International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) |Volume II, Issue XI, November 2018|ISSN 2454-6186 www.rsisinternational.org Page 177 Contributions of ZaidBnThabit in the Development of Islamic Law of Inheritance Dr. Muntaka Yahaya Aminu Department of Islamic Studies, Faculty of Arts and Islamic Studies, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria Abstract: - ZaidbnThabit (RA) was one of the renowned Sahabah of the Prophet (SAW). He was one of the prominent scribes of the noble Prophet (SAW). He was one of the four prominent companions who specialized in Islamic law of succession. Namely: AliyubnAbiTalib, Ibn Abbas and IbnMas’ud (RA). He was commended by the Prophet (SAW), among the Sahabah and other prominent scholars for his deep understanding of Islamic law of inheritance. ZaidbnThabit (RA) held a number of opinions regarding some aspects of mirath. He exercised various juristic analogies (Ijtihadat) on Islamic law of inheritance. Most of his views form the majority line. It is in view of this development that this paper seeks to analyze some of his major opinions on Islamic law of inheritance and the significance of the views to the development of the science. Keywords: Zaid Bin Thabit, Development of Islamic Law and Inheritance. I. INTRODUCTION he significance of Islamic law of inheritance to the socio- political, economic and religious development of the lives of the Muslims cannot be underestimated. This is one of the reasons that the Prophet (SAW) commanded Muslims to learn the knowledge of inheritance and transmit it to others for it is half of knowledge which is easily forgotten and the first to be lifted from his (Ummah) community.Allah (SWT) has blessed this Ummah with different personalities who are well grounded in the knowledge of Islamic law of inheritance right from the first generation of the Muslims down to the contemporary era. One of these important figures among the companions of the Prophet (SAW) was ZaidbnThabit (RA). He gave many verdicts based on juristic reasoning on many aspects and issues relating to Islamic law of succession most of which were unanimously agreed upon by the majority of the scholars. It is in the light of the above facts that this paper intends to examine the contributions of ZaidbnThabit (RA) in the development of Islamic law of inheritance. After the introduction, the paper highlights on the biography of ZaidbnThabit in the first section of the paper. The second section discusses the historical origin and development of the science. The third section analyses the significance of the law of inheritance in Islam to the lives of the Muslims. Finally, the paper addressed the subject matter by examining some major opinions of ZaidbnThabit (RA) on Islamic law of inheritance such as his opinion on Umariyyatain case, Doctrine of Awl (increase), mutual imprecation, inheritance right of son’s son or son’s son’s son together with daughter of son, among others. The researcher adopts analytical method in addressing the problem. Each view presented in this paper is fully analyzed to show its significance in the development of Islamic law of inheritance. II. BIOGRAPHY OF ZAIDBNTHABIT (RA) ZaidbnThabit was born at Madinah in 608CE and died in 653CE. He was one of the prominent companions and scribes of the noble Prophet (SAW). He was from the Ansar (Helpers) of bani al-Najar. He joined the ranks of the Muslim army at the age of 19. After the death of the Prophet (SAW), he contributed immensely to the compilation of the Glorious Qur’an. He was a noted expert on the Qur’an. He was assigned the role of authenticating and collecting the oral and textual Qur’anic revelation into a single bounded copy. ZaidbnThabit possessed many virtues and is well known for his good merits. After the burial of ZaidbnThabit, Ibn Abbas (RA) was reported to have said: O you people, whoever wishes to know how knowledge leaves us should know that it is like this that knowledge leaves. I swear by Allah that a great deal of knowledge has just left us today (IbnHajarn.d). Umar bn al-Khattab (RA) said: O people, whoever wants to know about the knowledge of inheritance, let him go to ZaidbnThabit (IbnHajarn.d). According to al-Shafi’iyy (Rahimahullah): “ZaidbnThabit (RA) specialized in two fields of knowledge: Qur’an and Islamic law of succession (IbnHajarn.d).” IbnThabit (RA) had contributed greatly in the preservation and compilation of the Glorious Qur’an. The above attestation by some Sahabah and scholars of later generations confirmed his prominence in the field of Islamic law of inheritance and Qur’anic sciences. III. ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF ISLAMIC LAW OF INHERITANCE The origin of Islamic law of succession goes directly to Allah (Almighty) who explains the shares allotted to the heirs in the three fundamental verses of the Qur’an in Surah T