distant kindred

Sunni (Hanafi) law ranks heirs in three main classes: sharers (Quranic heirs with fixed shares), residuaries (mostly agnates, who take what is left), and distant kindred (zawi-ul-arham). Distant kindred are blood relatives related through a female link, or female agnates not counted as residuaries: for example, daughter's children, sister's children, the maternal grandfather and the maternal uncle and aunt.

They inherit only when there is no sharer or residuary, except that a surviving husband or wife does not exclude them; the spouse takes its share and the distant kindred take the rest. Shia law does not use this classification; it divides heirs by nearness into three classes.

Example

Since there was no sharer or residuary other than the widow, the deceased's sister's son inherited the residue as one of the distant kindred.

See also

deferred dower · escheat

Read more in the study notes

• Muslim law of inheritance: Sunni and Shia (Family Law II - Mohammedan Law)