Islamic Glossary

Everything that you own that has value.

Someone who will inherit from your Islamic Will.

A gift left in your Will, out of the one-third that you may choose to leave to anyone not entitled to a fixed share.

Everything you own at the time of your death after all your outstanding debts have been paid.

A person appointed in your Islamic Will to administer the estate and take care of any land/property given to any children until they reach the age of 18.

Arabic word for compensation for missed prayers or fasts.

Someone appointed to look after your children under the age of 18.

The written record of what the Prophet Muhammad said or did preserved through a reliable chain of human transmission, person to person.

see Beneficiary.

Tax payable on your wealth on your death.

A person who dies without making a valid Will.

The laws relating to Islamic inheritance derived from the Qur?an, the Sunnah and Islamic Jurisprudence.

A Will which is compliant with English, Welsh and Shariah Laws.

Islamic rulings by scholars.

Property owned by two people whereby if one owner dies, the other one automatically becomes the sole owner of the property. Therefore this property cannot be included in a Will as part of his/her estate.

A gift of a specific item left in a Will, apart from property and land.

A Letter included with your Will and addressed to the beneficiary of any assets which pass outside of your Will. The Letter requests that they include their share of the asset as part of your estate so that this asset can also be distributed under Islamic Inheritance Laws.

Arabic word for a gift given by the man to the woman he is about to marry. It is part of the marriage contract.

Under English and Welsh law, a person under the age of 18.

Anything other than buildings or land.

Arabic word for the Islamic religious wedding.

A gift made during ones lifetime that is exempt from Inheritance Tax if it is made seven years before the donor dies.

The document which validates a Will and confirms the authority of the executors.

The last Revelation from Allah to mankind revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.

Your surviving close relatives who are entitled to fixed shares of your wealth, as prescribed in the Qur'an such as your parents, spouse and children.

What is left of the estate after the payment of all debts, taxes, expenses of administering your estate.

If you die without leaving a valid Will then the law of England and Wales decides who will inherit from your estate. It does not matter what you may have wished for or promised while you were alive. If there is no valid Will then who gets what is determined by the Rules of Intestacy.

More information on Rules of Intestacy

Arabic word for a charity/donation with ongoing benefit; one of only three actions that you will continue to be rewarded for after you die. Examples include the building of wells, schools and orphanages.

Arabic word for a charity/donation with ongoing benefit; one of only three actions that you will continue to be rewarded for after you die. Examples include the building of wells, schools and orphanages.

The Islamic legal system comprising of the Qu'ran, the Sunnah and the work of Muslim scholars.

The customary practice of our Prophet Mohammad .

Arabic word for the awareness of Allah, which inspires a person to be on guard against wrong action and eager for actions which pleases him.

With this arrangement, each co-owner owns a specific share of the property This means that if one of the co-owners dies, his share of the property will be included in his estate.

The person (male/female) who makes the Will i.e. you.

Arabic word for Will.

A set of instructions as to how someone wishes to distribute their wealth upon death.

Two male witnesses must see you sign your Islamic Will and you must also watch both of them sign it. They must also watch each other sign the Will. No beneficiary (or their spouse) should sign the Will; if they do, any gift/inheritance to them or their spouse will be invalid.