inheritance law

|

February 27, 2019

|

38993 views


| Your comment matters, please click here to rate article!



1. What law governs the inheritance on the demise of UAE national or an expatriate?

The principal source of law of inheritance in UAE is Shariah and on the basis of which several Federal Laws have been promulgated. In addition, main laws governing succession are Federal Law Number 5 of 1985 concerning the Civil Transactions Code (the Civil Law) and Federal Law Number 28 of 2005 regarding the Personal Status Law (the Personal Law).

Article 1(2) of the Personal Law states that the law will be applicable on all the citizens of UAE unless a non-Muslim foreign national have special provisions according to their community, which empowers the foreigner to have a choice of the law and avoid application of Shariah. Simultaneously, Article 17 of the Civil Law states that the inheritance will be governed by the law of the testator at the time of his death.

2. How the law of inheritance in UAE differs from other jurisdictions?

The law of inheritance in UAE is extensive and accommodate everyone irrespective of their religion and nationality. The succession for Muslim is governed by the Law of Shariah, whereas, the non-Muslim is authorized to choose the law of their home country. The Law of Shariah is capable of alteration and further interpretation.

Further, being a civil law jurisdiction, the impact of precedents is null as compared to other common law jurisdictions. As opposed to other authorities, UAE does not follow the "right of survivorship" wherein the jointly-owned property will be given to the surviving owner, and the UAE courts have exclusive authority to decide upon such matters.

3. Under the law of inheritance, who holds the right to claim the deceased's estate?

The heirs and descendants have the right to claim the estate of the deceased according to the Shariah Law for Muslims. Whereas, beneficiaries of the will can claim the estate in case of non-Muslims if there is a legally certified will. In case of a deceased Muslim, the estate will only be transferred to those who qualify as an heir under principles of Shariah.

The primary step for courts in the event of the death of a Muslim is to determine the heirs and reconfirm it through two male witnesses along with documentary proof such as marriage or birth certificates. According to the principles of Shariah, spouse, parents, children, grandchildren, siblings, grandparents (paternal), uncles/aunts, nephews/nieces are considered as heirs to the estate. It further imposes several conditions on who can become an heir mentioned as below:

  • Any illegitimate children and adopted children will not be considered as heirs;
  • Non-Muslim cannot benefit from the estate of a Muslim;
  • A person committing murder to benefit from the estate will be ineligible to claim the estate;
  • Divorced women cannot claim from ex-husband's estate unless they are in "iddat" period.

4. How will the estate be divided among the heirs of a deceased Muslim under the law?

If a Muslim dies, the transferable rights will include all the rights pertaining to the property, usufruct and any other dependent rights like outstanding debts. It shall also cover the obligations of the deceased which can be paid off from his estate. Further, whatever is residue, post payment of funeral obligations, shall be divided among the heirs. Following are the ways under which the property will be distributed:

A. One half (1/2) of the property will be given to:

  • The husband, if the wife has no successor;
  • The daughter, if the deceased has no other children;
  • The daughter of the son or of his descendants, if the deceased has a child or a grandchild higher in degree with her;
  • The sister, if she has no brother or sister, a successor of the deceased, father or grandfather;
  • Consanguine sister, if she has no brother or germane sister or brother, a successor of deceased, father or grandfather.

B. One-fourth of the property will be given to:

  • The husband, if the wife has a descendant;
  • The wife, if the husband has no descendant.

C. One eight of the property will be given to:

  • The wife, if the husband has a successor.

D. Two-third of the property will be given to:

  • 2 or more daughters, if deceased has no son;
  • Two or more daughters of son, or hi successors, of the deceased, has no son, grandson of the same degree;
  • 2 or more germane sisters, if there is no germane brother, successor, father or grandfather;
  • 2 or more consanguine sister, if there is no consanguine brother, a germane brother or sister, a successor, father or grandfather.

E. One-third of the property will be given to:

  • The mother, if the deceased has no successor or if there is no one else to succeed;
  • 2 or more of mother's children, if there is no successor or father or grandfather, the property shall be divided equally;
  • The paternal grandfather, if he concurs the estate of germane or consanguine brother and in the absence of forced heirs;

F. One-sixth of the property will be given to:

  • The father upon concurring with succeeding descendent;
  • The paternal grandfather, if the deceased has a successor, if the forced heir is present, if his share is less than one-sixth or one-third of the reminder or if nothing is residual post taking his forced share;
  • Mother, along with successor of deceased or with 2 or more brother and sisters;
  • Grandmother, if she is not ineligible for an inheritance;

5. How will the estate be divided among the heirs of a deceased non-Muslim foreign national under the law?

The Personal Law in UAE permits the non-Muslim to draft a will and divide the property according to their will. However, if a foreign national dies without a will, the Civil Law and the Personal Law will allow the courts to distribute the assets of the deceased according to the principles of Shariah.

