Core rules
Awl (العول)
When prescribed shares total more than the estate, Awl scales every share down proportionally so the math fits.
Awl is the rule that handles cases where prescribed fixed shares add up to more than the entire estate. Every share is scaled down proportionally so the math works out.
The classic example
A woman dies leaving a husband, two full sisters, and her mother. Quranic prescriptions:
- Husband (no children): 1/2
- Two or more full sisters: 2/3
- Mother (multiple siblings present): 1/6
Add them: 1/2 + 2/3 + 1/6 = 3/6 + 4/6 + 1/6 = 8/6. The total is more than the whole estate.
Caliph Umar's ruling
When Umar ibn al-Khattab encountered a case like this, he consulted the leading companions of the Prophet. The ruling: keep each share in the same proportion to the others, but scale them down to fit. Practically, raise the denominator from 6 to 8 (the actual total of numerators) and keep the numerators the same:
- Husband: 3/8 (was 3/6)
- Two full sisters: 4/8 = 1/2 (was 4/6)
- Mother: 1/8 (was 1/6)
The numerators sum to 8, the denominator is 8, and the total is exactly the whole estate. Each heir keeps their proportional standing.
The algorithm
- Find the least common denominator of all prescribed fractions.
- Express each share with that denominator.
- Sum the numerators.
- If the sum exceeds the denominator, replace the denominator with the sum. Numerators stay the same.
When Awl triggers
Awl tends to appear when a spouse is present alongside multiple female descendants or sisters, especially when parents also have prescribed shares. Pure all-male scenarios rarely trigger it because most male heirs inherit as residuary, absorbing whatever's left rather than competing for fixed fractions.