It is surprising that over half of UK adults do not have a Will.

Very often people believe a Will should be written when they are older.

If you die without a Will, the decision as to who inherits from your estate will no longer be your choice. The law will decide using a prescribed set of rules which will result in a very different outcome to the one that you may have intended.

Also if you are not married, your partner will not automatically inherit from your estate.

To make a Will, you need to be at least 18 years old. I would advise everyone over that age to make a Will especially if you have children, are not married, own a business or are elderly.

The Islamic Law of Inheritance known as ‘Mawarith’ forms the basis of Shariah Compliant Wills. Under this rule, in Islam the females receive half the inheritance given to the males.

The husband has different financial responsibilities than the wife, as he has to provide basic necessities for his wife and children and parents, if they are alive.

When he marries he has to pay a dowry (mahr) to his wife whilst the wife does not have to pay anything to her husband. In Islam, the man must use his income and inheritance to support his family whereas a woman has no such financial responsibility.

The difference in the inheritance shares takes this into account.

There is a hadith which clearly states that if a person has something of value then he should not let two nights pass without making a Will. The structure of a Shari’ah Compliant Will has to comply with the rules set out by the Wills Act in order to be to be valid under UK Law. Whilst under UK Law the Testator has freedom to leave his estate to whomever he chooses, under Shari’ah Law the Testator ‘s freedom is limited to one third of the estate. The contents of the Will can be drawn in accordance with Shari’ah law.

Making a Will can help you protect your interests and give you peace of mind knowing your Estate is taken care of when you pass away.