Does a non-Muslim inherit from his Muslim relative, and can a Muslim husband bequeath his estate to his wife only, excluding his non-Muslim heirs?
Non-Muslims do not inherit from a Muslim, based on the Prophet's (PBUH) saying: "A disbeliever does not inherit from a Muslim." However, a Muslim is permitted to bequeath a portion of his wealth to them. The wife inherits one-fourth if the deceased has no children. What remains of the wealth after the wife's share goes to the nearest Muslim male agnate (asabah). If there are no Muslim agnates, the wealth reverts to the Muslim treasury (Bayt al-Mal) or to the Muslim community. The wealth can be reserved for the wife exclusively through a complete and valid gift (hiba).
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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