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The deferred dowry after a husband's death
Question
What is the ruling for the deferred dowry after a husband's death?
Answer
The deferred dowry is a deferred debt that a husband owes his wife. It becomes due upon divorce or the death of either spouse, whichever comes first. Debts are deducted from the estate of a deceased before its division as expressed in the words of Allah the Almighty in the context of inheritance shares, (The distribution in all cases is) after the payment of legacies and debts. [An-Nisaa`: 11]
The ruling
The deferred dowry becomes a debt on the estate owed to the wife upon her husband's death. It is deducted from the estate before its division among the heirs of who she is one.
Allah the Almighty knows best.
