Is it permissible to distribute the wealth of a man afflicted with Alzheimer's disease among his heirs, and what is the Islamic legal ruling on this matter?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
No one is permitted to inherit from a living person, even if that person is suffering from amnesia or dementia, or is in their death sickness. This is because one of the conditions for inheritance is the death of the inheritee, whether actual, constructive, or presumptive. Additionally, the inheritor must be alive, and the cause of inheritance must be established.
Therefore, it is not permissible to divide the wealth of a man suffering from Alzheimer's or other illnesses as long as he is still alive.
It is possible that the patient may recover, or one of his heirs may die before him.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/22128
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 22128
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy