Where the four schools stand
Agreed. The sister takes the remainder, and it is the Prophetic ruling that puts her there. Asked about a daughter, a son’s daughter and a sister, Ibn Mas‘ud said he would judge as the Prophet had judged: half to the daughter, a sixth to the son’s daughter, and what remains to the sister. al-Bukhari made the point his chapter heading — bab mirath al-akhawat ma‘a al-banat ‘asaba. Each school states the rule in its own books, for the full sister and the paternal half-sister alike. Hanafi: al-Haskafi lists her among the residuaries — “and as a residuary through another, the sisters with the daughters, or the son’s daughters” — and Ibn ‘Abidin’s gloss confines that to the full and the paternal sisters, never the maternal. Maliki: Khalil has the daughter and the son’s daughter make both the full sister and the paternal sister residuaries, and al-Dasuqi spells it out — no fixed share is assigned to her beside a daughter; she takes the balance by ta‘sib. Malik’s own words in the Muwatta’ are that the siblings “inherit with the daughters and the sons’ daughters … what is left over of the property, being residuaries in it”. Shafi‘i: al-Nawawi’s Minhaj — “the sisters, full or by the father, with the daughters and the son’s daughters are residuaries, like the brothers” — and al-Shirbini cites the same hadith. Hanbali: al-Khiraqi — “the sisters with the daughters are residuaries; they take what is left over, and they have no named fixed share beside them”. Three consequences follow, and they are the same in every school. (1) If the fixed shares use the estate up, she takes nothing: a residuary receives only a remainder. (2) A son, or a son’s son, or the father excludes her outright — the Hanafi text says ittifaqan and the Hanbali text reports Ibn al-Mundhir’s ijma‘; the Maliki and Shafi‘i texts say the same in their own words. (3) Where a full sister and a paternal half-sister survive together with a daughter, the full sister — now standing in a full brother’s place — takes the whole remainder and the paternal half-sister takes nothing. That third point is stated in terms in the Hanafi, Shafi‘i and Hanbali texts read for this entry; the Maliki text read states it of the paternal half-brother, and the Kuwaiti Encyclopaedia states it of the half-sister citing the Maliki al-Sharh al-Kabir, so for the Maliki school on that narrow point the position is recorded here at one remove rather than from the school’s own page. We checked this point; the schools do not differ on it.
Shared evidence: Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Fara’id — the chapter heading “the sisters inherit as residuaries alongside the daughters” · Sahih al-Bukhari 6742 — Ibn Mas‘ud: half to the daughter, a sixth to the son’s daughter, the remainder to the sister · Surah an-Nisa 4:176 — the verse Ibn ‘Abbas read as barring the sister, which the schools read as barring only a FIXED share for her · Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar — the sisters with the daughters among the residuaries (Hanafi) · al-Dardir and al-Dasuqi on Khalil — the daughter and son’s daughter make both sisters residuaries (Maliki) · al-Shirbini, Mughni al-Muhtaj — ‘asabah ma‘a ghayrihi, on the same hadith (Shafi‘i) · Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni, mas’ala 4817 — “no named fixed share beside them”, and Ibn ‘Abbas named as the lone dissenter (Hanbali) · al-Buhuti, Kashshaf al-Qina’ — the sister falls by the son, the son’s son and the father (Ibn al-Mundhir’s ijma‘), and the paternal half-sister falls by a full sister who has become a residuary (Hanbali) · al-Baji, al-Muntaqa — Malik’s own words, and the jumhur against Ibn ‘Abbas (Maliki).
Researched finding from our madhhab register — issue sister-with-daughter, reviewed 2026-09-05.
Ibn ‘Abbas’s view is not a fifth school. He is reported to have said of a daughter and a sister: “the daughter takes a half and the sister takes nothing”, reading Surah an-Nisa 4:176 to give a sister only where the deceased left no child. Ibn Qudama answers that the verse denies her a fixed share, not the residue — “what she takes beside the daughter is not a fixed share, it is by ta‘sib, like a brother’s inheritance” — and records that all the jurists went the other way “except Ibn ‘Abbas and those who followed him”. The Maliki tradition files it among the five questions on which Ibn ‘Abbas stood alone. So a page may report the view as a Companion’s and as rejected; it may never render it as one of the four schools’ positions.
