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Question:
Salaams,
I would like to know what is the law in terms of shariah with regards to life insurance.
My mum and my dad both passed away together in a car accident. My dad had a life insurance policy on his name, of which my mum was the sole beneficiary of the policy.
On their death certificates, it indicates that my dad passed away before my mum, and therefore the policy is paying out to my mums late estate account.
Now with regards to the distribution of this funds, how should it be done, in terms of shariah. Both mum and dad had standard Islamic wills.
The heirs of the estates consists of:
1 brother
2 sisters
I have asked the company to provide me with the total amount of premiums paid over the policy, as well as the total amount that will be paid out.
For this example, please use R500 000.00 as the total payout, and R100 000.00 as the total premiums paid throughout the policy.
We eagerly await your response in order to wrap up the estate as soon as possible, for the sake of my Marhoom parents.
جزاك اللهُ خيرً
Answer:
As salām ʿalaikum wa raḥmatullāhī wa barakātuhu
In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Sister in Islām,
We take note of the details of your query. May Allāh Taʿālā grant you and your siblings ease during this difficult time. May He forgive the deceased.
The premiums paid will form part of the estate and will be divided amongst the heirs according to the stipulated shares. In the aforementioned case, if there are no other heirs, the premiums will be divided as follows:
| Heir | Percentage |
| Brother | 50% |
| Sister | 25% |
| Sister | 25% |
The amount over and above the premiums paid, in this example, R400,000.00, is ḥarām and must be given in charity without any expectation of reward. This should ideally be given to poor and needy Muslims.
And Allāh Taʿālā knows best.
رد المحتار على الدر المختار— ابن عابدين، محمد أمين بن عمر بن عبد العزيز عابدين الدمشقي الحنفي (ت ١٢٥٢ هـ) 5/85
والآدمي مكرم شرعا وإن كان كافرا فإيراد العقد عليه وابتذاله به وإلحاقه بالجمادات إذلال له. اهـ أي وهو غير جائز
رد المحتار على الدر المختار— ابن عابدين، محمد أمين بن عمر بن عبد العزيز عابدين الدمشقي الحنفي (ت ١٢٥٢ هـ) 6/385
ولا يأخذون منه شيئا وهو أولى بهم ويردونها على أربابها إن عرفوهم، وإلا تصدقوا بها لأن سبيل الكسب الخبيث التصدق إذا تعذر الرد على صاحبه اهـ
كتاب النوازل — مفتي محمد سلمان منصوربوري — 478/11
جیون بیمہ بھی نا جائز ہے، اس سے زائد لی گئی رقم بھی حرام ہے، اور اس حرام رقم کو حرام رسم تلک میں لگانا بھی نا جائز ہے، اگر بالفرض ایسی رقم لی گئی ہے تو اسے بلانیت ثواب غریبوں کو تقسیم کر دیں یا سرکار کی طرف سے کسی غیر شرعی لازمی ٹیکس کی ادائیگی میں خرچ کر دیں