Accepting a father's gift for gratitude without giving gifts to other children
Q 2: I fear Allah (Exalted be He) and I know that death is an inescapable reality. My mother owns a small house which I restored. My brother did not help with anything. He often angers my parents and treats them badly. Now he does not live with us. Being angry with him, my mother decided to register the house in my name. I advised her many times not to do that but she insists. Now I would like to know
whether my mother will commit a sin if she has the house registered in my name and deprive my brother of his share of inheritance.
Will I be committing a sin if I accept this from my mother?
(Part No. 16; Page No. 208)
A:
If the reality is as you mentioned, it is not permissible for your mother to give you the house without giving your brother his share according to the Saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him):
Be afraid of Allah, and be just to your children.
And there are other Hadiths with the same meaning. If she did what you mentioned, she would be committing a sin and so would you, because your acceptance of what she did is cooperation with her in sin and transgression. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) forbids this by His Saying:
Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwâ (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression.
The house must be returned to your mother or be shared between you and your brother equally. If you see that your mother insists on depriving your brother of inheritance, there is no harm in accepting it, then you can give half of it to your brother to free yourself of responsibility if your mother does not have other children. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.