Calculators
Determine Islamic estate distribution portions in accordance with Singapore AMLA provisions and local MUIS guidelines.
Select the surviving heirs to calculate the legal distribution shares.
CPF Savings: Valid nominations act as a direct gift, bypassing Faraid.
HDB Flat (Joint Tenancy): MUIS fatwas advise surviving joint owners to allocate equivalent property values to Faraid heirs.
Estate Planning
Learn how CPF nominations, HDB properties, LPA, and wills operate together under Singapore AMLA provisions.
Faraid is Islamic inheritance law. In Singapore, it is administered under the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA, Cap 3) and enforced by the Syariah Court. When a Muslim dies in Singapore, their estate is distributed according to Faraid rules, not a will, and not standard intestacy law.
The Syariah Court issues an Inheritance Certificate (also called a Certificate of Inheritance from the Registry of Muslim Marriages) that specifies each heir's share. Banks, HDB, CPF, and other institutions require this certificate before transferring assets to Muslim beneficiaries.
Key principle: Faraid pre-determines who gets what based on surviving family relations. You cannot override it with a will for the majority of your estate. A will for a Muslim in Singapore primarily handles:
This calculator applies standard Hanafi Faraid rules as commonly applied in Singapore. It covers the most common heir combinations. For complex situations involving siblings, grandparents, or distant relatives, consult a Syariah Court officer or a qualified estate planner.
Not all assets go through Faraid. Understanding the distinction is essential for estate planning.
| Asset Type | Subject to Faraid? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bank accounts (sole name) | Yes | Distributed by Inheritance Certificate |
| Investment portfolios (stocks, unit trusts) | Yes | Transferred to heirs per Faraid shares |
| Private property held as tenancy-in-common | Yes (deceased's share only) | Co-owner retains their own share |
| Personal property (vehicles, jewellery, cash) | Yes | Included in estate value |
| CPF savings (with valid nomination) | No | Paid to nominated beneficiaries as gift (Nuzriah) |
| CPF savings (no nomination) | No (civil intestacy applies) | Distributed by Public Trustee under Intestate Succession Act, not Faraid |
| HDB flat (joint tenancy) | No | Passes to surviving joint owner. MUIS fatwa advises moral obligation to compensate Faraid heirs. |
| Insurance (with valid nomination) | No | Paid directly to nominated beneficiaries, bypasses estate |
| HDB flat (tenancy-in-common) | Yes (deceased's share) | Deceased's share in the flat is distributed under Faraid |
| Business interests / shares | Yes | Included in estate, distributed per Faraid shares |
CPF planning matters most. For most Singapore Muslims, CPF is their largest asset. Without a CPF nomination, CPF savings are distributed under civil intestacy law, not Faraid, which may conflict with Islamic intentions. Making a CPF nomination is free, takes 15 minutes at any CPF Service Centre, and is one of the highest-impact estate planning steps a Muslim in Singapore can take.
Estate: S$500,000. Surviving heirs: wife, two sons, one daughter. No surviving parents.
Estate: S$500,000. Surviving heirs: wife, one daughter. No sons, no surviving parents.
Estate: S$500,000. Surviving heirs: wife, father, mother. No children.
Under the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA) in Singapore, when a Muslim dies their estate is distributed according to Faraid (Islamic inheritance law). The Syariah Court issues an Inheritance Certificate specifying each heir's share based on surviving family relations. Banks, CPF, HDB, and other institutions require this certificate before transferring assets.
If a Muslim has made a valid CPF nomination, the nominated beneficiaries receive the funds directly as a gift (Nuzriah), not subject to Faraid. If no nomination exists, CPF savings are distributed under the Intestate Succession Act (civil law), not Faraid. To align CPF with Islamic intentions, Muslims should make a CPF nomination at any CPF Service Centre.
Under Singapore civil law, joint tenancy properties pass to the surviving owner via the right of survivorship. However, according to MUIS fatwas, the surviving joint owner has a moral obligation to either purchase the deceased's share or distribute its equivalent value to Faraid heirs, unless mutual agreement is reached. This is a common planning concern for Muslim HDB flat owners in Singapore.
Baitulmal is the Islamic public treasury, administered by MUIS in Singapore. Under Faraid, if a deceased Muslim has no surviving eligible heirs to claim the residual estate (asabah), the remainder passes to Baitulmal. MUIS uses Baitulmal funds for Muslim community welfare and charitable purposes in Singapore.
Yes. A Muslim can make a will (wasiyah) in Singapore, but it is limited to one-third of the estate and cannot override Faraid for the remaining two-thirds. The will is useful for charitable bequests, appointing executors, and directing assets outside Faraid scope (like CPF and insurance). The Syariah Court determines Faraid shares for the majority of the estate.
No. Under Faraid, a non-Muslim spouse is not an eligible heir and does not receive a share from the Faraid estate. To provide for a non-Muslim spouse, a Muslim may include them in CPF nominations, insurance policy nominations, or a wasiyah bequest of up to one-third of the estate. This is a common estate planning consideration for inter-faith couples in Singapore.
Apply online via the SYC Portal at syariahcourt.gov.sg using SingPass (or SYCPass for foreigners). The Syariah Court is at 512 Thomson Road #14-00, Singapore 298136, but applications are submitted online. Required documents include proof of your relationship to the deceased, NRIC or passport, and marriage or birth certificates for each heir. Applications are processed within 7 days, with the certificate issued as a downloadable PDF for S$34. This certificate is required by banks, CPF, and HDB to transfer assets to Muslim beneficiaries.
If a Muslim dies without a CPF nomination, CPF savings are distributed under the Intestate Succession Act, not Faraid, by the Public Trustee's Office. The civil intestacy distribution may differ significantly from what Faraid would prescribe. Making a CPF nomination is free and is one of the most important estate planning steps for Muslims in Singapore.
CPF nominations, HDB conversion from joint tenancy to tenancy-in-common, wasiyah drafting, and Faraid-compliant planning. I can walk you through what applies to your situation.
Start a Conversation