Hadith Text & Reference

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "People of two different religions would not inherit from one another."

Source: Sunan Abi Dawud 2911 | Book: Shares of Inheritance (Kitab Al-Fara'id)

Meaning & Legal Ruling

This hadith establishes a fundamental principle in Islamic inheritance law: inheritance is contingent upon religious unity. A Muslim cannot inherit from a non-Muslim, nor can a non-Muslim inherit from a Muslim, regardless of their familial relationship (e.g., father, son, brother).

The wisdom behind this ruling is that inheritance strengthens the bonds of kinship and faith. It is a right that flows from the shared foundation of belief (iman) and the brotherhood of Islam. This principle protects the Muslim community's wealth from being transferred outside it and prevents the weakening of religious commitment through mixed inheritance.

Scholarly Commentary

The consensus (ijma') of the companions and the early generations of scholars was that a difference in religion is a permanent barrier to inheritance. This ruling applies to all forms of disbelief (kufr), meaning a Christian cannot inherit from a Jew, a Zoroastrian from a Hindu, etc., just as a Muslim cannot inherit from any of them, and vice-versa.

If a person embraces Islam, their right to inherit is established only from that point forward concerning the estates of Muslims who die after their conversion. They do not inherit from the estates of relatives who died before their conversion to Islam.

This divine law emphasizes that the strongest bond is that of faith, which supersedes even the bond of blood in matters of divine decree and the transfer of wealth in this world.