Islamic will (wasiyya) in Texas

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 Texas

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 Texas'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 Texas

• Your home: Texas allows a transfer-on-death deed, so a home can pass to the people you name without probate. Texas allows transfer-on-death deeds (Texas Estates Code chapter 114).
• Small estates: Estates up to $75,000, not counting the homestead and exempt property, can use a small estate affidavit filed with the court after 30 days (Estates Code 205.001).
• A homestead can pass under the affidavit if it is the only real estate (Estates Code 205.006).

Sources: Texas Estates Code chapter 205 · Texas Estates Code chapter 114

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