How is Zakat calculated?

Zakat is 2.5% of qualifying net wealth held continuously above the Nisab threshold for one Hijri (lunar) year. Net wealth = cash + savings + gold + silver + business stock + receivables + investments, minus immediate debts. Nisab = the value of 85g of gold or 595g of silver — most scholars use the lower (silver) Nisab to maximise zakat eligibility.

How are Islamic inheritance shares (Faraid) calculated?

After deducting funeral expenses, debts, owed zakat, unpaid mahr and any wasiyyah (capped at 1/3 of the remainder), the estate is distributed according to the fixed shares (furud) in Surah an-Nisa 4:11, 4:12 and 4:176, with the residue going to the asabah (residuary heirs). Awl (proportional reduction) and radd (return to sharers) are applied automatically when the fractions exceed or fall short of unity.

Does the calculator support all four Sunni schools?

Yes — the Faraid engine supports Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali rulesets and shows the per-school differences (dhawu al-arham eligibility, grandmother's share under conflicting paternal/maternal lines, jadd-and-siblings cases). A blended Ja'fari (Twelver Shia) mode is also available — it keeps the Sunni fixed-share + radd framework while applying the most widely-cited Ja'fari distinction that distant agnates (paternal uncle, paternal cousin, paternal grandfather as residuary) do not take the residue when nearer female kindred (daughters, granddaughters, full sisters) survive.

What is the 1/3 limit on a wasiyyah (Islamic will)?

A Muslim may bequeath up to 1/3 of the estate to non-heirs — established by the hadith of Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (Sahih al-Bukhari 2742 / Sahih Muslim 1628). A bequest to a Quranic heir is invalid unless ratified by the other heirs (Sunan al-Tirmidhi 2120). The remaining 2/3 of the estate is distributed by the fixed faraid shares.

What is the Nisab and which one should I use — gold or silver?

Nisab is the minimum wealth threshold at which Zakat becomes obligatory. It equals the value of 85g of gold (gold Nisab) or 595g of silver (silver Nisab). The two are not the same monetary amount today — silver Nisab is far lower. The majority opinion (Jumhur, including Hanafi) is to use the silver Nisab so that more wealth qualifies and more recipients benefit.

Do you store my financial information?

No. Zakat International runs all calculations in your browser. Your asset breakdowns, heir lists, debts, witness names, executor details, bank account references and password hints are never transmitted to our servers. The only outbound network calls are: (1) live gold/silver spot prices via a backend proxy, (2) optional IP-based country auto-detect via a backend proxy, and (3) optional AI-advisor explanation relayed to Claude Sonnet 4.5 — none of these carry any user-entered estate data.

Is the Faraid engine deterministic or AI-based?

The math is 100% deterministic JavaScript — no AI/LLM runs the inheritance calculation. AI (Claude Sonnet 4.5) is used only as an optional plain-language advisor to explain each share. The engine implements the classical rulings of awl, radd, hajb hirman, hajb nuqsan, al-'Umariyyatain (the two Umari cases), and the al-mu'addah / al-akdariyya / al-mubahaala edge cases per madhhab.

What languages does the calculator support?

Twelve languages: English, Arabic (full RTL), Urdu (RTL), French, Malay (Bahasa Melayu), Turkish, Russian, Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia), and Farsi/Persian (RTL). PDF certificates are bilingual where applicable and respect right-to-left reading direction for Arabic, Urdu and Farsi output.

Who inherits in Islam from a deceased Muslim?

Three categories: (1) Ashab al-Furud — fixed-share heirs (spouse, parents, daughters, certain siblings, grandmother); (2) Asabah — agnatic residuary heirs (sons, paternal brothers, paternal uncles, paternal cousins); (3) Dhawu al-Arham — distant kindred who inherit only if neither category 1 nor 2 is available. The Shafi'i and classical Maliki schools do not recognise category 3; in those schools the estate goes to the Bayt al-Mal (public treasury) instead.

Are children always heirs in Islam?

Yes. Sons and daughters are primary fixed-share and residuary heirs and can never be excluded from inheritance by the parent's wasiyyah — the so-called 'disinheritance of children' is invalid in classical Islamic law. Sons receive twice the daughter's share when both are present (Qur'an 4:11). The only natural 'exclusion' is hajb, where closer kin exclude more distant kin (e.g. a son excludes a grandson via that son). Orphaned grandchildren whose parent predeceased the grandparent traditionally did not inherit; modern personal-status codes in Egypt (Law 71/1946), Morocco (Mudawana art. 369–372), Algeria, Tunisia, Jordan, Palestine, Libya, Sudan and others now mandate a Wajib Wasiyyah (compulsory bequest) for them up to the 1/3 cap.

