her specified share, and the other half by the doctrine of Return**.

her specified share, and the other half by the doctrine of Return**.** The guiding rules may be stated shortly in the following words:- (a) The heir most nearly related to the deceased inherits in preference to one more remotely connected; (b) Whoever is related to the deceased through any person does not inherit while that person lives; (c) Full brothers and sisters are preferred to consanguine brothers and sisters; but uterine brothers and sisters will inherit with all of them.

(d) When the relationship is equal, a male gets usually double of a female's share; except in case of the heirs related through the mother who generally divide the inheritance among them equally without distinction of sex. It may be asked why a woman's share is, normally, half of that of a man. In fact, it is quite logical. Islam has made male responsible for the maintenance of the family. No such burden is laid upon woman.

Even a rich wife is entitled to get her maintenance from her husband though he may be poor. As the man has to bear all the expenses he has been given double share" in almost all inheritances. Also the woman gets the dowry which goes from man to the woman. Thus the ratio of the shares as laid down in the Qur'an is the most reasonable.

Groups and Classes of Heirs: In the Shi’a Ithna-’Ashari sheriat, heirs are divided into two groups, viz., those who inherit by right of Nasab (consanguinity); and those who inherit by right of 'Sabab', main of which is Matrimony. Both groups inherit side by side. The First Group, i.e the relations who are entitled to inherit by virtue of consanguinity are divided into three Classes: (a) First Class: (i) Parents and (ii) Children (or in their absence grand-children, how low-so-ever).

(b) Second Class: If there is no heir at all in the First Class, then the Ascendants and Descendants of the parents of the deceased will inherit. It means: (i) the deceased's grand-parents (how high-so-ever) and (ii) brothers and sisters (or in their absence the descendants of the brothers and sisters). (c) Third Class: If there is no heir existing either in the First or the Second Class, then the descendants of grand-parents (how-high-so-ever) will inherit.

It means the deceased's paternal and maternal uncles and aunts (or in their absence, their children how-low-so-ever). As explained above, the husband or wife or wives of the deceased will inherit with all these classes.