ARTICLE
27 September 2016

UAE Family Matters: Is An Ex-Wife Entitled To Inheritance?

AM
Dr. Hassan Elhais

Contributor

Dr. Hassan Elhais, a long-standing member of the prestigious Amal Alrashedi Lawyers & Legal Consultants, is a renowned legal consultant in the UAE, specializing in family law, criminal law, civil law, company incorporation, construction law, banking law, inheritance law, and arbitration. Dr. Elhais has gained wide recognition in the country, winning numerous awards and accolades. He was declared the Legal Consultant of the Year in 2026 by Leaders in Law. He was also elected as the co-chair of the ‘Relocation of Children Committee’ of the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL), a worldwide association of practicing lawyers, widely regarded as the most experienced and skilled family law specialists in their respective countries. Dr. Hassan Elhais’s continued recognition in the 2025 Chambers and Partners rankings for Family/Matrimonial services to High-Net-Worth individuals in the UAE from 2022-2025.
My friend was married to a Muslim man and they had a daughter together before he divorced her. He recently passed away, leaving another daughter from his first wife, whom he divorced before marrying my friend.
United Arab Emirates Family and Matrimonial
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Question: My friend was married to a Muslim man and they had a daughter together before he divorced her. He recently passed away, leaving another daughter from his first wife, whom he divorced before marrying my friend. What share would my friend and her daughter be entitled to in her former husband's assets, along with his brothers and sisters? Which authority should she approach for the inheritance processes

Answer: According to the Personal Status Law, divorced wives will not be entitled to any shares in a former husband's assets if the iddah [waiting] period has been completed. The daughters would be entitled to half each of their dead father's assets if he was not survived by his parents or siblings. If his parents are alive then the daughters' share would be one-third each, and the remaining one-third would be the parents' share. If his parents are not alive but he is survived by siblings the shares would be calculated in accordance with the Personal Status Law depending on the number and gender of siblings.

Inheritance issues are determined by the respective courts in each emirate and an inheritance certificate can be applied for to get the shares each party is entitled to. This inheritance certificate would then form the basis on which assets are.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

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