Full evidence and history: A sister inheriting beside a daughter — the issue page.
Putting this into a Canadian will
A difference between the schools only reaches an estate if it is written into a will that the province recognises. Which school you follow is your choice; whether the document is valid is not.
Making an Islamic will in Canada — province by province, and what makes one valid where you live →
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.
- Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Fara’id, ch. 12 — the chapter heading itself states the rule: “bab mirath al-akhawat ma‘a al-banat ‘asaba” — Muhammad b. Isma‘il al-Bukhari (d. 256 AH), via al-Maktaba al-Shamela
- Sahih al-Bukhari 6742 (Book 85, Hadith 19) — Hudhayl from ‘Abdullah b. Mas‘ud: “la-aqdiyanna fiha bi-qada’i al-nabi … li’l-ibnati al-nisfu, wa li-bnati al-ibni al-sudsu, wa ma baqiya fa-li’l-ukht” — Muhammad b. Isma‘il al-Bukhari (d. 256 AH)
- al-Durr al-Mukhtar with Radd al-Muhtar, Kitab al-Fara’id, the residuaries — “thumma shara‘a fi’l-‘asabati ma‘a ghayrihi fa-qal: (wa ma‘a ghayrihi al-akhawatu ma‘a al-banati) aw banati al-ibn”, on the farradun’s dictum “ij‘alu al-akhawati ma‘a al-banati ‘asaba”; Ibn ‘Abidin: “ay al-akhawatu li-abawayni aw li-ab, amma al-ukhtu li-ummin fa-la yu‘assibuha akhuha”, and the rule “aslu-hu thabitun bi-khabari Ibni Mas‘ud” — Muhammad Amin b. ‘Abidin (d. 1252 AH) on al-Haskafi (d. 1088 AH)
- al-Durr al-Mukhtar with Radd al-Muhtar, Kitab al-Fara’id, hajb — “(wa yasqutu banu al-a‘yan) wa hum al-ikhwatu wa’l-akhawatu li-abin wa umm bi-thalathatin (bi’l-ibni) wa-bnihi wa in safal (wa bi’l-abi) ittifaqan (wa bi’l-jaddi) ‘inda Abi Hanifa … (wa) yasqutu (banu al-‘allat) wa hum al-ikhwatu wa’l-akhawatu li-ab (bihim) ay bi-bani al-a‘yan” — Muhammad Amin b. ‘Abidin (d. 1252 AH) on al-Haskafi (d. 1088 AH)
- al-Durr al-Mukhtar with Radd al-Muhtar, fasl on exclusion — “wa tasqutu al-jaddatu mutlaqan, abawiyyatin am ummiyyatin, bi’l-ummi; wa’l-abawiyyatu bi’l-abi; wa kadha bi’l-jaddi illa umma al-abi wa in ‘alat fa-innaha tarithu ma‘a al-jaddi li-annaha laysat min qibalihi bal hiya zawjatuhu fa-kana ka’l-abawayn”; followed by “wa tahjubu al-qurba min ayyi jihatin kanat al-bu‘da” — Muhammad Amin b. ‘Abidin (d. 1252 AH)
- al-Sharh al-Kabir li’l-Dardir with Hashiyat al-Dasuqi, Kitab al-Fara’id (vol. 4 p. 459) — Khalil: “(wa) ‘assaba (al-jaddu wa’l-ulyayan) ay al-bintu wa bintu al-ibn (al-ukhrayayn) ay al-ukhta al-shaqiqata wa’llati li’l-ab”; and: “la yufradu li’l-ukhti al-shaqiqati aw li-abin ma‘a al-binti aw binti al-ibni bal ta’khudhu al-baqiya ta‘siban … wa amma al-ukhtu ma‘a al-binti aw binti al-ibni fa-‘asabatun ma‘a al-ghayr” — Ahmad al-Dardir (d. 1201 AH) with Muhammad b. Ahmad al-Dasuqi (d. 1230 AH)
