Is it a religious obligation to be righteous towards the wife of a deceased father, knowing that she has children and that she wronged the questioner by convincing her father to register his properties in her children's names?
Kindness to a stepmother is not obligatory, but it is recommended as an act of benevolence and maintaining ties with those whom the father loved. As for the father registering all his properties to his children from another wife, there are two scenarios: either it is a bequest to an heir, which is invalid unless the rest of the heirs permit it, or it is a gift. A gift is disliked by the majority of scholars, but it is enforceable provided that it is legally possessed before the father's death illness; otherwise, it is considered a bequest. Some scholars view the favoritism of some children in gifting without a legitimate reason as prohibited. This matter should be discussed and resolved through understanding, and if that is not possible, the matter should be referred to the court. The stepmother sins if she convinces the father to favor her children without a legitimate reason.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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