According to Islamic Shariah all the Muslims should ensure that their assets are distributed among the surviving family members in accordance with the Shariah of Islam. This is compulsory on the inheritor, and the best way to fulfil this obligation is by preparing a legally valid WILL.

Distributing assets in accordance with the Quranic injunctions (Al-Wasiyya) can be a complex matter. To prepare a Sharia-Compliant Will it is necessary to understand how the estate is applied under Sharia successor rules.

There are three key steps that must be taken which are significantly different to traditional probate processes:

• First, the cost of the burial and any debts must be paid.
• Second, a third of the estate can be given to charities or other beneficiaries who would not otherwise receive the inheritance (‘sadaqa jariya’).
• Finally, the remainder of the estate is given to a defined set of ‘primary’ and then ‘residual’ beneficiaries, allocated according to certain rules according to who is involved.

There are often a wide range of possible distributions upon death depending on the number of surviving family members.