Islamic Wills

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What is an Islamic will?

An Islamic will is a legally binding will that stipulates to whom a person will be leaving their assets (property, possessions, money) upon their demise.

An Islamic Will will take into account two groups of people:

Ascendants: Including your spouse (husband/wife) and parents.

Descendants: Your children, grandchildren and siblings (full siblings and half-siblings)

A will can also include bequests for charitable purposes.

Meaning of Wasiyyah in Islam

Wasiyyah in Islam is the declaration a person makes whilst alive regarding their property and the arrangements according to Islamic law to be carried out after their death. Therefore, this is akin to a “will” in British law.

What is the law for wills in Islam?

In Islam, a will must be made by the person whilst they are alive. A will is made to arrange one's property and assets, after their death, for the benefit of others or charitable purposes.

“It is the duty of a Muslim who has anything to bequeath not to let two nights pass without writing a will about it.”  (Bukhari)

Therefore writing Islamic wills is incredibly important in an Islamic context.

How to create an Islamic will that is legal in the UK?

You can create a will on your own, however, it is advisable to use a professional will writer or solicitor to draft your will.

At Crystal Will Writing we offer legal and Islamic guidance for Islamic Wills.

To create an Islamic will that is legal in the UK, you must meet the following conditions according to UK law:

• You must be years old or over
• You must be of sound mind
• Your will must be in written form (oral declarations are not legally binding)
• You must state that you are the author of the will
• You must legally declare that this is your last will – meaning that any other wills are now invalid
• You’ll need to sign and date the will in the presence of two witnesses
• Neither of the witnesses can be your spouse or beneficiaries of the will

At Crystal Will Writing we offer legal and Islamic guidance for Islamic Wills.