Vol. 8 No. 2 (2025): IJUS Vol. 8, Issue 2, July 2025
Articles

Kishi Fatwa House and Parajudicial Administration of Islamic Inheritance Law in Nigeria

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  • Mufutau Oloyede Abdul-Rahmon,
  • Mikail Kolawole Abdulsalam
Mufutau Oloyede Abdul-Rahmon
University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Mikail Kolawole Abdulsalam
University of Ibadan, Nigeria

Published 2025-07-31

Keywords

  • Fixed share, Parajudicial administration, Islamic inheritance law, Kishi Fatwa House, Residual distribution

How to Cite

Mufutau Oloyede Abdul-Rahmon, & Mikail Kolawole Abdulsalam. (2025). Kishi Fatwa House and Parajudicial Administration of Islamic Inheritance Law in Nigeria . IJUS | International Journal of Umranic Studies, 8(2), 23–37. Retrieved from https://unissa.edu.bn/journal/index.php/ijus/article/view/1239
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Abstract

The Kishi Fatwa House, since its establishment in 2007, has become a central parajudicial body for administering Islamic inheritance law in Nigeria. This study examined its historical development, objectives and judicial processes, with a focus on five representative cases, to assess procedural adherence to Qur’anic provisions and Islamic jurisprudence. The study adopted a historical qualitative case analysis. Data were drawn from official Fatwa House reports (2019-2021) detailing estate valuations, deductions, fixed shares (furūḍ) and residual distribution (‘aṣabah). To complement the documentary evidence, semi-structured interviews were conducted with four key Fatwa House officials, providing insider perspectives on procedural practices and interpretative approaches. Results showed consistent application of prescribed shares, including the 2:1 male-to-female ratio, proper prioritisation of debt settlement and exclusion of non-entitled relatives in accordance with the inheritance hierarchy. The institution demonstrated accuracy in complex multi-heir scenarios, transparent deduction of liabilities and fair valuation of both cash and non-cash assets. These findings underline the Fatwa House’s function as an accessible, doctrinally compliant mechanism for dispute resolution, promoting equity, religious integrity and community trust in inheritance settlements.

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