Islamic Proportions

[Reader Questions]

Received by Joseph Islam on Facebook

Brother Joseph, some people on an ex-Muslim group have suggested that the Quran has a mathematical error regarding inheritance. And a woman has posted this image. What is the solution to this? It would be appreciated if you can respond. I don't want to go through answers by laymen on Quora. Instead I want you as a qualified person to respond please. It's personally affecting me as well. I believe the Quran to be perfect and I don't want to involve any secondary sources so how to solve this issue using the Quran alone?

[Joseph Islam]

Dear [Name Removed]


As-salamu alaykum

In general, I don't provide answers to questions on Facebook but I'd like to kindly invite you to post questions/follow up queries on the QM Forum below:

http://quransmessage.com/forum/forum.htm

However, please don't be alarmed. The Quran is perfect but it is only the imperfect assumptions/axioms that humans are prone to make/suggest which create the interpretive inconsistencies.

What I'd respectfully suggest is a re-read of all the inheritance verses with particular emphasis on a particular point. Please kindly note that the Quran's inheritance shares are only to be enacted if there is not a primary will/legacy or in conjunction with it once a primary will/legacy has been satisfied. Many Muslims and clerics appear to miss this point and some even appear to infer some sort of abrogation without basis.



If we then take the Quran at its word, the allocation of the shares only come into play after the first will/legacy is satisfied and then the portions are assigned.

The other incorrect assumption is that the total should = 100% based simply on % allocations without any consideration that the Quran is referring to 'remainders'.

Please kindly allow me to explain with an example:

If I requested, please can you ensure that half of your sweets are given to your father and with the remaining, please ensure that 2/3 are shared with your sisters, all that implies is that you need to create 3 parts from your 50% and share 2 parts of it with your sisters.

This does not mean 50% + 66.7% but rather:
50% + (66.7% of the 50% remaining)

This will mean you still have 1/3 of the sweets left from the 50% to pass to whoever you desire (or for the estate to decide in case of an Inheritance execution). In other words, out of the 50% remaining, your sisters are not allowed to take the entire remainder, but are only entitled to 2/3rds of the remaining 50%.

Please kindly see my article [1] on inheritance below:

I hope this helps, God willing.

Regards,
Joseph


REFERENCE

[1] INHERITANCE LAWS IN THE QURAN
http://quransmessage.com/articles/inheritance%20FM3.htm