According to Article 17(1) of the Civil Law, the inheritance will be regulated by the law of the deceased during the time of his death, whereas, Article 17(5) of the Civil Law states that the UAE law will be applicable on non-Muslim expatriate wills regarding the property located in the country. In addition to this, Article 1(2) of the Personal Law states that the law will be applicable to non-Muslim unless he elects otherwise. Thus, if a non-Muslim foreign national die in the state are leaving the real property or other assets in the country, his home country law can be applicable, and his heirs can request the court accordingly. However, there is a restriction on dealing with the assets for property located in UAE.

6. Do heirs of a deceased foreign national has the right to choose the law under which the estate shall be divided?

As mentioned before, the foreign nationals are empowered to choose the law of the deceased during the time of his death, reference Article 17 (1) of Civil Law and Article 1(2) of the Personal Law.

The heirs must at the first appearance in the court, should request the court for application of home country law of the deceased. Further to this, Article 276 of the Personal Law, the heirs seeking inheritance shall submit the following documents:

  • The death certificate, duly legalized;
  • Last domicile of the deceased;
  • Will of the deceased, duly authorized.

Whereas, if the heirs have a judgment from a court of competent jurisdiction, they shall submit the same (duly attested, notarized and translated in Arabic) for execution.

Although the Personal Law allows the request for application of home country law, the Law does not expressly set aside the civil code, which leads to a level of uncertainty as to whether a non-Muslim will be considered under Shariah Law or under home country law.

7. What will be status of shares owned by either the UAE national or a foreign expatriate in mainland or a free zone company upon their death?

Upon the death of a partner or a shareholder in a company established within UAE, if relevant documents are not present, the shares will be divided according to the Shariah Law. However, if in a limited liability company (LLC) a local shareholder dies, in the absence of a shareholders agreement or any specific clause in the memorandum of association, the shares will be given to his heirs. Whereas, in case of a sole proprietorship, joint ventures, or free zone companies, the transfer or succession will be according to the local laws for probate which might not be according to the will of the deceased or his heirs. Since UAE does not recognize the right of survivorship; the shares will not be passed automatically to the rest of the shareholders or the family members. It is essential for companies to have either shareholder's agreement or wills in place to decide the transfer of their shares in the company according to their wish, which is in harmony with the existing shareholders as well.

8. Do Shariah Law recognize wills for Muslims?

The Law of Shariah does recognize wills drafted by Muslim only up to a certain extent. It is similar to that of a non-Muslim will with following prerequisites:

  • The testator must be over the age of 21 years;
  • He/she should be of sound mind;
  • He/she must appoint a trustee and a guardian for minor children;
  • The will must be duly notarized.

The only restriction which applies to will drafted by Muslim is that it can only be upon 1/3rd share of the deceased's estate and the estate shall not be gifted to any of the heirs. However, if the value of the estate is more than 1/3rd of the estate, the courts must approve it upon seeking written consent from the heirs.

9. Can a foreign non-Muslim expatriate draft and legalize his will in the country? What law is applicable to the wills drafted by non-Muslim foreign national?

A will drafted by a non-Muslim is recognized by the local courts upon the death of the testator, only if the will is duly notarized by the Public Notary in UAE. The will shall be translated in Arabic and must provide all the details pertaining to the assets of the testator along with bank account details. The will must be registered before the Judicial Department of the relevant Emirate. Importantly, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) has established a "DIFC wills and probate registry" which will provide a platform for non-Muslims owning assets in Dubai to dispose of according to their wish. Further, the testator can opt for his home country law, while determining the division of assets, upon his death.

10. What is law pertaining to the joint account on the demise of one co-signatory? Can the surviving co-signatory dispose of all the proceeds from such account?

According to Article 379 of the Federal Law, Number 18 of 1993 concerning the Commercial Transactions Law (the Commercial Law), a joint account is an account owned equally by co-signatories unless they specify a different proportion. It is a common misconception among the residents that upon the death of one co-signatory the sole account holder can dispose of the proceeds from the bank account. However, as mentioned under Article 379 (4) of the Commercial Law, upon the death of co-signatory, the bank must be notified within 10 days from the date of his death. Upon such notification, the bank will freeze the account until the successors are appointed. The court will accordingly divide the proceeds of the bank account either according to the proportion of the deceased in the account, and if the account holders did not mention the proportion, the half of the proceeds would be given to the heirs.

