Property Inheritance
6 months ago
Hello. My name is AbuSufyan, an Indian Sunni Muslim Inhabitant. My question is regarding my aunt who has the possession of a flat since 20 years in Mumbai which is under the name of my deceased father which was bought by my grandfather then transferred into my father's name after my grandfather died.
My aunt is not letting me enjoy the possession of the flat claiming her dad bought it. But it is in my fathers name now, don't i have any rights on it of it is in my father's name or even in my grandfathers name?
She gave us 2 small houses to support my upbringing and took my mother's signature as she was my guardian as i was only 9 years old that time. There were some clauses written in the family settlement deed that i (aunt) am giving you these 2 houses in return of the share of the said flat and that you and your son (me) don't have any rights on it thereafter. But my mom was already divorced when she signed the deed as my guardian and my father had expired as well. Will the civil court entertain this deed as a valid point against me? Saying your mom took the decision.
But i was just 9 years old and aware of all that happened and also my mom wasn't given even 5 minutes to read what was written in the deed. she was just asked to sign.
Can i still claim my right in my fathers property? or even if it's still in my grandfathers name?
Please help. Thank you .
A.Dear Sir,
Under Muslim law, the concept of ancestral and self-acquired property is not recognised.
As long as the person is alive, the property owned by him is his absolute property and no right of any legal heirs accrues until his death. Upon his demise, the legal heirs become entitled to a definite fraction of the estate of the deceased.
Under Muslim law, distribution of property can be made in two ways, i.e. per capita or per strip distribution for sunnis and shias respectively. The quantum of their inheritance would depend upon the branch and the number of persons that belong to the branch.
Under Muslim laws, the right to claim inheritance may be exercised during the lifetime of the person claiming such right.
The rights of the person living in the property for thirty years vis-Ã -vis that of persons who have not claimed any right to the property would have to be examined in light of the specific facts of the case and the principles governing the Muslim law in India.
Rules Governing Inheritance of Property under Muslim Law
Under the Indian legislative scheme, the rules that govern inheritance under the Muslim law depend on the kind of property involved. In cases of Non testamentary succession, the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937 gets applied. On the other hand, in case of a person who dies testate i.e. one who has created his will before death, the inheritance is governed under the relevant Muslim Shariat Law as applicable to the Shias and the Sunnis. In cases where the subject matter of property is an immovable property which is situated in the state of West Bengal or comes within the jurisdiction of Madras or Bombay High Court, the Muslims shall be bound by the Indian Succession Act, 1925. This exception is only for the purposes of testamentary succession.
It is noteworthy that the Muslim law does not make any strict distinction between any two or more type of properties such as movable and immovable, corporeal and incorporeal etc. Since there is no such distinction between different kinds of properties, therefore, on the event of death of a person, every such property which was within the ambit of ownership of the deceased person shall become a subject matter of inheritance. The amount of property that shall become the subject matter of inheritance and is made available to the legal heirs to inherit shall be determined after making certain appropriations. Such appropriations may include expenses paid in lieu of funeral, debts, legacies, wills etc. After making all these payments, the left over property shall be termed as the inheritable property.
Principles governing rules of inheritance of joint or ancestral property
Unlike Hindu law, there is no provision of distinction between individual i.e. self acquired or ancestral property. Each and every property that remains within the ownership of an individual can be inherited by his successors. Whenever a Muslim dies, all his property whether acquired by him during his lifetime or inherited from his ancestors can be inherited by his legal heirs. Subsequently, on the death of every such legal heir, his inherited property plus the property acquired by him during his lifetime shall be transferred to his heirs.
Birth right
The principle of Hindu law of inheritance of Janmaswatvad does not find place in the Muslim law of inheritance. The question of inheritance of property in Muslim law comes only after the death of a person. Any child born into a Muslim family does not get his right to property on his birth. In fact no such person holds becomes a legal heir and therefore holds no right till the time of death of the ancestor. If an heir lives even after the death of the ancestor, he becomes a legal heir and is therefore entitled to a share in property. However, if the apparent heir does not survive his ancestor, then no such right of inheritance or share in the property shall exist.