- al-Sharh al-Kabir with Hashiyat al-Dasuqi, the order of the residuaries — “(wa asqatahu) ay al-akha li’l-abi (aydan) … (al-shaqiqatu allati hiya ka’l-‘asibi li-bintin) ay ma‘a bintin fa-akthar (aw binti ibnin fa-akthar) … saqata al-akhu li’l-ab; li-anna al-shaqiqata ma‘a al-banati ‘asabat” — Ahmad al-Dardir (d. 1201 AH) with Muhammad b. Ahmad al-Dasuqi (d. 1230 AH)
- al-Muntaqa Sharh al-Muwatta’, Mirath al-ikhwa li’l-umm wa’l-ab — Malik: “al-ikhwatu li’l-abi wa’l-ummi la yarithuna ma‘a al-waladi al-dhakari shay’an wa la ma‘a waladi al-ibni al-dhakari shay’an wa la ma‘a al-abi … wa hum yarithuna ma‘a al-banati wa banati al-abna’i … ma fadala mina’l-mali yakununa fihi ‘asaba”; al-Baji: the sisters are residuaries for the surplus “hadha qawlu al-jumhur. wa qala Ibnu ‘Abbasin: la yu‘assibu al-akhawati al-banat”, answered by Ibn Mas‘ud’s hadith; and “fa-idha kana dhukuruhum yuhjabuna bi’l-abi wa’l-ibni wa-bni al-ibni fa-bi-an yuhjaba bihi inathuhum awla wa ahra” — Abu’l-Walid al-Baji (d. 474 AH)
- al-Muntaqa Sharh al-Muwatta’ — “wa-nfarada Ibnu ‘Abbasin … wa hadhihi mina’l-masa’ili al-khamsi allati sahha infiradu Ibni ‘Abbasin biha … wa’l-khamisatu annahu la yaj‘alu al-akhawati ‘asabatan ma‘a al-banat” — Abu’l-Walid al-Baji (d. 474 AH)
- Mughni al-Muhtaj on al-Nawawi’s Minhaj, Kitab al-Fara’id, fasl fi irth al-hawashi — “(wa’l-akhawatu li-abawayni aw li-abin ma‘a al-banati wa banati al-ibni ‘asabatun ka’l-ikhwa)”, al-Shirbini naming the category — “ashara huna ila al-‘asabati ma‘a ghayrihi wa huwa ijtima‘u al-akhawati ma‘a al-banat” — on al-Bukhari’s report of Ibn Mas‘ud — al-Khatib al-Shirbini (d. 977 AH)
- Mughni al-Muhtaj, same chapter continued — the point of her being a residuary: “(fa-tusqitu ukhtun li-abawayni) ijtama‘at (ma‘a al-binti) aw binti al-ibni aw ma‘ahuma al-ikhwata wa (al-akhawati li-ab) kama yusqituhum al-akhu al-shaqiq”; and “banu al-ikhwati la yarithuna ma‘a al-akhawati idha kunna ‘asabatin ma‘a al-banat” — al-Khatib al-Shirbini (d. 977 AH)
- Mughni al-Muhtaj — “wa’l-jaddatu li’l-abi yahjubuha al-abu (li-annaha tudli bihi) awi al-ummu (ay tahjubu al-jaddata li’l-abi aydan bi’l-ijma‘)”, with “wa li-dhalika tahjubu al-ummu jami‘a al-jaddati mina al-jihatayni bi-khilafi al-ab”; the nearer maternal excluding the further paternal; and, fi’l-azhar, the nearer paternal NOT excluding the further maternal — “bal yakunu al-sudusu baynahuma nisfayn” — al-Khatib al-Shirbini (d. 977 AH)
