Gathers assets, notifies institutions, pays debts and taxes, keeps records, and distributes — usually over many months.
The Canadian position
Expect correspondence with banks, insurers, CRA, the land registry and beneficiaries.
Open a dedicated estate account immediately; mixing funds is a serious breach.
The Islamic position
The wasi role is described as an amanah, and record-keeping is how that trust is demonstrated.
Heirs are entitled to an accounting, so keep one from day one.
The four Sunni schools are not recorded as differing materially on this point in the sources reviewed. Where your own case turns on it, put it to a scholar of your school.
What to do about it
- Open an estate bank account.
- Keep every receipt and statement.
- Send beneficiaries a written update at least quarterly.
- Do not distribute before debts and taxes are settled.
General information, not legal or religious advice. Inheritance depends entirely on the exact family circumstances. Confirm the Canadian position with a lawyer in your province and any religious ruling with a qualified scholar.
Citations & sources
Every factual claim on this page traces to one of the references below. Legislation and dollar thresholds change — verify against the primary source before relying on any figure.
- Research Papers — Cambridge Muslim College
- Research — Cambridge Muslim College
- Academics — Islamic law and theology curriculum — Zaytuna College
- Encyclopaedia of Islam — Brill
- Apply for probate of an estate — Government of Ontario
- Estate Administration Tax — Government of Ontario
- Estates Act, RSO 1990, c E.21 — Government of Ontario
- Administering estates — Government of Ontario
- Executor misuses estate funds ontario what happens — Treadstone Law
- Law society compensation fund claim wire fraud ontario — Treadstone Law
- Executor entitled receive gift and fees ontario — Treadstone Law
- Executor liability failure withhold non resident tax ontario — Treadstone Law
- Executor incapacity ontario — Treadstone Law
- Executor dealing with debts ontario — Treadstone Law
- Wills & estates practice — Treadstone Law