Islamic will (wasiyya) in Illinois

What your wasiyya (will) covers

• What you owe to Allah — zakat, Hajj, missed prayers and fasts, kaffara, and khums for Shia members.
• What you owe to people — debts and trusts (amanat).
• Your heirs' shares under the Qur'an, by the Sunni schools or the Jaʿfari school, as a guide for your executor.
• Up to one-third for the causes and people you choose, your executor, and guardians for young children.

Signing it so it holds up in Illinois

Each US state sets its own rules for signing a will. Most ask for your signature in front of two adult witnesses — safest if they inherit nothing under it — and some let you add a notarized "self-proving" statement so the witnesses needn't be found later. Read Illinois's will rules (FindLaw).

Your wasiyya (will) on Islamic Souls comes out as a PDF to print and sign, and you keep the signed copy on your private page so it's never lost.

Passing things on without probate in Illinois

• Your home: Illinois allows a transfer-on-death deed, so a home can pass to the people you name without probate. Illinois allows a Transfer on Death Instrument (TODI) to pass real estate at death without probate.
• Small estates: Personal property up to $150,000, not counting vehicles, can pass by small estate affidavit if there is no real estate in probate.

Sources: Illinois Legal Aid Online - Small estate affidavit · Illinois Legal Aid Online - Transfer on Death Instrument basics

Members can ask a licensed estate attorney to prepare a trust or deed and write the Islamic shares into it. More about avoiding probate.