What are faraid shares and how does Sharia divide an estate in the UAE?

Faraid is the Islamic law of fixed inheritance shares that governs how a Muslim's estate is divided after death. Under Sharia, certain heirs (such as a spouse, parents, children, and in some cases siblings) are entitled to defined portions of the estate, and the calculation depends on which relatives survive the deceased. Sons and daughters, for example, inherit in a set proportional relationship, and a surviving spouse's share changes depending on whether the deceased left children. The estate is settled only after the deceased's debts and any valid bequests are dealt with first. In the UAE, the personal status (Sharia) court applies these rules and issues a ruling identifying each heir and their share, which forms the basis of the legal heir certificate. Because the precise fractions depend entirely on the surviving family combination, the exact distribution should be confirmed by the court or a specialist. You can compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI to have your specific family situation calculated correctly.