How to Use Mizaanly: A Step-by-Step Guide to Calculating Islamic Inheritance

Before You Start — What You’ll Need

The calculator works with approximate figures, so you do not need precise valuations before you begin. Having these to hand will make the process smoother:

• Gross estate value — the total value of all assets the deceased owned at the time of death, before any debts are deducted. This includes property, bank accounts, investments, and personal belongings.
• Outstanding debts — mortgages, credit cards, loans, unpaid zakat, and any mahr (dower) owed to a surviving wife. These are deducted before the estate is distributed.
• Funeral cost estimate — Islamic law and UK practice both treat funeral expenses as a priority deduction.
• List of surviving family members — spouse, children, parents, siblings, and other relatives. Only those alive at the moment of death are included.
• Your madhab — Hanafi, Shafi‘i, Maliki, or Hanbali. This affects how certain edge cases in the distribution are resolved.

No account is required for the initial calculation steps. An account is needed only when you are ready to view your results and, if you choose, purchase the PDF.

Step 1 — About the Deceased: Gender and Madhab

The first screen asks two things: the deceased’s gender and your chosen madhab. Both affect every share in the distribution and are collected before anything else.

Gender determines the spouse’s Faraid share. A widower (surviving husband) and a widow (surviving wife) receive different fractions under Quranic law — so the calculator needs to know whether the person who has died was male or female.

Madhab is your school of Sunni jurisprudence. The four schools — Hanafi, Shafi‘i, Maliki, and Hanbali — agree on the vast majority of Faraid rules but differ on specific edge cases, most notably:

• Radd (return) — what happens when assigned shares add up to less than the full estate. Hanafi returns the surplus proportionally to heirs (usually excluding the spouse). Other madhabs handle this differently in certain family compositions.
• Paternal grandfather alongside siblings — in some compositions the Hanafi madhab gives the grandfather a defined minimum; other schools treat this differently.

For most families the madhab choice will not change the outcome at all. But for those edge cases it matters — which is why the calculator asks upfront rather than at the end.

Not sure which madhab to follow? Most UK Muslims of South Asian heritage (Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Indian) follow Hanafi. Most of Arab heritage follow Shafi‘i, Maliki, or Hanbali depending on country of origin — Egyptian and Levantine families often Shafi‘i; North African often Maliki; Gulf often Hanbali. If uncertain, ask your local mosque or imam before running the calculation. See FAQ — which madhabs does Mizaanly support?

Step 2 — Enter the Estate Details

The next screen asks for three financial figures: gross estate value, outstanding debts, and estimated funeral costs.

Gross estate value means every asset the deceased owned at the moment of death — before anything is deducted. Property (solely owned), bank and savings accounts, investments, ISAs, business interests, vehicles, jewellery, and personal belongings all count. If a property is jointly owned, only the deceased’s defined share enters the estate — see our guide on jointly-owned property and Islamic inheritance.

Funeral costs come out first. This is Islamic legal practice — funeral expenses are the first of three rights that take priority before the estate is divided — and is consistent with UK legal practice. Enter a reasonable estimate if the final figure is not yet known.

Outstanding debts are deducted after funeral costs and before the estate is split. This includes mortgages on solely-owned property, credit cards, personal loans, unpaid zakat, and any mahr still owed to a surviving wife. Mahr is a debt of the estate — include it here rather than as a bequest. See FAQ — what are the three rights that come before inheritance distribution?

Approximate figures are fine. The calculator returns proportional shares — if the estate value is adjusted later, the fractions remain the same.

Step 3 — Add Surviving Family Members

Add each person who was alive at the moment of the deceased’s death. Only surviving relatives are entered — pre-deceased relatives do not have a share in Faraid.

The calculator covers the full range of heirs: spouse, sons, daughters, father, mother, paternal grandfather, paternal grandmother, maternal grandmother, full brothers, full sisters, paternal half-brothers, paternal half-sisters, and more.

A few points that commonly cause confusion:

Grandchildren are only included if their parent (the deceased’s son or daughter) has already died before the deceased. If a son is alive, his children do not receive a direct share — the son inherits and provides for them. See FAQ — do grandchildren inherit if their parent has died?

Sons and daughters share differently. A son receives twice the share of a daughter from the residual estate — the classical rule that reflects the son’s financial maintenance obligation. See FAQ — why do sons receive twice the share of daughters?

