For today, we are here to talk to you about your Wasiyah.

What is a Wasiyah?

Wasiyah in simple terms means, Will. It is the statement of a Muslim in which he details the manner in which his wealth is disposed of after his death. So just like the Common Will, you are familiar with, Muslims who wish to structure their estate in line with Shariah are enjoined to make a Wasiyah.

Do you know that Allah (SWT) has decreed that a Man’s property be divided into 3 parts?. The distribution of two-third (2/3) of the property has been fixed by Allah by a process known as the Faraid Rules of Distribution while the remaining one-third (1/3) of the property can be distributed in accordance with the free will of the owner of such property through the mechanism of Wasiyah (Will).

Do you also know that as a Muslim, it is good practice to apportion your properties by way of your Wasiyah as soon as you obtain that property?

The Prophet (SAW) placed a duty on every Muslim to make a Will, as recorded in the Hadith Sahih Muslim Book 13, No. 3987-3990:

“It is the duty of a Muslim who has anything to bequest not to let two nights pass without writing a Will about it”.

Sa’d bin Abu Waqqas also recorded the Prophet (SAW) as saying:

“It is better for you to leave your inheritors wealthy than to leave them poor begging others, and whatsoever you spend for Allah’s sake will be considered a charitable deed even the handful of food you put in your wife’s mouth”.

According to this wisdom, making Wasiyah secure the future of loved ones is therefore both a voluntary act of charity and quite importantly, an act of religious fidelity.

Now, let me share two reasons why every Muslim needs to write a Wasiyah.

• No one knows all your assets than you:

Making a Wasiyah enables you to fully identify everything that you own so that no asset is forgotten or lost upon your demise. This way, you can avoid losing something you have worked for because you failed to document them before your demise.

• You can include beneficiaries outside your family,

Do you know that in making your Wasiyah, you can provide for persons that are not your immediate family? This can include your adopted children, distant families, and those not covered under the Islamic definition of your heirs.

Interestingly, you can also decide to donate the entire 1/3 of your property to charity structuring it as a WAQF (Islamic Trust). That way, your wealth can be used to fund educational institutions, hospitals, mosques, or even sponsoring people for pilgrimage.

Now, imagine all the blessings and rewards coming in for you after your death.

How can we help?

At Fiduciary Services Limited Limited, we offer tailored Islamic Estate Planning Services that assist Muslims in the drafting of their Wasiyah and preparation of their Estate Plan during their lifetime and upon death under Shariah Law and its principles. Our Shariah Estate Planning Team will advise and assist you with planning to achieve effective outcomes.

Getting Started

Getting Started on your Wasiyah has been made extremely easy at Fiduciary Services Limited. You can now get started on your Wasiyah right from the comfort of your home by simply filling out our Online Wasiyah Questionnaire with respect to your Properties and Estate. Once we receive the Questionnaire from you, we will get back to you immediately to assist you in setting up your Estate Plan in a shariah-compliant manner.