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"What is the ruling of Islamic law on depriving heirs of their inheritance and distributing the estate to Islamic charities to atone for sins, for fear of the temptation of wealth for them, even though they are well-off? "

1 min readAlso available in العربية

"It is not permissible for a Muslim to bequeath more than one-third of his estate, even if his heirs are wealthy, due to the Prophet's ﷺ saying to Sa'd: ""One-third, and one-third is a lot."" If he bequeaths more than one-third, the bequest is only valid for one-third, unless the adult and competent heirs agree to it. Bequeathing more than one-third is forbidden, and the forgiveness of sins is achieved through repentance with its conditions, not by depriving the heirs of their inheritance. The money is yours today and your heir's tomorrow, so offer from it in your lifetime.

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Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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