 Male and female children, a son's share is double that of a daughter's
 daughter is the absolute owner of whatever property she inherits
 Till a daughter is not married, she enjoys the right to stay in her parents' house and seek maintenance
 In case of a divorce, charge for maintenance reverts to her parental family after the iddat period (approximately three months) is over.
 However, if her children are in a position to support her, the responsibility falls on them.
 In the famous Shah Bano case, the Supreme Court had held that in case of a divorce, it is the responsibility of the husband to make reasonable and fair provision to maintain his former wife even after separation under Section 3 (1Ha) of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986. This period extends beyond iddat as the woman retains control over her goods and properties.
 SHARE OF WIDOW
 In the event of the death of her husband, a widow gets the one-eighth share (in case there are children) but will get one-fourth share (if there are no children).
 If there is more than one wife, the share may come down to one-sixteenth.
Under Muslim law, the concept of ancestral and self-acquired property is not recognised.
As long as the person is alive, the property owned by him is his absolute property and no right of any legal heirs accrues until his death. Upon his demise, the legal heirs become entitled to a definite fraction of the estate of the deceased.
Under Muslim law, distribution of property can be made in two ways, i.e. per capita or per strip distribution for sunnis and shias respectively. The quantum of their inheritance would depend upon the branch and the number of persons that belong to the branch.
Under Muslim laws, the right to claim inheritance may be exercised during the lifetime of the person claiming such right.
The rights of the person living in the property for thirty years vis-Ã -vis that of persons who have not claimed any right to the property would have to be examined in light of the specific facts of the case and the principles governing the Muslim law in India.
Rules Governing Inheritance of Property under Muslim Law
Under the Indian legislative scheme, the rules that govern inheritance under the Muslim law depend on the kind of property involved. In cases of Non testamentary succession, the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937 gets applied. On the other hand, in case of a person who dies testate i.e. one who has created his will before death, the inheritance is governed under the relevant Muslim Shariat Law as applicable to the Shias and the Sunnis. In cases where the subject matter of property is an immovable property which is situated in the state of West Bengal or comes within the jurisdiction of Madras or Bombay High Court, the Muslims shall be bound by the Indian Succession Act, 1925. This exception is only for the purposes of testamentary succession.
It is noteworthy that the Muslim law does not make any strict distinction between any two or more type of properties such as movable and immovable, corporeal and incorporeal etc. Since there is no such distinction between different kinds of properties, therefore, on the event of death of a person, every such property which was within the ambit of ownership of the deceased person shall become a subject matter of inheritance. The amount of property that shall become the subject matter of inheritance and is made available to the legal heirs to inherit shall be determined after making certain appropriations. Such appropriations may include expenses paid in lieu of funeral, debts, legacies, wills etc. After making all these payments, the left over property shall be termed as the inheritable property.
Principles governing rules of inheritance of joint or ancestral property
Unlike Hindu law, there is no provision of distinction between individual i.e. self acquired or ancestral property. Each and every property that remains within the ownership of an individual can be inherited by his successors. Whenever a Muslim dies, all his property whether acquired by him during his lifetime or inherited from his ancestors can be inherited by his legal heirs. Subsequently, on the death of every such legal heir, his inherited property plus the property acquired by him during his lifetime shall be transferred to his heirs.
Birth right
The principle of Hindu law of inheritance of Janmaswatvad does not find place in the Muslim law of inheritance. The question of inheritance of property in Muslim law comes only after the death of a person. Any child born into a Muslim family does not get his right to property on his birth. In fact no such person holds becomes a legal heir and therefore holds no right till the time of death of the ancestor. If an heir lives even after the death of the ancestor, he becomes a legal heir and is therefore entitled to a share in property. However, if the apparent heir does not survive his ancestor, then no such right of inheritance or share in the property shall exist.
