What are the rights of a wife whose...

Egypt's Dar Al-Ifta

What are the rights of a wife whose husband dies before consummating their marriage?

Question

What are the rights of a wife whose husband dies before consummating their marriage?

Answer

Concerning a wife's inheritance from her husband, God the Almighty says: In what ye leave; their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child” [4: 12].

Because the marriage contract confirms that a couple is indeed married to one another, this is true of those who have conducted the marriage contract but did not consummate the marriage.

The deferred mahr [dowry] is a deferred debt owed by the husband to his wife. It becomes payable upon divorce or death of either spouse, whichever occurs first. A wife is entitled to all the items listed in the registry of furnishings including all of the household furnishings and the electrical appliances but not the husband's personal belongings such as his books, clothes, weapons and so forth. The items to which a wife is entitled must be deducted from the estate before its distribution since they are not part of the inheritance. God the Almighty says: “(The distribution in all cases is) after the payment of legacies and debt” [4: 11].
These items are either debts owed to the wife or her exclusive right.

The ruling

- You are entitled to the following which must be deducted before the distribution of the estate:
- One fourth of what your husband has left because the deceased has no child who may inherit.

- The deferred dowry.

- All the items listed in the registry of furnishings (it does not matter who bought them, whether it was you or your husband).

- The shabka [jewelry traditionally presented by the groom to his bride] that you have actually received from your husband or which he may not have bought you, in which case, it is considered a debt owed by your late husband to you.
 

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