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Ask a Lawyer·Islamic Inheritance / Faraid

Islamic Inheritance / FaraidAnswered

Who inherits under Sharia in the UAE if a father leaves only daughters?

Asked by Anonymous·Jun 10, 2026·1 answers
My sisters and I are trying to understand what happens to our late father's assets in Dubai. We are all daughters with no brothers, and relatives have told us that our uncles may be entitled to a share, which has caused a lot of stress in the family. How are the shares actually worked out in a situation like ours, and is there anything we should do early?

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L
LEXAI

Editorially reviewed by LEXAI

Jun 11, 2026
In a case like yours, the shares are fixed by the rules of faraid: two or more daughters together take two-thirds of the estate, shared equally among them. Other fixed-share heirs — a surviving wife or the deceased's mother, for example — take their prescribed portions as well. What your relatives are referring to is the remainder: where there is no son, the residue after the fixed shares typically passes to the nearest male relatives on your father's side, which can include his brothers. So the uncles' claim is not invented, but it applies only to what is left after your two-thirds and the other fixed shares — they do not displace you. Two things are worth checking early. First, whether your father left a will: a will can direct up to one-third of the estate and may change the picture. Second, once the court determines the legal shares, all heirs can agree among themselves to a different distribution, which families often use to settle matters amicably. Begin by obtaining the heirship determination and opening the inheritance file. An inheritance lawyer can calculate the exact shares for your family tree and manage the court process.
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