11. What will happen to the jointly-owned property of husband and wife, upon the demise of the either?

The Personal Law and the Civil Law is vague and ambiguous with regards to the property owned by the foreign national. Thus, it is always prudent to have a registered will within the country. UAE does not have a concept of "right of survivorship" wherein, the surviving owner becomes the complete owner of the property, thus, in case of a jointly-owned property by foreign national along with his wife, the local courts have the right to decide upon the matter and divide the estate accordingly.

12. How can foreign nationals protect their family and assets?

It is advisable to foreign nationals to appoint a lawyer specialized in drafting wills to protect their family and assets from future eventualities. UAE is promulgating new laws in order to accommodate the registration of non-Muslim wills, such as DIFC wills and probate registry through which the testator can dispose of their assets according to his wish. The procedure is relatively simple and efficient for non-Muslims to pass their estate upon their demise freely.


Related Links


Copyright © of this article is retained by the author and/or other copyright owners. We explicitly grant you permission to download a copy, without any alteration, of this article for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or any charge. This article can be utilized on your website or for marketing, however, we grant you permission to host this article on your website and no other rights. This content should not be altered in any way or sold commercially in any format without prior permission of the copyright holder. During reference of this article, full biographic details entailing the name of the author, his designation, the institute and the publishing date of the article shall be provided.

Comments

My mother and father passed away. But my father did not make an islamic will. He left everything to his son. Can i contest the will. I live in South Africa
Fayhima Adam
2022-03-17
Inheritance of a Muslim expatriate with assets in the United Arab Emirates shall be as per the provisions of Sharia. Even if the Muslim expatriate prepares a Will, such a document should necessarily be compliant with Sharia. Sharia provides for forced heirship on 2/3rd of the deceased estate. Accordingly, one may choose to bequeath upto 1/3rd of his estate to one of his heirs.

It is advisable to consult a legal consultant specializing in family law to learn more about the inheritance process in the UAE. If you would like to schedule an appointment, please feel free to contact us.   Dr. Hassan Elhais
My mother id dead we have made from nadra paper for family power.no for paper we read in you tube that according pakstan muslim no registration paper require for muslims. Now how to deal for lease paper what type & if we want sell it how can buyer lawrr do needful task. Thanx.
FerozAli
2022-03-01
Your comments are not clear for us, you may get in touch with us directly concerning your enquiry.   Dr. Hassan Elhais
Hi, I log on to your blogs regularly. Your writing style is witty, keep it up!
Melanie
2021-04-03
Thank you.   Dr. Hassan Elhais
Im a non muslim with muslim husband without kids working & living in UAE, both our parents live abroad in different counties. Who will inherit our jointly owned property if (a) wife or (b) husband or (c) both pass away without a will in UAE? Who will inherit our jointly owned savings? Are we allowed to draw a will regarding our movable and immovable assets in UAE if my husband is muslim and im not?
Mary Andy
2020-07-19
I completely understand the nature of your enquiry and we are pleased to render assistance to you.

Please be informed so that we are better placed to advise you, we would need a detailed discussion with you about your matter. This may need at least one hour of detailed evaluation of your legal position to establish the relevant legal recourse you may take.   Dr. Hassan Elhais
I have a property still on little bit mortgage. I got two boys fully employed and settled. The don’t live with me nor they help me of any kind. Can u please give sharia ruling about inheritance of property? Jazzak Allah khair From Hassan Mulla from New Zealand.
Hassan
2020-06-23
In furtherance to your concern, kindly be aware that the property inheritance as per Sharia Law will allow your successors to inherit the property and in this case it would be your children along with your wife on the basis of their percentage. In this regard, we advise you to have a consultation meeting with one of our legal consultants to have detailed insight of UAE inheritance law.   Dr. Hassan Elhais
Everything is very open with a really clear description of the challenges. It was really informative. Your site is useful. Many thanks for sharing!
Felipa
2020-04-13
Thanks.   Dr. Hassan Elhais
Being a non-Muslim woman who is working in UAE, will my inheritance be subject to Sharia law? If so, what are the criteria based on which my savings/ gratuity will be shared? Im married with a son and a daughter. Also how can i ensure the laws of my home country (india) are applied.
Aria
2019-11-03
Non-Muslim residents may prepare a Will as per the law of their nationality and register their Will with Dubai Courts or DIFC Wills Service Centre or Abu Dhabi Judicial Department for their assets located in the UAE.

