Rental On Inherited Property

QUESTION:

An unmarried adult daughter occupies three commercial shops belonging to a family property. Her father allowed this during his lifetime, but he also charged her rental at certain times. He has since passed away, and the property has devolved to the heirs.

She maintains that because she is an unmarried daughter, she is entitled to continue using the three commercial shops rent-free after her father’s death, in addition to receiving her Islamic inheritance share.

Is there any Shari obligation on her brothers/co-owners to provide her with these commercial premises rent-free, or should she pay a reasonable market-related rental for these commercial shops?

ANSWER:

In the queried scenario, the property/shops no longer belong to your deceased father. It now belongs to the respective heirs. As such, she must pay a reasonable market-related rental for the shops mutually agreed upon by all partners.

تتعلق بتركة الميت حقوق اربعة مرتبة الاول يبدأ بتكفينه وتجهيزه من غير تبذير ولا تقتير ثم تقضى ديونه من جميع مابقى من ماله ثم تنفذ وصاياه من تلك ما بقى بعد الدين ثم يقسم الباقي بين ورثته بالكتاب والسنة واجماع الامة (سراجی ص ٥)

الأموال المشتركة شركة الملك تقسم حاصلاتها بين أصحابها على قدر حصصهم.
) شرح المجلة المادة ١٠٧٣)
الْمَادَّةُ (1184) كُلُّ مَا يَنْتَفِعُ الْعَامَّةُ بِأُجْرَتِهِ مِنَ الْعَقَارَاتِ الْمُشْتَرَكَةِ كَالسَّفِيْنَةِ وَالطَّاحُوْنِ وَالْقَهْوَةِ وَالْحَمَّامِ يُؤَجَّرُ لِأَرْبَابِهِ وَتُقْسَمُ أُجْرَتُهُ بَيْنَ أَصْحَابِ الْحِصَصِ عَلَى قَدْرِ حِصَّتِهِمْ، وَإِنْ امْتَنَعَ أَحَدُ أَصْحَابِ الْحِصَصِ عَنْ الْإِيْجَارِ

ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Abdul Kader Fazlani

Date: 18 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1448 / 01 September 2026

CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:

Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb