Question Summary:
My questions are related to the property inheritance and gifts for my son and daughters.

Question Detail:

My questions are related to the property inheritance and gifts for my son and daughters.
I have one son and two daughters. My son is eldest, married and also has two sons. He is earning well and stays with me and pays me just monthly amount to cover house rent, schooling of his sons, as well other expenses. No doubt calculation shows that the amount is not equally shared and I have to spend more than he pays. I do not mind this as I Allah has given me enough to take care. My youngest daughter is not married but highly educated and has a good job. She earns quite handsome salary, but not spending any money on anyone of the family or shares any of her expenses. She has an opinion that unless she gets married this is my duty to spend on her and I have no right to ask her money. I have given the back ground to understand the situation of my questions.
1)      I spent least on my son’s education due to two reasons. He was not interested in higher qualifications. Second reason I was also not earning to afford more at that time.
2)      My second daughter got her higher education on her own by her own struggle I did supported her as per my conditions at that time.
3)      I spent a lot more money for education of my last daughter as I had money during her education. The money spend on her education is much more than her brother and her sister.
4)      I built a big house in my native city and spend a lot money on it, however it is to be noted that during building this house my son was working and he consider that he has more right on this property than his sisters as he used to share home expenses.
5)      The daughter who is married wanted to sell her share in my house to my son and I objected I considered that until my death they do not have rights on my property. I said after my death only you divide property according to Shari’a.
6)      The married daughter used to visit me from to Jeddah until she had a second child; I used to give her ticket money to visit us. As written earlier she wanted to sell her share of the house to buy a property which I stopped. She very nicely told me that money you spend on me and my children’s ticket is to be given to her to buy the property. I agreed and gave her money of her two trips as she has not visited since last three years. One trip money is due on me.
 7)      My son always grumbles and starts arguments, with following comments.
a)      I am doing injustice as I am giving more to my daughters and depriving his rights.
b)      He considers that I have spent much more money on my last daughter’s education. She is unmarried and earns very good salary and she is not giving any money in house. Why I am not taking money from her and only ask son to share his expenses with me. This amounts to injustice when I am capable of spending?
c)      Why I gave ticket money to my daughter to buy a property. This he consider as injustice to him. Why no tickets are given to him and every trip my daughters are being paid by me?
My questions are:
a)      Can my children demand division of my property during my life?
b)      Can my son object to my spending on my daughters or any of my relatives when these relatives are in need of help?
c)      He is capable of earning and his company provides his and his family tickets? Can he demand ticket for him from me to justify my giving tickets to my daughters?
d)      His demand that when my daughter earns good money why I am not asking her to share expenses of joint family?
e)      Is it my responsibility to provide my daughter all her needs until she gets married even though she is earning?  
Please answer me the questions in light of Islamic Shari’a

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh
There are a few points discussed in the query.
 

 
Maintenance and Expenditure for the Children:
 
It is compulsory upon the father to provide shelter, food, and clothing for his children if they are poor and do not possess any wealth.  If they possess any wealth then the expenses will be from their own wealth. 
The father will provide for the sons until the age of puberty.  He will send the son to learn some trade or skill upon puberty so he may provide from himself from his own income.  If the father still provides for the son afterwards, it will be out of his good nature but he cannot be forced to do so.  If he asks the son after puberty to pay for rent or give a hand in the house payments, it will be acceptable and he will not be reviled for it.  If the son is mentally or physically disabled and does not possess the ability to earn his own income nor does he possess any wealth, then the father will be responsible his expenditures.
 