There are various advantages and fine details about registering a Will in the aforesaid jurisdiction, which you will need to review before making a decision. It is advisable to consult a specialist and if you would like to meet with us in our office, please do not hesitate to contact us.   Dr. Hassan Elhais
I am an Advocate attached with Islampur Court,Dist:-Uttar Dinajpur(W.B) and haveing innterest to know the reference of current vedict of upper courts relating to Succession and Inheritable rights of Muslim and Hindu in India.and the procedure to obtain succession certificate before the court of law.
MOHD.GHOLAM SARWAR
2019-09-01
In furtherance to your concern, kindly be informed that the procedure for obtaining a succession certificate is initiated by an application before the personal status court along with relevant documents and witnesses statements. In this regards, for detailed information we suggest you to visit our office for a consultation meeting with our legal consultants.   Dr. Hassan Elhais
asalamualeykum warahmatulahi wabarakatu Islamically am I allowed to give all my inheritance to only one of my son who happens be the first born to out of 3 I have been blessed with?
GUYO ALI
2019-08-01
Since you are a Muslim, we can provide you with our Sharia-compliant will drafting service. Please note that in a Sharia-compliant will, two-thirds of your estate shall strictly be governed by Sharia. However, you can nominate one person to inherit one-third of your estate.

Should you have any question, please do not hesitate to meet with us in our office so that we can provide you with our consultation service.   Dr. Hassan Elhais
How can I have access to Legal Articles on Inheritance Law in England and Wales
Afifa Majid
2019-06-10
We regret that we are not able to assist you in this matter as we can only advise on UAE local laws. We are not able to provide you with references on Inheritance Law in England and Wales as it is outside of our jurisdiction.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any future inquiry that we can assist you with. Dr. Hassan Elhais

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Want to know more?
Then talk to us.


Client Testimonials

I owe the success of my case to Dr. Hassan's diligent approach. He remained focused, put me at ease and always went the extra mile. Dr. Hassan tirelessly put my case in the best possible light and I cannot thank him enough. I would highly recommend Dr. Hassan - I am grateful to him from the bottom of my heart.

Raphael Lauria
Manager, FME General Trading

Dr. Hassan Elhais is among the best legal consultants I have ever worked with. He has an amazing ability to reduce complex issues into a simple concept that non-legal people can understand. He consistently develops innovative litigation strategies that help us to achieve our ultimate legal goals.

Zhuo Liu
Client

...the extraordinary effort that has been exerted by the staff, and we specially thank Dr. Hassan Mohsen Alhais. Wishing your continues success & excellence...

H.H. Sheikh Saeed Bin
Mohammed Hashir Al Maktoum

I believe everyone should recognize what a difference Dr. Hassan Elhais work has made to people's lives; and especially to our family's life, because we will remain forever grateful to each and every one of his team.

Luis Pozueco
Client

Dr. Hassan Elhais never fears cases that involve exposure and he always gives me his honest assessment of our chances of success, which is invaluable to me.

Bassam Yamout
Director, JM Metal Trading LCC

He aided us not only in providing legal advice but also in all legal issues that required a long term strategic approach to achieve most favorable and optimum outcomes he provided us with high level of professional service.

Philippe Delbecq
Client

Dr. Hassan Elhais is a responsible, reputable counsel who operates to high levels of service.

British Client

Dr Hassan Elhais is responsive, thorough and creative with his advice, and is a valued advisor and legal consultant.

Asma Mattar
Manager, Italian Style

Regardless of the complexity of the matter I know Dr. Hassan Elhais will consider not only legal strategy but also business practicalities in providing advice and litigation options.

Dr. Massimo Hakim
Chairman, Italian Style

I recommend Dr. Hassan Elhais to anyone who says 'I'm in legal trouble'. I was extremely satisfied with the high standard of his work. He has always been there when I have needed him and I refer all my clients, family and friends to him/his firm.

Manish Gupta
Marketing Manager, Express Digital System

Dr. Hassan Elhais was very professional and he listened to my needs. He was very prompt, efficient and always kept me informed. Dr. Hassan Elhais's service was excellent and I would definitely recommend him to friends and colleagues.

James Horsley
British Client

Select your Language:

     

Main Menu