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By MOGAMAT ALI SALIE
In my recorded MuslimFin Podcast conversation with Aqeel Allie of Tazkiya, I asked about wills and Shariah-compliant life cover. Aqeel separated two questions that are often treated as one: what a will says about an estate, and where the cash comes from to administer it.
That distinction keeps the family conversation practical: clear instructions, estate costs and the living expenses that continue when an income earner dies.
A valid will sets out rights but does not fund the process
In our conversation, Aqeel described a will as the document that records how you want your estate handled: who should inherit, what should happen to a minor beneficiary’s inheritance and who should administer the estate. That can place a Muslim family’s intentions on record alongside its Shariah commitments. It is still only the starting point.
The Department of Justice’s guidance on wills explains that an estate includes assets and liabilities. Administration involves taking control of assets, paying debts and costs, and then distributing the balance to the rightful heirs. If someone dies without a valid will, intestate succession rules determine how the estate devolves. A will is therefore a rights document and a direction. It is not a payment mechanism.
When the interview moved from the will to the costs of administering an estate, I returned to that gap. The will answers “who and how”; the administration still has to answer “what must be paid, and from where?”
A will is only half the plan
A will sets out how your estate should be distributed; the next question is how the estate will pay its costs.
The first bill can arrive before the inheritance
Once the will is signed, administration still has work. Aqeel walked me through executor remuneration, property transfer, notices, documents, bank administration, possible tax and debts. The Master’s Office describes a normal prescribed executor fee of 3.5% of the value of the assets, while the fee can be arranged differently in a will. Where VAT applies, SARS lists the standard rate as 15%.
An illustrative calculation makes the scale visible: R1,000,000 × 3.5% = R35,000; R35,000 + 15% VAT where applicable = R40,250. That is an illustrative executor fee before conveyancing, creditor notices, certificates, debt, tax or other estate costs. It is not a quote or a universal charge. The Master’s Office FAQ and the terms agreed for a particular estate still matter.
Those costs generally have to be settled before the balance can be distributed. A home or business may be valuable without being liquid. The deceased’s bank account may be frozen while executor access is arranged, while rent, food, school costs and transport remain household needs. Estate cash and family cash are distinct: estate cash carries administration, debt and applicable tax; family cash keeps the household moving. Planning one without the other can leave a family asset-rich and cash-poor.
The estate costs families discover too late
Executor fees and other administration costs can arrive before an inheritance is available to the people who need it.
Takaful and estate liquidity
That brought our interview to Takaful. Aqeel described a shared-risk model in which participants contribute to a pool and eligible claims are paid under the plan’s terms. Continuing contributions replenish the pool. Takaful can be a way to plan for a defined risk: estate costs, debts, applicable taxes or family cash. It is not a guarantee of a universal payout. Destination and timing depend on the product, covered event, claim assessment, recipient structure and applicable terms.
Cash may also help a family manage an asset with several heirs. Shariah distribution may give parents, a spouse, children or others rights depending on the facts. A family may then need liquidity to keep a property or business intact. Aqeel explained the possibility of using separately planned cash to buy out a share while honouring the entitlement. That remains a planning discussion, subject to advice and the actual contract; it is not a product recommendation.
You may also want to read
How Takaful can help with estate liquidity
Aqeel Allie explains shared contributions, eligible claims and why estate cash and household cash are different.
My question for readers is practical: if my will tells the world who should receive value, where will cash come from to carry the estate through the process, and what will my household live on meanwhile?
The next step is to list assets, debts, likely costs, household needs and intended distribution, then take that list to the right legal, tax, financial and Shariah professionals. Aqeel’s closing encouragement was to stop postponing the first conversation. A will, a liquidity plan and a family conversation are small acts of care that work together.
Full interview
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The ultimate Shariah Wealth Report: A free Islamic inheritance calculator
General education only. Legal, tax, financial and Shariah decisions depend on personal circumstances, professional advice and the applicable product or estate terms.
