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Escheat

Property passing to the Crown where an intestate person leaves no traceable next of kin.

Draft — pending review. This page has been prepared but has not yet been reviewed by a Canadian estates lawyer or a qualified scholar. Treat it as a starting point for questions, not as advice you should act on.

Property passing to the Crown where an intestate person leaves no traceable next of kin.

In Islamic law

The functional parallel is the classical rule directing an unclaimed residue to the bayt al-mal — a point on which the Maliki and Shafi'i schools historically differed from the Hanafi and Hanbali.

In Canadian law

The last resort in provincial intestacy schemes. It is rare, but it is the reason 'no will and no known relatives' is not a neutral outcome.

Across the madhahib

No significant difference between the four Sunni schools is recorded on this point in the sources reviewed. Where a specific case turns on it, ask a qualified scholar rather than relying on a general summary.

Canadian legal detail

Treadstone Law, an Ontario firm with a wills and estates practice, covers the Canadian side of this in more depth:

Important

This entry is general information, not legal or religious advice. Inheritance turns on the exact family circumstances. Confirm Canadian law with a lawyer in your province, and any religious ruling with a qualified scholar.