Fatwa No : 82176
A son demanding a share from his father’s business while the father is still alive

A son demanding a share from his father’s business while the father is still alive

What do the respected scholars and jurists say regarding the following issue that we are three brothers jointly running a business and living together in one house. Now, the son of my elder brother is demanding, “Give me my share! I do not wish to live with you people anymore.” However, the elder brother himself is alive and has not made any such demand for his share. The question is: Can that son demand his share from the business while his father is still alive, or not?

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

Since this business is jointly owned by the questioner and his two brothers, the demand made by the mentioned nephew is completely invalid, and he must refrain from making such a claim. However, if the mentioned nephew had been actively involved in the business, and apart from his daily or monthly pocket money he was not given any salary or compensation for his work, and now he is demanding the rightful payment for his services and does not wish to continue working further then, instead of forcing him to remain involved, it is permissible to settle the matter by giving him his agreed salary or fair wage (ujrat-e-mithl) and separate him from the business. Moreover, if his father wishes to give him something from his own share, Shariah permits this as well but the amount given will reduce the father’s own share accordingly.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

قال اللہ تعالیٰ: ولاتقل لھما اف (الاسراء:23الآیۃ)
وفی روح المعانی: قال العلامۃ آلوسی۔رحمہ اللہ تعالیٰ۔ والنھی عن ذلک یدل علیٰ المنع فی سائر انواع الایذاء اھ(15/55)۔
عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، «أَنَّ رَجُلًا أَتَى النَّبِيَّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فَقَالَ: إِنَّ لِي مَالًا، وَإِنَّ وَالِدِي يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى مَالِي. قَالَ: " أَنْتَ وَمَالُكَ لِوَالِدِكَ، إِنَّ أَوْلَادَكُمْ مِنْ أَطْيَبِ كَسْبِكُمْ، كُلُوا مِنْ كَسْبِ أَوْلَادِكُمْ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ.
قال الشیخ ملاعلی قاری۔رحمہ اللہ تعالیٰ۔ وَإِنَّمَا سُمِّيَ الْوَلَدُ أَطْيَبَ كَسْبٍ وَأَحَلَّهُ ; لِأَنَّهُ أَصْلُهُ. قَالَهُ الْقَاضِي أَيْ مِنْ أَطْيَبِ مَا وُجِدَ بِسَبَبِكُمْ وَبِتَوَسُّطِ سَعْيِكُمْ، أَوْ إِكْسَابُ أَوْلَادِكُمْ مِنْ أَطْيَبِ كَسْبِكُمْ فَحَذْفُ الْمُضَافِ (" كُلُوا مِنْ كَسْبِ أَوْلَادُكُمْ ") . فِي الْحَدِيثِ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى وُجُوبِ نَفَقَةِ الْوَالِدِ عَلَى وَلَدِهِ، وَأَنَّهُ لَوْ سَرَقَ شَيْئًا مِنْ مَالِهِ أَوْ أَلَمَّ بِأَمَتِهِ فَلَا حَدَّ عَلَيْهِ لِشُبْهَةِ الْمِلْكِ. اھ(6/2196)۔