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yastaftūnaka quli llāhu yuftīkum fī l-kalālati ʾini mruʾun halaka laysa lahū waladun wa-lahū ʾukhtun fa-lahā niṣfu mā taraka wa-huwa yarithuhā ʾin lam yakun lahā waladun fa-ʾin kānatā thnatayni fa-lahumā th-thuluthāni mimmā taraka wa-ʾin kānū ʾikhwatan rijālan wa-nisāʾan fa-li-dh-dhakari mithlu ḥaẓẓi l-ʾunthayayni yubayyinu llāhu lakum ʾan taḍillū wa-llāhu bi-kulli shayʾin ʿalīmun
They ask you for a ruling. Say, ‘Allah gives you a ruling concerning the kalalah: If a man dies and has no children [or parents], but has a sister, for her shall be a half of what he leaves, and he shall inherit from her if she has no children. If there be two sisters, then they shall receive two-thirds of what he leaves. But if there be [several] brothers and sisters, then for the male shall be the like of the share of two females. Allah explains [the laws] for you lest you should go astray, and Allah has knowledge of all things.’
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah An-Nisa', Verse 176
176. "They ask you for a pronouncement. Say: Allah pronounces to you concerning the Kalalah (paternal, or paternal and maternal, brother and sister). If a man dies and he has no offspring, but he has a sister, for her shall be half of what he leaves; and he shall inherit from her (wholly) if she has no offspring; but if there be two (sisters), then they shall have two-thirds of what he leaves; and if there be (some) brothers and sisters, then for the male shall be the like of the shares of two females. Allah, makes clear (the laws) to you, lest you should go astray, and Allah is All-Knowing of all things."
Occasion of Revelation
It is narrated from Jabir-ibn-'Abdillah Ansary who said that once he was seriously ill. The holy Prophet (S) went to visit him in his house where he (S) made ablution and besprinkled Jabir with some drops from the water of his ablution (as a remedy). Abdillah, who was thinking of his death, told the holy Prophet (S):
"My heirs are my sisters. How is their heritage?"
Then, this verse, which is called 'the verse of duties', was revealed and made the standard of their inheritance clear. Some commentators of the Qur'an believe that this holy verse is the last verse that was revealed to the holy Prophet (S) about the commandments of Islam. This verse states the amounts of the inheritance of brothers and sisters. As it was mentioned in the commentary upon the beginning verses of this Surah, verse 12, there are two verses in the Qur'an revealed upon the inheritance of brothers and sisters.
One of them is the very verse 12 which speaks about the maternal brothers and sisters, and the second one is the verse under discussion which is about the parental sisters and brothers or about only paternal brothers and sisters. It says:
Then, the Qur'an points to a few commandments as follows:
1. The verse says:
2. It continues the statement that: if a woman dies and she has no child but she has one brother (a parental brother or a mere paternal brother) all his heritage belongs to that one brother. It says:
3. If a person dies and there remain two sisters after his death, they shall have two-thirds of what he leaves; ..."
4. If the heirs of the dead are several brothers and sisters (more than two), they divide the whole inheritance among themselves so that the share of a brother is the like of the shares of two sisters.
At the end of the verse, the Qur'an remarks that Allah states these facts for you so that you should not go astray and pave the path of felicity. (Surely the way that Allah shows is a true and correct way), because He is All-Knowing of all things. It says:
However, Surah An-Nisa’' has begun with the family discussions, and has ended with the family affairs, too.