth. - **Evidence:** Hadith of Buraydah: "The Prophet ﷺ gave the grandmother one-sixth if there is no mother before her" - she inherits on condition there is no mother. **5.** Sister - full, paternal, or maternal. - **Evidence:** "If a man dies leaving no child but he has a sister, she will have half" [An-Nisa: 176] **6.** Wife. - **Evidence:** "And for them [wives] is a fourth" [An-Nisa: 12] **7.** The female emancipator. - **Evidence:** "The wala' belongs to the one who frees" [Bukhari]