What is the ruling on inheritance if a man dies leaving a wife, male and female children, and commercial properties whose moral value (the "reputation of the shops") exceeds their material value, and more than 30 years have passed since his death without the estate being divided, and his wife and one of his children have died after him? Is it now obligatory to divide the estate, and how should this situation be handled, considering the disagreement among the heirs and the lack of liquidity?

Matters related to inheritances are decided by the Sharia judge, especially when there is no agreement among the heirs. Therefore, we advise the questioner to consult the competent authorities in their country. The deceased's estate, whether money or valuable assets, including the goodwill owned by the deceased, belongs to all heirs, with the male receiving the share of two females, and the deceased's wife receiving one-eighth. Since moral value cannot be distributed in itself, it is appraised, and its value is then distributed among the heirs. If an heir dies, their own heir takes their place.