This is legal information only. For advice on your own circumstances, speak to a lawyer.
Debt — settled from the estate before any bequest or share.
In Islamic law
All debts are paid before distribution. Scholars distinguish debts owed to people from those owed to God, such as unpaid zakat.
In Canadian law
Matches Canadian practice, where creditors rank ahead of beneficiaries.
Across the madhahib
We have not yet researched whether the four Sunni schools differ on this term, so we are not going to tell you either way. Where a specific case turns on it, ask a qualified scholar rather than relying on a general summary.
Note
This is legal information only. For advice on your own circumstances, speak to a lawyer.
Citations & sources
Every factual claim on this page traces to a source below. Details change — check the original source before relying on any figure, fee or legal position.
Islamic primary sources
- Surah an-Nisa 4:11 — shares of children and parents — Quran.com
- Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 85: Laws of Inheritance (Faraid) — Sunnah.com
- Sahih Muslim, Book of Inheritance — Sunnah.com
Scholarly & institutional references
- Encyclopaedia of Islam — Brill