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. Amanah by 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. Amanah by 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. Amanah by Zakat.International applies the Wajib Wasiyyah automatically when the user selects one of these jurisdictions.

How many countries does Amanah by 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.

Islamic Financial Life & Planning · Amanah by Zakat.International

The six tools

Family Financial Planning

Track income, expenses, and Islamic savings pots (Zakat, Hajj, Sadaqah, emergency). Get a monthly cash-flow view and yearly goals.

Open

Sadaqah Tracker

Log every act of charity — anonymous or not — with date, recipient, type, and intent. Build a lifetime giving record for your own records.

Open

Waqf Planning

Design a perpetual endowment: choose a cause (water, education, masjid, healthcare), set an amount, and generate a deed-of-waqf draft.

Open

Islamic Estate Planning

See your full estate posture in one view: Zakat owed, debts, wasiyyah cap, heirs, will status. The advisor flags every gap.

Open

End-of-Life Checklist

Ghusl wishes, burial location, debts owed/owed-to-you, executor, key documents, who-to-call. Print a copy for your family.

Open

Islamic Financial Literacy

Short AI-generated lessons on Zakat, riba, faraid, waqf, and more — each with a quick quiz. Every lesson ends with "verify with a scholar".

Open

Free Islamic Estate Planning Kit

One ZIP, printable Word + CSV templates covering the full Amanah workflow — Zakat, Budget, Sadaqah, Waqf, Inheritance (Faraid), Will (Wasiyyah), End-of-Life Checklist, Estate Readiness and Succession Planning workbook. Print it, fill it by hand, take it to your scholar and lawyer. Generated on your device — never uploaded.

Email me this kit

Includes a cover “Start here” letter explaining the recommended order. Format: .docx + .csv inside a single .zip. ~250 KB. Works offline once downloaded.

For your local masjid

Free printable masjid poster

1-page A4 poster with a large QR code. Print it, pin it to the notice board — help your community calculate their Zakat, plan inheritance and write an Islamic will. No accounts, no tracking.

Customise (12 hadiths · 15 languages · masjid name)

Personalise the poster & see more masjid resources

Printable kits · No account · No upload

Prefer paper? Preview & download blank templates

Each planning tool ships with a printable version — designed to sit on your desk, in a folder your executor knows about, or on the fridge until the family finishes it together. Tap Preview on any card to see the exact layout before you print. Files generate on your device — nothing uploads.

Family Budget

Monthly cash-flow with Islamic savings pots.

Why this matters — Balance halal income, expenses and Zakat/Hajj/Sadaqah/Emergency pots — one page, one lunar month, one honest picture.

What's inside

Monthly income · Salary / business, Rental income, Investment yield
Monthly expenses · Housing, Groceries, Transport…
Islamic savings pots · Zakat reserve, Hajj fund, Sadaqah jar…
Surplus calculation

Sadaqah Log

Lifetime giving record — anonymous entries welcome.

Why this matters — Every act of charity, dated and intent-tagged, becomes a private ledger of sincerity — the Prophet ﷺ said sadaqah never decreases wealth.

What's inside

Log columns · Date, Amount, Type…
Anonymous mode · Recipient reads "(anonymous)"
Blank rows · 20 pre-ruled rows for handwriting
Reflection footer · Hadith · Sahih Muslim 2588

Deed of Waqf

Draft a perpetual Islamic endowment.

Why this matters — A waqf is sadaqah jariyah that keeps giving after you're gone — this draft covers wāqif, cause, corpus, mutawallī, witnesses and registration steps for local law.

What's inside

Donor (Wāqif) · Full name, National ID, Address
Cause & beneficiary · Water / education / masjid / healthcare, Region, Institution
Corpus & timing · Amount, Lifetime or testamentary, Perpetual or time-limited
Mutawalli (trustee) · Name, Alternate, Investment policy
+ 1 more sections

Estate Readiness

Seven-point checklist your family will thank you for.

Why this matters — See at a glance what's done and what's missing across Zakat, Faraid, Wasiyyah, Waqf, EOL, Budget and Sadaqah — refresh on every life event.

What's inside

Zakat calculated this year
Inheritance shares modelled
Will signed & witnessed
Waqf plan documented
+ 3 more sections

End-of-Life Checklist

Ghusl, burial, debts, executor, digital assets.

Why this matters — The one document your family will actually reach for when Allah calls you — 7 sections, ~15 minutes to fill, printable and shareable.

What's inside

Last words & wishes · Shahādah reminder, Preferred companion, Forgiveness note
Ghusl & shrouding · Who performs, Kafan material, Location
Janazah & burial · Masjid, Cemetery, Repatriation
Debts owed / owed-to-you
+ 3 more sections

Why no “charity directory”?

Online charity directories age fast and rarely match local context. We keep the user in charge: verify each cause against the registry in your own country (CRA in Canada, IRS Pub 78 in the US, the Charity Commission in the UK, etc.), check the founder, ask your local masjid, and prefer organisations your trusted scholars endorse. Our role is to help you structure your giving — not to tell you who to give to.

Plan your financial life, the Islamic way.

The six tools

Family Financial Planning

Sadaqah Tracker

Waqf Planning

Islamic Estate Planning

End-of-Life Checklist

Islamic Financial Literacy

Free Islamic Estate Planning Kit

Free printable masjid poster

Prefer paper? Preview & download blank templates

Family Budget

Sadaqah Log

Deed of Waqf

Estate Readiness

End-of-Life Checklist

Why no “charity directory”?