The Quranic Inheritance Law
Islamic law explicitly mandates that daughters inherit half of what sons inherit. This mathematical inequality is enshrined in the Quran and forms part of Sharia inheritance law practiced in many countries today.
"Allah instructs you concerning your children: for the male, what is equal to the share of two females." — Quran 4:11
The Basic Formula
Sons vs. Daughters
The formula is clear:
- One son = two daughters in inheritance value
- If there are both sons and daughters, each son receives twice what each daughter receives
- A daughter alone receives half the estate; a son alone receives the whole estate
Other Female-Male Disparities
The inequality extends beyond children:
- A wife inherits 1/8 if there are children, 1/4 if not
- A husband inherits 1/4 if there are children, 1/2 if not
- Sisters inherit half of what brothers inherit
- In most cases, female relatives receive half of equivalent male relatives
The Stated Justification
Financial Responsibility
Islamic scholars argue this is fair because:
- Men must financially support their families
- Women keep their wealth for themselves
- Men have greater financial obligations (mahr, maintenance)
Problems with the Justification
- It assumes traditional gender roles: What about working women or stay-at-home fathers?
- It compounds inequality: Women earn less, inherit less, and testimony is worth less
- It's not optional: This is divine law, not a flexible social arrangement
- It values women less: Regardless of justification, a woman's share is literally half a man's
Modern Application
Where It's Enforced
Countries that enforce Islamic inheritance law:
- Saudi Arabia (strictly enforced)
- Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan (Sharia inheritance law)
- Many Muslim-majority countries incorporate this into family law
- Even some secular Muslim-majority countries apply it to Muslims
The Problem for Modern Muslims
This creates challenges for Muslims in modern societies:
- Women may be primary breadwinners yet inherit less
- Daughters may be highly educated yet receive half of brothers' shares
- Widows with children receive 1/8 while childless widowers get 1/2
- The law is seen as inflexible divine command, not adaptable social rule
Attempted Reforms
Tunisia's Exception
Tunisia became the first Arab Muslim-majority country to propose equal inheritance (2018), but this faced fierce opposition from traditional scholars who argued:
- It contradicts clear Quranic text
- Humans cannot overrule Allah's law
- This is apostasy and Western influence
The Theological Problem
Reform is difficult because:
- The verse is explicit and clear
- It's not metaphorical or symbolic
- Classical scholars unanimously upheld it
- Changing it implies the Quran can be updated—a problematic position in Islam
The Broader Pattern
Systematic Inequality
Women's half-value appears throughout Islamic law:
- Testimony: two women = one man (Quran 2:282)
- Inheritance: one daughter = one-half son (Quran 4:11)
- Blood money (diyya): woman's life valued at half man's in some schools
- Guardianship: women need male guardians in many situations
This isn't isolated—it's a pattern revealing women's systematically lesser legal value.
Biblical Contrast
The Bible contains various inheritance laws, including provisions for daughters to inherit when there are no sons (Numbers 27:1-11). However, the New Testament transcends such distinctions:
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise." — Galatians 3:28-29
In Christianity, inheritance of eternal life—the ultimate inheritance—is equal for all believers regardless of gender. Peter wrote:
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you." — 1 Peter 1:3-4
This inheritance is not gender-dependent.
Questions to Consider
- How can a law that values women's inheritance at half men's be compatible with gender equality?
- If the justification is financial responsibility, what about women who support their families?
- Can Muslims reform this law without admitting the Quran needs updating?
- What does it say about a woman's value that she literally receives half in inheritance?
- How can this be squared with modern notions of equal rights and dignity?
Conclusion
Islamic inheritance law mandates that women receive half of what men receive. This mathematical inequality is explicit, non-negotiable divine law that reveals women's systematically lesser value in Islamic jurisprudence. Despite various justifications, the bottom line remains: a woman's share equals half a man's.
Related articles: Women's Testimony Worth Half | Women Deficient in Mind | Wife Beating in Islam