The book "The Signs of the Miraculous Nature of Islamic Legislation in Inheritance" provides a comprehensive and in-depth reading of the rulings of inheritance in Islam, their purpose, and the unique aspects of miraculous nature they contain, compared to ancient and modern laws and legislations.
The book, authored by academic and researcher Dr. Khalid Muhammad Ratib, is one of the most significant works in the Arab and Islamic library. It offers insights into the science of inheritance in Islamic legislation by highlighting its miraculous aspects, such as achieving purposes like preserving intellect, wealth, honor, and life, as well as ensuring justice, and showcasing the legislative miracle in establishing women's inheritance rights.
Wealth holds a special affection for humans in general, being the backbone of life, the issue of the era, and the cause of disputes and conflicts. Allah describes this by saying: "And you love wealth with immense love" (Al-Fajr: 20). Hence, reading the book becomes increasingly important in light of the dominance of worldly concerns and the control of wealth and materialism over life in our current era.
The first chapter discusses the system of inheritance in ancient and modern legislations, shedding light on the inheritance rulings in Islam and the process of dividing the estate. It also presents an enlightened comparison between man-made legislations and the divine legislations imposed by Allah on His servants before the emergence of legal books and family courts.
The second chapter delves into the miraculous aspects found in the Qur'an and the purified Sunnah concerning inheritance, including the verses and hadiths on inheritance. It also addresses the purposes of inheritance in Islam and how it achieves social justice, which is, in itself, a miracle that nations and societies have failed to achieve even today.
The manifestations of this justice are evident in safeguarding the rights of the weak, the young, and the orphan, as well as the rights of women. Every individual has their prescribed share, determined by specific conditions and states, whether they are a father, brother, son, spouse, uncle, or any other relationship detailed in the Holy Qur'an. This establishes a comprehensive and just financial and legislative system that humans cannot replicate.
In his recently published work, Ratib elaborates on the wisdom behind the order and introduction of the inheritance verses in the Qur'an, and how Islam connects them to the ethical dimension. He highlights the integration of comprehensiveness, precision, and brevity in Surah An-Nisa, known as the "Surah of Inheritance," which includes a host of rulings and details on the distribution of inheritance.
The author, who is an assistant professor at the Islamic University of Minnesota, notes that the inheritance verses were revealed gradually, taking into account the conditions of the environment Islam came to transform from darkness to light. The Arabs before the Prophetic message lived in a society that deprived women, the weak, and the poor of their rights. Thus, Islam emphasized inheritance rights for vulnerable groups and forbade inheritance for those who commit murder to usurp the deceased's wealth.
This gradual approach characterized the rulings of Islamic Shari'ah, beginning with creed, then acts of worship and their behavioral purposes, followed by ethics, transactions, and finally punishments. This progression underscores the greatness of Allah’s Book, which guides to what is most upright and serves as guidance for all of humanity.
The book examines the commands and prohibitions related to inheritance rulings, as well as the stipulated standards for distributing the estate, considering these as boundaries that must not be transgressed. Allah, after mentioning the heirs and their respective shares, said: "These are the limits [set by] Allah" (An-Nisa: 13).
One of the Quranic miracles is its rulings to protect the inheritance of minor orphans, preventing them from managing their inheritance until they reach intellectual maturity. Allah says: "And test the orphans [in their abilities] until they reach marriageable age; then if you perceive in them sound judgment, release their property to them" (An-Nisa: 6).
Ratib also explores the miraculous aspects of determining women’s shares in inheritance, whether as wives, daughters, or sisters, and how Islam has honored women by granting them independent financial standing and fixed shares. Allah says: "For the male, what is equal to the share of two females" (An-Nisa: 11). However, these shares increase or decrease in other cases outlined by the rulings of the Qur'an and Sunnah. Allah also says: "For men is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, and for women is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, be it little or much – an obligatory share" (An-Nisa: 7).
The author emphasizes the greatness and wisdom of Islam in the circulation of wealth among heirs, expanding the scope of its benefits, preserving it, and enabling its transfer under principles that predate human laws. This includes the recognition of private property, as well as the establishment of guidelines for wills, their recipients, and the conditions governing them.
Ratib points out that the science of inheritance in Islam has presented humanity with an accounting system that surpasses other systems and legislations, ancient or modern. This has led even non-Islamic countries to adopt it in their courts and judiciary. Furthermore, adherents of other religions resort to Islamic inheritance rulings for the justice and guidelines they offer, representing a legal and legislative miracle in managing and preserving wealth.
Notably, the author received the Appreciation Award in the 2021 International Competition for Scientific Miracles for this research, which constitutes the core of this valuable and enriching book, an essential addition for those interested in studying the science of inheritance.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Read this Article in Arabic