What are women's inheritance rights in Islam?

Women inherit as daughters (1/2 alone, 2/3 if multiple, 1/2 of a son's share when males co-exist — Qur'an 4:11), as mothers (1/3 normally, 1/6 with children, 1/3 of remainder in the al-Umariyyatain case), as wives (1/8 with children, 1/4 without), as full sisters (per kalālah rules in Qur'an 4:176), and grandmothers (1/6 collectively). Unpaid mahr (dower) is a priority debt of the estate that ranks ahead of all heirs and even the wasiyyah. Women's shares are constitutionally protected — a Muslim man cannot bequeath his wealth in a way that disinherits or reduces his female heirs.

Is the partition of the family estate after a death obligatory in Islam?

Yes. Distribution of inheritance per the Quranic shares is a binding obligation, not a recommendation. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 'Learn the laws of inheritance and teach them to the people, for they are half of useful knowledge — and they are the first thing forgotten and the first thing taken away from my Ummah' (Sunan Ibn Majah 2719). Delaying partition is one of the most common causes of disputes between Muslim siblings, and is religiously discouraged. Zakat International gives the family a deterministic, scholar-anchored partition plan within minutes.

Is writing a will (Wasiyyah) obligatory in Islam?

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 'It is not permissible for any Muslim who has something to bequeath to stay for two nights without having his last will and testament written and kept ready with him' (Sahih al-Bukhari 2738, Sahih Muslim 1627). Classical scholars hold this as at minimum strongly recommended (mustahabb), and obligatory (wajib) for anyone with unsettled debts, an unpaid mahr, a custodial relationship over minors, or assets in a non-Muslim civil-law jurisdiction whose default probate rules would not produce the Sharia-compliant distribution.

Do orphaned grandchildren inherit in Islam?

Under classical Sunni rules, orphaned grandchildren are excluded by their living uncles (hajb). Many modern personal-status codes have legislated a Wajib Wasiyyah (compulsory bequest) in their favour — the grandparent's estate must include a notional bequest up to what the deceased parent would have inherited, capped at 1/3. This is codified in Egypt (Law 71/1946 art. 76), Morocco (Mudawana art. 369–372), Algeria (Family Code art. 169–172), Tunisia (CSP art. 191 bis), Jordan (Personal Status Law art. 279), Palestine, Libya, Sudan and Mauritania. Zakat International applies the Wajib Wasiyyah automatically when the user selects one of these jurisdictions.

How many countries does Zakat International support?

95 countries across MENA, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia, Europe (Western, Nordic, Balkans), Russia, the Americas and East Asia. Each country has a dedicated legal-guidance page with statutory citations, will formality requirements, registration office, witness rules and the recognised fatwa authority. The full list and direct deep-links are at https://zakat.international/legal.

What is the correct order of deductions before distributing the estate?

(1) Funeral expenses, (2) outstanding debts including owed Zakat and unpaid Mahr, (3) the wasiyyah (capped at 1/3 of the post-debt remainder), and finally (4) the faraid shares distributed to legal heirs per the Quranic verses. This ordering is the established consensus across all four Sunni schools.

Can I write a will that gives more than 1/3 to charity or a specific heir?

No. The wasiyyah cap of 1/3 is a binding limit established by the hadith of Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (Bukhari 2742). The remaining 2/3 must follow the Quranic faraid shares. Any bequest exceeding 1/3 or naming a Quranic heir is invalid unless the other heirs explicitly consent after the death — never before.

What are the most common Islamic-will pitfalls in Belgium?

Réserve cannot be overridden by a simple will — use lifetime gifts + life-insurance designations + EU 650 election to align with faraid. Regional inheritance-tax differences: Flanders is generally more favourable to direct heirs than Brussels or Wallonia. Since 2018, siblings and other collaterals no longer have a réserve — only descendants + spouse. This gives Muslim testators more room.

Islamic Inheritance & Wills in Belgium — Statutory Citations · Probate · Forced Heirship Interaction

How inheritance works

Belgian Civil Code (Code civil / Burgerlijk Wetboek) Book III Title I applies forced-heirship (réserve héréditaire / voorbehouden erfdeel) — since the 2018 reform, descendants collectively reserve 1/2 of the estate regardless of the number of children, and surviving spouse retains a usufruct (vruchtgebruik) over the family home. Sharia faraid not directly recognised. EU Succession Regulation 650/2012 election available.

What makes a will valid

Three valid forms (Code civil arts. 969-1001, largely inherited from the French Code): (a) authentic (notarial) — before notaire + 2 witnesses or 2 notaires; (b) holographic — entirely handwritten, dated, signed; (c) international will under the 1973 Washington Convention.