- al-Mughni, fasl 4816 and mas’ala 4817 — the two usages of kalala: a name for the heirs other than parents and children (“nassa Ahmadu ‘ala hadha”, and reported from Abu Bakr al-Siddiq), or a name for the deceased himself who has neither (reported from ‘Umar, ‘Ali and Ibn Mas‘ud); “wa’l-ayatani fi surati al-nisa’i, wa’l-muradu bi’l-kalalati fihima al-mayyit”; “wa la khilafa fi anna isma al-kalalati yaqa‘u ‘ala al-ikhwati mina al-jihati kulliha”; those requiring the absence of both child and parent include “Zaydun, wa’bnu ‘Abbasin … wa ahlu al-Madinati wa’l-Basrati wa’l-Kufa”; and sisters take the residue beside daughters “wa ilayhi dhahaba ‘ammatu al-fuqaha’i illa ’bna ‘Abbasin wa man taba‘ah” — Ibn Qudama al-Maqdisi (d. 620 AH)
- al-Mughni, Kitab al-Fara’id, masa’il 4818–4819 — al-Khiraqi: “wa banatu al-ibni bi-manzilati al-banati, idha lam yakun banat”; Ibn Qudama: “ajma‘a ahlu al-‘ilmi ‘ala anna banati al-ibni bi-manzilati al-banati ‘INDA ‘ADAMIHINNA fi irthihinna wa hajbihinna li-man yahjubuhu al-banat”; and 4819: “fa-in kunna banatin wa banati ibnin, fa-li’l-banati al-thuluthani, wa laysa li-banati al-ibni shay’un, illa an yakuna ma‘ahunna dhakarun fa-yu‘assibahunna fima baqi” — Ibn Qudama al-Maqdisi (d. 620 AH)
- Kashshaf al-Qina’, fasl fi’l-hajb — “wa tasqutu al-jaddatu min kulli jihatin ay min jihati al-abi aw al-ummi bi’l-umm; li-anna al-jaddati yarithna bi’l-wiladati, fa-kanati al-ummu awla minhunna li-mubasharatiha al-wilada”; with the grandfather excluded by the father ijma‘an — and the father’s exclusion list naming no grandmother at all — Mansur b. Yunus al-Buhuti (d. 1051 AH)
- Kashshaf al-Qina’, Kitab al-Fara’id, the order of the residuaries — “wa ukhtun shaqiqatun ma‘a bintin aw binti ibnin ka-akhin shaqiq, fa-tusqitu al-ikhwata li-ab, wa bani al-ikhwati ashiqqa’a aw li-ab, wa kadha al-ukhtu li-abin yasqutu biha ma‘a al-binti banu al-ikhwati kadhalik; idh al-‘usubatu ja‘alatha fi ma‘na al-akh” — Mansur b. Yunus al-Buhuti (d. 1051 AH)
- al-Mawsu’a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaytiyya, entry “Irth” §42 cont. — the fourth state of the full sisters: they take the residue as residuaries “li-qawlihi ‘alayhi al-salam: ij‘alu al-akhawati ma‘a al-banati ‘asaba”, which al-Bukhari made a chapter heading, “wa hadha ma afta bihi ‘Abdullahi bnu Mas‘ud”; and the fifth state: “al-hirmanu wa dhalika in taraka al-mayyitu far‘an warithan dhakaran aw aban” — Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Kuwait
- al-Mawsu’a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaytiyya, entry “Irth” §43, the seven states of the sisters by the father — state (5) “al-irthu bi’l-ta‘sibi ma‘a al-banati aw banati al-ibni wa in nazal … fa-ta’khudhu al-baqiya bi’l-‘usuba … wa tasqutu idha istaghraqat al-furudu al-tarika”; state (7) “tuhjabu bi’l-abi, wa’l-ibni, wa-bni al-ibni … wa bi’l-akhi al-shaqiqi, wa’l-ukhti al-shaqiqati idha sarat ‘asabatan ma‘a al-binti aw binti al-ibn” — footnoted to al-Mabsut 29/156 and al-Sharh al-Kabir 4/459–460 — Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Kuwait