‘Calls for gender equality in inheritance against Islamic teachings’

Egypt’s Al-Azhar criticised on Tuesday an announcement by the president of Tunisia that his country is looking to allow for equal inheritance between men and women. Although it did not mention Tunisia by name, a statement by Al-Azhar — considered the world’s most prominent authority on Sunni Islam — said the concept of equal inheritance […]

Egypt’s Al-Azhar criticised on Tuesday an announcement by the president of Tunisia that his country is looking to allow for equal inheritance between men and women.

Although it did not mention Tunisia by name, a statement by Al-Azhar — considered the world’s most prominent authority on Sunni Islam — said the concept of equal inheritance is “against Islamic teachings.”

In the statement, deputy of Al-Azhar Sheikh Abbas Shuman said equality in inheritance is “unjust for women and is not in line with Islamic Sharia.”

“The call for equality in inheritance between genders is unfair because women can already inherit more than men in some instances,” the statement read.

According to Islam, inheritance for males is double that of females in most instances, with some exceptions including the mother and father of a deceased person both receiving one-sixth of the deceased’s possessions.

Last Sunday, Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi said that his country is seeking to establish equality between men and women in inheritance; the first Arab country to make such a move. Al-Azhar’s statement also denounced a call by President Essebsi to ammend the law to allow for marriage between a non-Muslim man and a Muslim woman. (Ahram Online)