Disputes over inherited properties have long-drawn legal, social and economic roots, and in some cases, serious political overtones when it involves hereditary successions in states. This doesn’t only happen at the social level, successions create familial legal battles, emotional distress and break-down of relations. This callousness has created disgusting customs, invented to prevent properties from disintegrating into many hands. Through the centuries, parents everywhere in the world have desired to give their children the best of everything, irrespective of their status or financial disposition. For this purpose, efforts are made to increase the volume of income so the children are not deprived of basic needs or bear the pangs of struggling with their parents. The whole idea is that parental instincts or feelings of love for their new-born, whether a son or daughter, sets a resolve in their hearts to provide their child with complete security, warmth and comfort in the days to come. The poor laboriously perform this duty, the lower middle-class cut their corners and sacrifice their inert desires to cater to the needs of their offspring, while the upper middle class and elite add some extras by leaving behind sufficient wealth to be distributed among their children after their death. Consequently, methods are adopted for its proper and justifiable distribution among legal heirs for which various laws and regulations are available according to the established principles of either states, societies or religions. Many countries have a proper legal system which enables persons to leave behind properly constructed will for subsequent fulfilment of liabilities and distribution of assets among heirs while others lay down rules for intestate (where the deceased did not write a will) succession. Islamic law is unique in the sense that the Holy Quran distinctly lays down codes of inheritance in Surah Al-Baqarah and Surah An-Nissaa’; a total of fourteen ayats [verses] among several others that relate indirectly to inheritance. These include verses 106 through 108 in Surah Al-Maai’dah, which dictate that Waseeyat [Will] must be signed by two witnesses going to the extent of even setting out the qualifications of those witnesses. There are still other verses that deal with the administration of the property of orphans and infants. In addition to succession procedures, some legal systems also provide for a complicated structure of creating trusts governed by its own intricate laws according to which, trustees are nominated to take care of both the property and its beneficiaries. This envisages prevention of break-down of assets in many hands, desisting heirs from usurping each other’s rights while simultaneously securing their benefits. Without indulging in any religious controversy, wakf (trust) is an institution of Muslim law by which property is dedicated in perpetuity for either religious or charitable purposes. Apart from Wakful Allah there is a category of wakf-ul-aulad (for descendants), whereby property is dedicated to one’s descendants and, ultimately, for charitable objects after the extinction of the family. In 1891, the Calcutta High Court held that such a wakf could not be given legal effect since a “dedication must not depend upon an uncertain contingency, such as the possible extinction of the family”. Deciding an appeal in 1894, the Privy Council upheld the Calcutta High Court’s opinion, saying that such wakfs are legal arrangements for “the aggrandisement of a family”. Although, this decision was made ineffective through two legal instruments, namely, Mussalman Wakf Validating Act, 1913 and of 1923-the successful plea for this in Legislative Assembly was made by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on demand from Muslim religious scholars, it is still operational in Pakistan although the archaic concept of wakf for the settler’s limitless generations was abolished by law in Syria, Egypt, Libya and the UAE, in 1949, 1952, 1973 and 1980, respectively. Values that instil humanity, love, forgiveness and honour should have more worth than material wealth Here we must ask ourselves, why is it usually women who are deprived of their share in the inheritance? In the words of Ernestine Rose, a 19th century Jewish suffragist, “Woman is a slave, from the cradle to the grave. Father, guardian, husband-master still. One conveys her, like a piece of property, over to the other”. So when it comes to succession, in an overwhelming majority of cases, the male members emphatically take possession of their share and conveniently overlook their family’s women. Many evasive techniques are adopted to deprive women of their share from inherited property which is why the Government of Punjab was forced to amend the law to sanction mutation of inheritance in sections 135A and 142A of the 1967 Punjab Land Revenue Act to enforce women’s right to inheritance, which is indeed a commendable step. Other provinces have yet to follow suit. The purpose of this article was to highlight the importance of legacy as it is, and as it should be in my opinion. Leaving different forms of properties for our loved ones is undoubtedly greatly appreciable but more important is the moral legacy we pass on to the next generation. Values that instil humanity, love, forgiveness and honour should have more worth than material wealth. The writer, lawyer and author, is an Adjunct Faculty at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) Published in Daily Times, June 2nd 2018.