Many Muslim American couples have asked us to design a Sharia-compliant trust for married couples where after the first spouse passes, the surviving spouse would manage their assets in trust, and after they both pass, their trust assets would be...
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Waqf: (Pl: Awqaf/waqfs) a Waqf Literally means to stop, contain, or to preserve. According to the Sharia, a Waqf is a voluntary, permanent, irrevocable dedication of a thing or of part of wealth – in cash or kind – to...
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An Islamic will is a legal declaration that you, the testator, make. It tells the world who will get your assets and who will manage your estate and implement your wishes when you die. When you die without a Will—called...
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A standard estate plan includes a Will, a healthcare directive/living will, and a durable power of attorney. A will is not complicated or expensive. You do not need to be rich to have a will. Even if you have...
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An Islamic will covers everything that a secular will covers, including: Appointing an executor to distribute your estate and manage your affairs after death; Appointing a guardian to care for your children and manage their inheritance until...
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If you do not have any surviving Islamic heirs, many Muslim scholars in the United States have advised that leaving a bequest to a Muslim charity and leaving the balance of your estate to a non-Islamic heir family member...
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Let me provide some background. Sharī‘a divides the Islamic heirs or Islamic beneficiaries of your estate into three categories: Qur’anic heirs (ahl al-fara’id). Qur’anic heirs take a predetermined share—either one-half, one-quarter, one-eighth, two-thirds, one-third, or one-sixth. They are: Four...
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Yes. A surviving spouse would take her prescribed share from the estate. A wife’s Islamic inheritance share would be 1/4 (or 1/8 if the husband had children) of her husband's net estate. A husband’s Islamic inheritance share would be...
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This is a very common concern among American Muslims. Thankfully, the Sharī‘a offers solutions to protect your wife’s financial security if you predecease her. First, you are free to gift her property and/or money during your lifetime. This is...
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The Sharī‘a is anchored in divine justice and equity. There are several solutions to protect a wife's financial security by accounting for her financial and non-financial contributions to the marriage. First, Muslim scholars agree that a husband is free...
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