Likewise, the father will provide for the daughter if she does not possess any wealth.  Unlike the son, the father will provide for her until she is married.  After marriage the responsibility will be upon the husband.  If the father provides for the daughter even though she is earning her own income, then it will from the good character of the father.
Rad al-Muhtar (3/612) H.M. Saeed
Fatawa Qadi Khan ‘ala Hamish al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya (1/445)
- قى الدر المختار: ( وتجب ) النفقة بأنواعها على الحر ( لطفله ) يعم الأنثى والجمع ( الفقير ) الحر... ( وكذا ) تجب ( لولده الكبير العاجز عن الكسب ) كأنثى مطلقا وزمن ومن يلحقه العار بالتكسب وطالب علم لا يتفرغ لذلك ، كذا في الزيلعي والعيني . وأفتى أبو حامد بعدمها لطلبة زماننا كما بسطه في القنية ، ولذا قيده في الخلاصة بذي رشد
وفى رد المحتار: ( قوله بأنواعها ) من الطعام والكسوة والسكنى... ( قوله الفقير ) أي إن لم يبلغ حد الكسب ، فإن بلغه كان للأب أن يؤجره أو يدفعه في حرفة ليكتسب وينفق عليه من كسبه لو كان ذكرا ، بخلاف الأنثى كما قدمه في الحضانة عن المؤيدية . قال الخير الرملي : لو استغنت الأنثى بنحو خياطة وغزل يجب أن تكون نفقتها في كسبها كما هو ظاهر ، ولا نقول تجب على الأب مع ذلك ، إلا إذا كان لا يكفيها فتجب على الأب كفايتها بدفع القدر المعجوز عنه ، ولم أره لأصحابنا . ولا ينافيه قولهم بخلاف الأنثى ؛ لأن الممنوع إيجارها ، ولا يلزم منه عدم إلزامها بحرفة تعلمها . ا هـ أي الممنوع إيجارها للخدمة ونحوها مما فيه تسليمها للمستأجر بدليل قولهم ؛ لأن المستأجر يخلو بها وذا لا يجوز في الشرع ، وعليه فله دفعها لامرأة تعلمها حرفة كتطريز وخياطة مثلا... ( قوله كأنثى مطلقا ) أي ولو لم يكن بها زمانة تمنعها عن الكسب فمجرد الأنوثة عجز إلا إذا كان لها زوج فنفقتها عليه ما دامت زوجة – رد المحتار
- نفقة الأولاد الصغار والأناث المعسرات على الأب لا يشاركه في ذلك أحد ولا تسقط بفقره ولا يجب عليه نفقة الذكور الكبار إلا أن يكون الولد عاجزا عن الكسب لزمأنة أو مرض فتكون نفقته على والده – فتاوى قاضى خان
 
Gifting in the state of health
 
A person is free to gift from his wealth to whom so ever he wishes in the state of health.  It is preferable in Shari’a to gift the children equally, but if for some reason or the other he gifts one child more than the other and his intentions are not to cause any harm to the other children, then it will be perfectly acceptable.  The children do not have the right to object to the father on his reasons of gifting one child more than the other.  It is the wealth of the father and he is free do as he wishes. 
Al-Durr al-Mukhtar (5/696) H.M. Saeed
Al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya (4/391)Maktaba Rashidiyya
- وفي الخانية لا بأس بتفضيل بعض الأولاد في المحبة لأنها عمل القلب ، وكذا في العطايا إن لم يقصد به الإضرار ، وإن قصده فسوى بينهم يعطي البنت كالابن عند الثاني وعليه الفتوى ولو وهب في صحته كل المال للولد جاز وأثم (الدر المختار)
- ولو وهب رجل شيئا لأولاده في الصحة وأراد تفضيل البعض على البعض في ذلك لا رواية لهذا في الأصل عن أصحابنا ، وروي عن أبي حنيفة رحمه الله تعالى أنه لا بأس به إذا كان التفضيل لزيادة فضل له في الدين ، وإن كانا سواء يكره وروى المعلى عن أبي يوسف رحمه الله تعالى أنه لا بأس به إذا لم يقصد به الإضرار ، وإن قصد به الإضرار سوى بينهم يعطي الابنة مثل ما يعطي للابن وعليه الفتوى هكذا في فتاوى قاضي خان وهو المختار ، كذا في الظهيرية . (الفتاوى الهندية)
 
Inheritance
 
Shari’a has explained the laws of Inheritance and Succession in much detail and it is incumbent upon the Muslims to follow.  It is a grave sin to disobey the commands of Allah in the distribution of the estate which will eventually result in taking another’s rightful share. 
The laws of Inheritance and Succession only apply after the demise of the father and not before.  It will be impermissible to distribute the father’s estate or any portion of it before his demise.  The estate will be in the full ownership of the father in his life time and the heirs don not have the right to discuss the matter of distribution beforehand.
 
Hereunder are the answers to your query:
 

And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Ehzaz Ajmeri,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah