Fatwa No : 97163
Will the amount spent on construction with the consent of the heirs be deducted before the estate is distributed among the heirs, or not?

Will the amount spent on construction with the consent of the heirs be deducted before the estate is distributed among the heirs, or not?

Respected Mufti Sahib,
Assalamu Alaikum. I, Muhammad Rafiq Khan, son of Abdul Ghaffar (deceased), seek your guidance regarding a property matter. Kindly guide us. In 2022, I obtained a fatwa from you regarding the distribution of the property. Afterwards, I asked my sisters to take their shares. My sisters said that they did not need their shares at that time and that they would take their shares from me when they needed them. I then told them that I was going to construct a permanent RCC house, and they agreed and said that I could do so. Accordingly, I constructed the house, which cost me 6.5 million rupees. I subsequently sold the house for 8.5 million rupees in order to pay my sisters their shares. I am currently offering them their shares at 2.5 million rupees each, according to the calculation mentioned in your previous fatwa, based on five sisters and one brother. However, they are saying that they should be given their shares according to the sale price of 8.5 million rupees. All five sisters are now claiming a share in the entire house from me. I did not have sufficient cash, so I sold the house. Therefore, kindly guide me, as I had invested 6.5 million rupees in constructing the house. Please issue a fatwa regarding our matter.
Note: In 2022, I obtained the fatwa, but the property could not be distributed at that time. Rather, my sisters said that they would take their shares when they needed them. With their permission, I spent money on the unfinished house on the plot and converted it into a permanent RCC house. Now they are demanding their shares. Should their shares be calculated only according to the value of the plot in 2022, or according to its current value? And before distributing the inheritance, can I deduct the amount I spent on the construction? Does any share in that expenditure belong to them? Kindly state the ruling according to Shariah.

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

In the case in question, if the questioner constructed the permanent structure for himself with the permission and consent of all the heirs, then, according to Shariah, this construction will be considered the questioner’s property. Therefore, the amount received from the sale attributable to this construction will belong to the questioner, and the sisters are not permitted to demand a share in it. Rather, they must refrain from insisting upon this impermissible demand. However, the amount received in consideration of the land and the unfinished house that were part of the inheritance will be distributed among all the heirs, including the questioner, according to their respective shares prescribed by Shariah. The method of distribution is set out in the previous fatwa.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

کما فی الدر المختار: (عمر دار زوجته بماله بإذنها فالعمارة لها والنفقة دين عليها) لصحة أمرها (ولو) عمر (لنفسه بلا إذنها العمارة له) ويكون غاصبا للعرصة فيؤمر بالتفريغ بطلبها ذلك (ولها بلا إذنها فالعمارة لها وهو متطوع) في البناء اھ (کتاب الخنثی، ج: ٦، ص: ٧٤٧ ،ط: سعید)
وفي رد المحتار: قوله ( عمر دار زوجته الخ ) على هذا التفصيل عمارة كرمها وسائر أملاكها جامع الفصولين . وفيه عن العدة كل من بنى في دار غيره بأمره فالبناء لآمره ولو لنفسه بلا أمره فهو له وله رفعه إلا أن يضر بالبناء فيمنع ولو بنى لرب الأرض بلا أمره ينبغي أن يكون مبترعا كما مر إ ه (الی قولہ) قوله( والنفقة دين عليها ) لأنه غير متطوع في الإنفاق فيرجع عليها لصحة أمرها فصار كالمأمور بقضاء الدين ، زيلعي ، وظاهره وإن لم يشترط الرجوع، وفي المسألة اختلاف وتمامه في حاشية الرملي على جامع الفصولين قوله ( فالعمارة له ) هذا لو الآلة كلها له فلو بعضها له وبعضها لها فهي بينهما ط عن المقدسي قوله (بلا إذنها ) فلو بإذنها تكون عارية ط.(کتاب الخنثی، ج: ٦، ص: ٧٤٧ ،ط: سعید)
وفی تنقیح الفتاوی الحامدیة: (سئل)رجل بنی بمالہ لنفسہ قصرا فی دار ابیہ باذنہ ثم مات ابوہ عنه وعن ورثته غیره فھل یکون القصر لبانیه ویکون کالمستعیر (الجواب)نعم کما صرح بذالک فی حاشیة الاشباه(الی قولہ) ویکون کالمستعیر فیکلف قلعه متی شاءاھ (کتاب العاریة،ج: ٢،ص:٨٨،ط:حقانیۃ)