Inheritance & Will Disputes in Dubai.

Inheritance and Will Disputes in Dubai and the UAE

Succession law in the UAE is a complex area that touches Islamic inheritance principles, UAE Personal Status Law, recent legislative reforms for non-Muslims, and potentially the laws of the deceased's home country. Whether you need to make a will, contest a will, claim your inheritance rights, or administer a deceased estate, Al Safar & Partners provides expert guidance through every stage of the process.

Making a Will in Dubai

Non-Muslim expatriates in the UAE can register Wills through the DIFC Wills Service Centre, which maintains a dedicated non-Muslim wills registry. Registered DIFC Wills allow non-Muslims to distribute their UAE assets (property, bank accounts, shares) according to their own wishes — rather than having UAE succession law (which follows Sharia for Muslims) applied to their estate. Registration is strongly recommended for all non-Muslim property owners in Dubai. We advise on will drafting and registration, ensuring the will is valid, clear and tax-efficient.

Inheritance Rights Under UAE and Islamic Law

For Muslim decedents, UAE inheritance follows the Sharia system of fixed shares (faraid), under which specific relatives are entitled to defined percentages of the estate. These rules apply to UAE-registered assets including bank accounts and real estate in the UAE, regardless of where the deceased was domiciled. Understanding faraid entitlements and ensuring they are properly calculated and distributed requires specialist expertise. We advise heirs on their entitlements and assist in the estate distribution process.

Contesting a Will or Inheritance Distribution

Grounds for contesting a will or inheritance distribution in the UAE include: lack of testamentary capacity; undue influence; fraud or forgery; failure to follow proper formalities; and disputes about whether Sharia or foreign law applies to the estate. We represent beneficiaries, potential heirs and executors in contested succession proceedings before the UAE Personal Status Courts and the DIFC Courts.

Estate Administration

When a person dies with assets in the UAE, those assets must be formally released to the beneficiaries through a court-ordered succession certificate or will probate process. Banks freeze accounts upon notification of death. We manage the estate administration process — obtaining succession certificates, distributing assets, and resolving creditor claims — efficiently and with sensitivity to the grieving family.

Cross-Border Succession

When the deceased had assets in multiple countries, succession becomes a cross-border matter. A UK grant of probate, for example, does not automatically release UAE bank accounts. We coordinate UAE estate administration with foreign legal processes and advise on the most efficient approach to multi-jurisdiction estate administration.