Hanafi, Shafi’i, Maliki, Hanbali: How the Four Madhabs Differ on Faraid

Where All Four Madhabs Agree

The shared foundation is Surah An-Nisa. The three inheritance verses — 4:11, 4:12, and 4:176 — assign specific fractions to twelve categories of heirs. Every madhab implements these fractions in the same way.

The fixed-share heirs (dhul-furudh)

All four schools agree on the following fixed shares, which apply regardless of which madhab you follow:

Awl — proportional reduction

When the assigned Quranic shares for all heirs add up to more than the estate, all four schools apply Awl: the denominator is increased proportionally so every heir receives a slightly reduced share and the total equals exactly the estate. The method is the same across all schools.

Hajb — blocking rules

All four schools agree on the core blocking rules: a son blocks a brother, a father blocks a grandfather (in most scenarios), a full sibling blocks a half-sibling of the same parent. These exclusion rules are consistent across the schools for standard family compositions.

The Grandfather Question — The Most Significant Difference

The most practically important cross-madhab difference is what happens when a deceased is survived by a paternal grandfather (jadd) and full siblings — and no father. The father would normally block the siblings; without him, the question is whether the grandfather takes his place.

Two scholarly positions

This disagreement reaches back to the Companions. The two primary positions are traced to Ibn Masʼud and Zayd ibn Thabit — both among the most learned Companions on inheritance law — and the four schools aligned along these two positions.

This is the scenario in which selecting the correct madhab has the greatest monetary effect. If you are unsure which madhab to select and your case involves a living paternal grandfather alongside full or half-siblings, consult a scholar before proceeding.

Who Receives Radd — Does the Spouse Share in the Surplus?

Radd (رد return of surplus) applies when the fixed Quranic shares add up to less than the total estate and there are no residuary heirs (asabat) to receive the balance. The remaining amount is returned proportionally to the fixed-share heirs. The disagreement is whether the spouse is included in that return.

The schools’ positions on Radd to the spouse

In practice in the UK, the Radd question affects estates where the only surviving heirs are a spouse and possibly a mother or daughter — and there are no sons, brothers, or other residuary heirs. If your estate has a surviving son, the son takes the residue as an asabah and Radd does not arise.

See What is Radd (return of surplus) in Islamic inheritance? in the Mizaanly FAQ for a longer explanation of the Radd mechanism.

Uterine Relatives (Dhul-Arham)

Uterine relatives are those connected to the deceased through the female line only — maternal grandparents, maternal uncles and aunts, daughters’ children, sisters’ children. All four schools agree that uterine relatives only inherit when two conditions are met: there are no fixed-share heirs (dhul-furudh) and no residuary heirs (asabat). The difference is in how they are ranked among themselves when they do inherit.

Uterine-only cases are rare in UK Muslim families — most estates have at least one fixed-share heir or a son. If your case genuinely involves only uterine relatives, the calculation should be reviewed directly with a qualified scholar.

Full Worked Example — Same Family, All Four Madhabs

The following example is the one that shows the largest cross-madhab difference in practice: a grandfather competing with full siblings for the residue.

The wife’s 1/4 is consistent across all schools in this scenario. The highlighted rows show where the madhab selection produces different outcomes. Under Hanafi, the grandfather receives £60,000 more than under the other three schools, and each full brother receives £30,000 less than they would have under Shafi’i, Maliki, or Hanbali.

For most families, the result is identical

If the same estate had two sons instead of a grandfather and brothers — or a father rather than a grandfather — all four madhabs would produce exactly the same distribution. The worked example above is specifically designed to illustrate the case where differences matter. For a husband-wife-children family, or any case where only the standard fixed-share heirs survive, you will get the same result regardless of which madhab you select.

Which Madhab to Select in Mizaanly

Select the madhab you follow in your religious practice. Mizaanly applies the selected madhab consistently to every calculation — the blocking rules, Radd treatment, and residue distribution all reflect the school you choose.

If you are unsure which madhab you follow

Ask your local imam or the scholar who provides religious guidance to your family. In the UK, most South Asian Muslim families follow the Hanafi school; most Arab families follow Shafi’i or Maliki; most North African families follow Maliki; Gulf families are often Hanbali. These are generalisations — your scholar is the authoritative source for your specific case.

If your estate involves a grandfather and siblings

This is the scenario where the madhab choice has the largest practical effect. Before selecting a madhab and proceeding to a Solicitor Instruction Letter PDF, confirm the correct madhab with a scholar directly. A £30,000 difference per sibling is not a rounding question.

Running calculations under multiple madhabs

Mizaanly allows you to run the calculation under different madhabs. This is useful if you want to compare results or understand what your heirs would receive under each school. The calculation is free; you pay £29 only when you download the Solicitor Instruction Letter PDF for the madhab you have chosen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the four madhabs calculate Islamic inheritance differently?

In the vast majority of cases, no. All four Sunni schools — Hanafi, Shafi’i, Maliki, and Hanbali — apply the same fixed-share fractions from Surah An-Nisa 4:11, 4:12, and 4:176. Differences arise in specific scenarios: most significantly when a paternal grandfather competes with full siblings for the residue. For standard family compositions involving a spouse, children, and parents, the result is identical across all schools.

What is the difference between Hanafi and Shafi’i on inheritance?

For most families, there is no difference. The divergence arises primarily in one scenario: when a paternal grandfather is alive and full siblings also survive the deceased, and there is no father. Under Hanafi, the grandfather excludes the siblings entirely, following the position of Ibn Masʼud. Under Shafi’i, Maliki, and Hanbali, the grandfather shares the residue with the siblings, following the position of Zayd ibn Thabit. In a £120,000 estate with a wife, grandfather, and two brothers, this difference amounts to £60,000.

Does the madhab I follow affect my wife’s inheritance share?

No — the wife’s fixed shares (1/4 without children, 1/8 with children) are specified in Surah An-Nisa 4:12 and are consistent across all four schools. The madhab choice does not change the wife’s primary share. It can affect whether the wife receives Radd (surplus return) — under Hanbali she receives Radd when no other heir exists; under the other three schools she does not. But in most UK Muslim family compositions, the wife’s share is the same under all madhabs.

Can I change the madhab selection in Mizaanly after calculating?

Yes. You can go back through the calculator and change your madhab at any time. The results recalculate immediately. If you have already paid for a Solicitor Instruction Letter PDF under one madhab, a change of madhab generates a different case and requires a new purchase. Calculate under multiple madhabs while free before purchasing the PDF.