Registration & where to lodge

Central Register of Wills (Centraal Register voor Testamenten / Registre Central des Testaments, CRT) — mandatory registration by notaires since 2004. Free of charge; heirs can search via the Fédération royale du notariat belge.

Witness rules

Authentic will: 2 adult non-beneficiary witnesses of full civil capacity (or a second notaire replacing them). Holographic: no witnesses required at drafting but handwriting-analysis proof needed at probate.

Zakat in Belgium

Collecting authority: SPF Finances
Tax relief: Donations to recognised associations qualify for a 45 % income-tax reduction (Code des impôts art. 145/33)
Maximum relief: 45 % of donated amount, capped at 10 % of net income or €397,850
Notes: Minimum donation €40/year; association must be on the official list maintained by SPF Finances.

Forced heirship & statutory overrides

Réserve héréditaire — since the 2018 reform (Loi du 31 juillet 2017), descendants collectively reserve 1/2 of the estate (previously 1/2 – 3/4 based on number of children). Surviving spouse retains statutory usufruct over the family home + household movables under Art. 745bis CC.

Probate / execution after death

Notaire opens the succession, prepares the acte d’hérédité or attestation d’hérédité, settles debts, and files the declaration of succession with the Federal Public Service Finance. Inheritance tax (droits de succession / successierechten) varies by region (Flanders / Wallonia / Brussels).

Scholar notes

Same situation as France — donations during life (donations-partages), life-insurance beneficiary designations, and Brussels IV / EU 650 election commonly used to approximate faraid. The Muslim Executive of Belgium (EMB) is the state-recognised umbrella body; predominantly Maliki (Moroccan-origin) and Hanafi (Turkish-origin).

Common pitfalls

Réserve cannot be overridden by a simple will — use lifetime gifts + life-insurance designations + EU 650 election to align with faraid.
Regional inheritance-tax differences: Flanders is generally more favourable to direct heirs than Brussels or Wallonia.
Since 2018, siblings and other collaterals no longer have a réserve — only descendants + spouse. This gives Muslim testators more room.

Official authorities & registries

FAQ — Islamic will & inheritance in Belgium

Is Islamic inheritance (faraid) legally recognised in Belgium?
Belgian Civil Code (Code civil / Burgerlijk Wetboek) Book III Title I applies forced-heirship (réserve héréditaire / voorbehouden erfdeel) — since the 2018 reform, descendants collectively reserve 1/2 of the estate regardless of the number of children, and surviving spouse retains a usufruct (vruchtgebruik) over the family home. Sharia faraid not directly recognised. EU Succession Regulation 650/2012 election available.
What makes an Islamic will (Wasiyyah) legally valid in Belgium?
Three valid forms (Code civil arts. 969-1001, largely inherited from the French Code): (a) authentic (notarial) — before notaire + 2 witnesses or 2 notaires; (b) holographic — entirely handwritten, dated, signed; (c) international will under the 1973 Washington Convention.
Where do I register my will in Belgium?
Central Register of Wills (Centraal Register voor Testamenten / Registre Central des Testaments, CRT) — mandatory registration by notaires since 2004. Free of charge; heirs can search via the Fédération royale du notariat belge.
Does Belgium have forced-heirship rules that override an Islamic will?
Réserve héréditaire — since the 2018 reform (Loi du 31 juillet 2017), descendants collectively reserve 1/2 of the estate (previously 1/2 – 3/4 based on number of children). Surviving spouse retains statutory usufruct over the family home + household movables under Art. 745bis CC.
How does probate work in Belgium?
Notaire opens the succession, prepares the acte d’hérédité or attestation d’hérédité, settles debts, and files the declaration of succession with the Federal Public Service Finance. Inheritance tax (droits de succession / successierechten) varies by region (Flanders / Wallonia / Brussels).
How many witnesses do I need for a will in Belgium?
Authentic will: 2 adult non-beneficiary witnesses of full civil capacity (or a second notaire replacing them). Holographic: no witnesses required at drafting but handwriting-analysis proof needed at probate.
What are the most common Islamic-will pitfalls in Belgium?
Réserve cannot be overridden by a simple will — use lifetime gifts + life-insurance designations + EU 650 election to align with faraid. Regional inheritance-tax differences: Flanders is generally more favourable to direct heirs than Brussels or Wallonia. Since 2018, siblings and other collaterals no longer have a réserve — only descendants + spouse. This gives Muslim testators more room.

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Inheritance & wills in Belgium

Informational — not legal advice