FatwaFederal TerritoriesInheritance, Wills & Gifts
AL-KAFI #2022: HUKUM MEWARISI HARTA BUKAN MILIK SI MATI
Does an item the deceased borrowed from someone else become part of the estate to be divided among the heirs?
Short answer
The inheritable estate is limited to what the deceased owned at the end of his life.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
- Topic
- Inheritance, Wills & Gifts
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
The inheritable estate is limited to what the deceased owned at the end of his life. Borrowed items, trusts held for safekeeping and the like are not owned by the deceased, so they are not inherited and must be returned to the original owner or the owner's heirs. The fact that the item belongs to someone else must first be confirmed with proof or witnesses. If such items are still distributed to the heirs, it counts as dealing in property by unlawful means, which Islam prohibits.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Harta peninggalan yang diwarisi hanyalah terhad kepada apa yang menjadi milik si mati di akhir hayatnya. Harta yang bukan merupakan milik si mati hendaklah dikembalikan atau dipulangkan semula kepada pemilik asalnya.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “AL-KAFI #2022: HUKUM MEWARISI HARTA BUKAN MILIK SI MATI”, 10 April 2025. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/6214-al-kafi-2022-hukum-mewarisi-harta-bukan-milik-si-mati. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/inheriting-property-not-owned-by-deceased/