 Male and female children, a son's share is double that of a daughter's
 daughter is the absolute owner of whatever property she inherits
 Till a daughter is not married, she enjoys the right to stay in her parents' house and seek maintenance
 In case of a divorce, charge for maintenance reverts to her parental family after the iddat period (approximately three months) is over.
 However, if her children are in a position to support her, the responsibility falls on them.
 In the famous Shah Bano case, the Supreme Court had held that in case of a divorce, it is the responsibility of the husband to make reasonable and fair provision to maintain his former wife even after separation under Section 3 (1Ha) of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986. This period extends beyond iddat as the woman retains control over her goods and properties.
 SHARE OF WIDOW
 In the event of the death of her husband, a widow gets the one-eighth share (in case there are children) but will get one-fourth share (if there are no children).
 If there is more than one wife, the share may come down to one-sixteenth.
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A.Dear Client,
Sunni law is essentially a system of inheritance by male agnate relatives, or ʿaṣabah' i.e., relatives who, if they are more than one degree removed from the deceased, trace their connection to the deceased through male links. Among the ʿaṣabah, priority is determined by: (1) class, with descendants excluding ascendants, who in turn exclude brothers and their issue, who in turn exclude uncles and their issue; (2) degree, with relatives nearer in degree to the deceased excluding the more remote within each class; and (3) strength of blood ties, with germane, or full-blood, connections excluding consanguine, or half-blood, connections among collateral relatives. But the females among these relatives receive only half the share of the male relatives of the same class, degree, and blood tie, and no female excludes from inheritance any male agnate, however remote. No other female or nonagnatic relative has any right of inheritance in the presence of a male agnate. If, for example, the deceased is survived by his wife, his daughter’s son, and a distant agnatic cousin, the wife will be restricted to one-fourth of the inheritance, the grandson will be excluded altogether, and the cousin will inherit three-fourths of the estate. So, when the grandson is excluded from the grandfather's property under the Sunni law of inheritance, a grandson cannot claim his share in the property of his grandfather. Reach out to an Advocate experienced in the Muslim law of inheritance for proper guidance and steps.
Sunni law is essentially a system of inheritance by male agnate relatives, or ʿaṣabah' i.e., relatives who, if they are more than one degree removed from the deceased, trace their connection to the deceased through male links. Among the ʿaṣabah, priority is determined by: (1) class, with descendants excluding ascendants, who in turn exclude brothers and their issue, who in turn exclude uncles and their issue; (2) degree, with relatives nearer in degree to the deceased excluding the more remote within each class; and (3) strength of blood ties, with germane, or full-blood, connections excluding consanguine, or half-blood, connections among collateral relatives. But the females among these relatives receive only half the share of the male relatives of the same class, degree, and blood tie, and no female excludes from inheritance any male agnate, however remote. No other female or nonagnatic relative has any right of inheritance in the presence of a male agnate. If, for example, the deceased is survived by his wife, his daughter’s son, and a distant agnatic cousin, the wife will be restricted to one-fourth of the inheritance, the grandson will be excluded altogether, and the cousin will inherit three-fourths of the estate. So, when the grandson is excluded from the grandfather's property under the Sunni law of inheritance, a grandson cannot claim his share in the property of his grandfather. Reach out to an Advocate experienced in the Muslim law of inheritance for proper guidance and steps.
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A.Dear Client
If there was a family settlement deed signed between your mother and your aunt, it may have legal implications. However, the circumstances surrounding the signing of the document, including your mother's status as your guardian and her understanding of the terms, could potentially be grounds for contesting the deed. As the son of the property owner, you may have rights to the property inherited from your father, irrespective of whether it was previously in your grandfather's name. You may be entitled to a share in the property based on inheritance laws.
If there was a family settlement deed signed between your mother and your aunt, it may have legal implications. However, the circumstances surrounding the signing of the document, including your mother's status as your guardian and her understanding of the terms, could potentially be grounds for contesting the deed. As the son of the property owner, you may have rights to the property inherited from your father, irrespective of whether it was previously in your grandfather's name. You may be entitled to a share in the property based on inheritance laws.
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