Not too long ago, I wrote an article on Altmuslimah, a website devoted to “gender issues”- on the area of Islamic Inheritance, which is kind of my area. I wanted to describe the rules and the uneven distribution, which, based on the reception in the comments area, was to a largely hostile crowd.
Do take a look at it if you have not already. Unfortunately, the biggest objection to the Quran and to the Islamic Rules is from Muslims themselves, who don’t have much exposure to these things. Islamic Inheritance is fundamental to society. The fact that among American Muslims, marrages are just not happening within the Muslim community to the degree we would like and inheritance rules are almost nonexistant bodes poorly for us. I attempted to respond to many of the comments as well. Please feel free to comment here or there if you have something to add.
I am doing more workshops on Islamic Inheritance again at various masajid again this year after a long hiatus as I was working on an outside project. I will insha Allah be at the Muslim Community Association of the San Francisco Bay Area on February 17 and the Orange County Islamic Foundation (Mission Viejo) on March 2. Please contact those organizations for more information.
I have had the honor of speaking at both location multiple times in the past and look forward to discussing what continues to be an almost universally overlooked fara’id (obligation) of Muslims and easy ways to prevent tragedy.
If you give your home away to your child, it may be a taxable event. If you give a gift larger than $13,000.00, you have to report it to the IRS.
The IRS is now in the middle of a program of sifting through county records to see if there were unreported gifts in order to go after people according to the Wall Street Journal.
This happens all the time, particularly in immigrant communities and often with poor results. If you plan to live in the home, whatever the tax result, don’t give away your home, even to your own son.
Under the Islamic Rules of Inheritance, so long as you are not in your last sickness and you are not giving the gift out of a desire to hurt others, you are free to give large gifts during your lifetime. However giving it away without reporting and when necessary, paying to the Federal government will have consequences.
Those of you who get these updates by email saw a curious email from “Leslie Mills.” That was an error, the email was not meant to have come from her.
In case you missed it because of that reason, the post that month was a well considered one on Waqf, and how giving to one can be a bad idea. Check it out if you have not yet.
My Karamah workshop from a couple of months ago was delayed and is now scheduled for July 19, 2011 in Washington D.C. Its part of the organization’s “Law and Leadership Program.
Please check their website for details as they emerge.
ISNA’s annual convention is in Chicago on the 4th of July weekend. I am speaking there on July 3, 2011, though there may be changes to the schedule. Please go to their website for updates. I enjoy visiting ISNA and would like to see as many people as possible go. Visit their website for more information. Their complete schedule is not up yet.
Muslims tend to be charitable by nature. Here in Southern California, the Muslim community and perhaps in other communities around the country, it is fundraising season again. Many organizations are holding banquets and doing fundraising in order to meet their annual budgets. In some cases, organizations would like to be able to build for [...]
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Karamah, Muslim Women Lawyers for Human has asked me to presented a program in Washington D.C., meant primarily for lawyers but will include many other community members as well. The primary aim is to educate the community of this important obligation of Islamic Inheritance. However gender issues in inheritance will be discussed extensively. [...]
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I had the wonderful opportunity to teach two sessions at the “Academy of Islamic Thought” this past month at the Islamic Center of Southern California on divorce, prenuptial agreements, polygamy, property ownership and of course, a day on Islamic Inheritance. Next weekend in Northern California I will be speaking at two different Islamic Centers. On Friday March [...]
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There has been much discussion on Islamic Inheritance recently. It figures prominently in the debate over “Shariah Law”- even though its adoption by Muslims is largely theoretical, since most Muslims don’t bother with it, at least not yet. I often find in the legal realm, observant Muslims like to shy away from anything that looks vaguely ”Islamic.” Weddings [...]
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Among the baffling arguments about why the Middle East is behind the times, particularly when it comes to economic development, is a bizarre critique of Islamic Inheritance rules. Among other places, recently highlighted in the New York Times in an op-ed. I won’t address Islamic Rules on other issues, particularly since they have not been [...]
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