FatwaFederal TerritoriesInheritance, Wills & Gifts
IRSYAD HUKUM SIRI KE-341: HUKUM HARTA ORANG YANG MAFQUD
How should the estate of a missing person (mafqud) be handled, can it be distributed immediately, and what if the person reappears?
Short answer
The property of a missing person cannot be distributed until there is proof of death or a judge has declared the person dead, since the person is presumed alive by default.
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
- Irsyad al-Hukum (Umum)
- Topic
- Inheritance, Wills & Gifts
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
The property of a missing person cannot be distributed until there is proof of death or a judge has declared the person dead, since the person is presumed alive by default. The fatwa adopts the Shafi'i position that the waiting period depends on the judge's decision and judgment. In Malaysia, Section 108 of the Evidence Act 1950 allows presumption of death after seven years without news, issued by the High Court. Once death is decided, the estate goes to the heirs eligible at the time of the ruling, and a missing heir is treated like a khuntha musykil.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Maka, harta peninggalan orang yang hilang atau mafqud tidak boleh diagihkan sehinggalah ada dalil atau bukti kematiannya atau telah melepasi tempoh yang mustahil baginya untuk hidup
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. “IRSYAD HUKUM SIRI KE-341: HUKUM HARTA ORANG YANG MAFQUD”, 5 December 2019. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/irsyad-hukum/umum/3854-irsyad-al-fatwa-siri-ke-341-hukum-harta-orang-yang-mafqud. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-on-property-of-missing-person-mafqud/