Islamic Law of Inheritance: Ultimate Solution to Social Inequality against Women

This article analyses the Islamic system of inheritance with regards to women's economic rights. This system distributes wealth among a wide circle of family members, which has the effect of diffusing wealth among large sections of Muslim society and narrowing the gap between rich and poor. However, the author criticizes the inequality with which women are treated under Islamic laws of inheritance. For instance, women often receive half- shares of what men receive. The smaller shares of women correspond with the smaller duties and costs that women bear in Islamic society. Although women receive equal or even larger shares than men in some circumstances, the author points out that women's inheritance will only become meaningful when their right to employ their share is accepted - as most of women's wealth is eventually transferred back to men through marriage or other relationships.