Mahr owed to a surviving wife should be entered as a debt in Step 2, not added here. The wife still appears as a surviving heir and receives her Faraid share separately from any mahr.

Step 4 — Wasiyyah (Optional Bequest)

Before the results are shown, the calculator gives you the opportunity to set aside a wasiyyah — a voluntary bequest from your estate.

The screen shows you the maximum you are permitted to allocate (one-third of your net estate), an amount field where you enter your chosen bequest, and the remaining estate after that bequest. You can enter any amount up to the maximum, or leave it at £0 if you do not wish to make a bequest.

What wasiyyah is for: Faraid distributes the estate among fixed heirs according to Quranic shares. Wasiyyah is the portion you can direct freely — to someone who is not an heir (a non-Muslim spouse, a charity, a friend), or to a cause. It cannot be used to increase the share of an existing Faraid heir; classical Islamic scholars across all four madhabs hold that heirs cannot receive wasiyyah in addition to their Faraid share.

The one-third limit is established by the Prophet (ﷺ) — the Hadith of Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas records the ruling explicitly. See FAQ — how much of my estate can I leave in a wasiyyah?

If you are unsure whether to allocate wasiyyah and to whom, leave this screen at £0 for now. You can discuss the options with your solicitor and Islamic scholar before finalising.

Step 5 — Sign In to See Your Results

After the wasiyyah screen, the calculator asks you to sign in or create an account. This is required before the results are displayed.

Signing in links your calculation to your account so you can return to it later, re-download your PDF if you purchase one, and pick up where you left off if you close the browser. Sign in with your email address or your Google account — both work the same way.

If this is your first time, creating an account takes under a minute. No payment is required at this step.

Step 6 — Review Your Distribution and Get the PDF

After signing in, the full Faraid distribution is shown immediately — and at no cost. Every heir’s name, their Quranic share (expressed as a fraction), the Quranic reference that establishes it, and the monetary value based on your net estate are all visible without any payment.

Understanding the results in common scenarios

• Spouse and children — the spouse receives a fixed share first (1/8 of the estate if there are children, 1/4 if there are none). The remainder goes to the children: sons and daughters share it, with a son receiving twice a daughter’s portion.
• Spouse and parents (no children) — the spouse receives a larger fixed share; parents each receive 1/6. Surplus after assigned shares returns to heirs under Radd rules — this is where your madhab selection takes effect.
• Parents only — mother receives 1/3, father the rest, unless siblings of the deceased are present, which may reduce the mother’s share depending on madhab.

If the results note “awl applied”, assigned shares exceeded 100% and the calculator has proportionally reduced each share so the total equals the estate. This is the correct classical resolution — not an error. See FAQ — what is awl (proportional reduction) in Faraid?

If any term is unfamiliar, the Mizaanly FAQ covers the most common ones. For religious questions about your specific result, consult a qualified scholar in your madhab.

Getting the Solicitor Instruction Letter PDF

If you want the formal document to take to a solicitor, complete a one-time payment of £29. The Solicitor Instruction Letter PDF is available immediately after payment and contains:

• A cover page with your case reference and date of calculation
• The full distribution table showing each heir’s name, Quranic share, monetary value, and the Quranic verse (An-Nisa 4:11, 4:12, or 4:176) that establishes it
• Wasiyyah instructions — guidance on your voluntary bequest. See FAQ A5 — how much can I leave in a wasiyyah?
• A formal instruction letter addressed to your solicitor, referencing the Wills Act 1837 and setting out what the solicitor is being asked to draft

The PDF does the heavy lifting. It presents the Faraid calculation, the Quranic basis for each share, and clear instructions on what the solicitor needs to draft — so the solicitor does not have to research Islamic inheritance law, calculate shares, or work out how Faraid interacts with the Wills Act 1837. That work is already done. Many solicitors who see a well-prepared instruction letter can move straight to drafting, which means you may be able to negotiate a lower fee than for a will prepared from scratch.

You can re-download the PDF at any time as long as your case inputs remain unchanged. If you change heirs, estate value, madhab, or the deceased’s gender, a new purchase is required for the updated calculation.

If you only wanted to understand your Faraid distribution and do not need a formal document, the free results screen is sufficient.

Step 7 — What to Do With the PDF

Take the Solicitor Instruction Letter to a UK-regulated solicitor who handles wills and estate planning. You do not need a specialist in Islamic law — the letter explains the distribution in terms any qualified solicitor can act on.

