Despite all the rights that are granted by the Islamic Sharee‘ah (Islamic legislation) to women in all fields of life and despite the fact that most of these rights were not granted to women all over the world except after great efforts exerted globally, many of those who are prejudiced against Islam use the rule of inheritance “for the male, what is equal to the share of two females” to criticize Islam.

　　They say: This rule boosts the idea of discrimination against women and it oppresses women and harms them as the male inherits what is equal to the share of two females.

　　One such oft-repeated criticism is, “The issue of inheritance and the share of females that is half of what the male takes is undoubtedly the reason for the inferiority of Muslim women.”

　　Such criticism is leveled by non-Muslims and some groups of Muslims who are ignorant of the rulings of the religion and its honorable purposes. Such groups ask for this rule to be amended so that both males and females receive an equal share in inheritance.

　　To those people we say:

　　The rule of inheriting what is equal to half a male’s share is not an invariable rule in all cases that pertain to women. There are different cases where males and females take an equal share of the inheritance.

　　For instance, both the father and the mother take the same share of their son’s inheritance. Also, the share of the brother and the sister when a man or woman leaves neither ascendants nor descendants both the sister and brother would take one sixth.

　　· Moreover, it is permissible for a person to write a will to bequeath equal shares to their heirs (males and females), or to bequeath to a female heir a share that is equal to half a male’s share, if he/she wishes to.

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