The solicitor’s role is to review the Solicitor Instruction Letter, satisfy themselves it is correct, and draft a will under the Wills Act 1837 that formalises the distribution. Because the calculation, Quranic references, and instructions are already set out in the letter, the solicitor’s work is significantly reduced compared to a will prepared without it. When speaking to a solicitor, it is worth mentioning that you are bringing a fully prepared instruction document — some will reflect this in their quote. See FAQ — do I need a UK will alongside Faraid distribution?

Finding a solicitor: use the SRA’s solicitor register to find a regulated solicitor. Search for wills, probate, or estate planning.

Typical costs: will drafting typically costs £150–500 depending on complexity — a straightforward single will at the lower end; multiple heirs, trusts, or a matching mirror will at the higher end.

Signing the will correctly: sign in the presence of two independent witnesses, both present at the same time, neither of whom is a beneficiary or married to one. Signing incorrectly invalidates the will entirely — ask your solicitor to supervise the signing.

Storing the will: with your solicitor (most offer storage), on the National Will Register, in a secure location your executor knows about, or with a probate registry deposit service.

If your estate includes jointly owned property, also read our guide on jointly-owned property and Islamic inheritance — the right form of co-ownership must be in place before the will can distribute that property under Faraid.

Common Questions While Using Mizaanly

I made a mistake — can I edit my calculation after running it?

Yes. Go back through the calculator screens and update any input — heirs, estate value, madhab, deceased’s gender, or wasiyyah amount. The results will recalculate immediately. If you have already purchased a PDF for the original inputs, note that changing any input generates a different case fingerprint. The original PDF remains available for the original inputs; a new purchase is required for the updated calculation.

What if I do not know the exact estate value?

Use your best estimate. The calculator returns proportional shares expressed as fractions, so the relative distribution between heirs stays the same regardless of the exact figure. Enter a figure close to the real value for now and update it when you have a more precise valuation. If you have already paid for a PDF, re-entering the corrected figure will require a new purchase — so it is worth having a reasonably accurate number before you pay.

Why does the result say “awl applied”?

Awl occurs when the assigned Quranic shares for all heirs add up to more than the total estate. The calculator resolves this using the classical awl method: it increases the denominator proportionally so every heir receives a slightly reduced share and the total equals exactly the estate. This is the correct Faraid resolution and is not an error in your inputs. See FAQ — what is awl (proportional reduction) in Faraid?

Why am I seeing different shares than I expected?

Check three things first: the deceased’s gender (this affects the spouse’s fraction significantly), the madhab selected, and whether all heirs are entered correctly. A common cause is including a grandchild when their parent is still alive — if the deceased’s son is living, his children do not receive a direct share. Another is entering mahr as a family member rather than as a debt. If the result still seems wrong after checking, browse the full FAQ or contact us.

Can I save my calculation and come back to it later?

Yes. Once you are signed in at Step 5, your calculation is saved to your account. You can return to mizaanly.com, sign in, and pick up where you left off. If you have purchased a PDF, it remains available to re-download at any time from your account as long as the case inputs have not changed.

What happens if I change a family member’s status after buying the PDF?

If you change any input — heirs, estate value, madhab, or the deceased’s gender — the case fingerprint changes. The original PDF remains available for download under the original inputs. A new purchase at £29 is required to generate the updated Solicitor Instruction Letter for the changed inputs.

Is my data secure?

Your account and case data are stored with Supabase in an EU data region. Payments are processed entirely by Stripe — we do not store payment card details. We collect anonymised usage analytics via PostHog (EU cloud) and anonymised error reports via Sentry. We do not use advertising or tracking cookies. See our Privacy Policy for full details including your UK GDPR rights.

Where to Get Help

For questions about your specific calculation or how to use the tool, use the contact form — we respond within two business days.

For answers to common questions about Faraid rules, UK wills, madhab differences, and estate planning, browse the full FAQ — most questions are answered there.

For religious questions about whether a specific heir qualifies, how your madhab applies to an unusual family situation, or whether your wasiyyah intention is valid — consult a qualified scholar in your madhab. Mizaanly provides a calculation; only a scholar can give religious guidance.

For legal questions about wills, probate, estate administration, or property ownership — consult a UK-regulated solicitor. You can find one using the SRA’s solicitor register.