According to the Qur’an, How the Inheritance is Shared?

There is a claim that there are two contradictions about inheritance sharing. According to this claim, while it is said that the inheritance is a right for the successor, inheritance share ratios are described in an-Nisa Verse 11 and 12. When the verses are read carefully, it appears that there is no contradiction between the two events. There verses are:

It is decreed for you: when death approaches one of you, and he leaves wealth, to make a testament in favor of the parents and the relatives, fairly and correctly—a duty upon the righteous. (al-Baqarah Surah – 180)

God instructs you regarding your children: The male receives the equivalent of the share of two females. If they are daughters, more than two, they get two-thirds of what he leaves. If there is only one, she gets one-half. As for the parents, each gets one-sixth of what he leaves, if he had children. If he had no children, and his parents inherit from him, his mother gets one-third. If he has siblings, his mother gets one-sixth.

After fulfilling any bequest and paying off debts. Your parents and your children—you do not know which are closer to you in welfare. This is God’s Law. God is Knowing and Judicious.

You get one-half of what your wives leave behind, if they had no children. If they had children, you get one-fourth of what they leave. After fulfilling any bequest and paying off debts. They get one-fourth of what you leave behind, if you have no children. If you have children, they get one-eighth of what you leave. After fulfilling any bequest and paying off debts.

If a man or woman leaves neither parents nor children, but has a brother or sister, each of them gets one-sixth. If there are more siblings, they share one-third. After fulfilling any bequest and paying off debts, without any prejudice. This is a will from God. God is Knowing and Clement. (4 an-Nisa Surah, 11-12)

In the verse 180 of al-Baqarah Surah, it is notified that testament is a right and that everyone can leave a testament for sharing their goods after their death. But a person can die without a will. In this case it is expressed in the verses of an-Nisa about how to share the goods left by this person. There is no contradiction between these verses. Provisions regarding laws of inheritance are notified according to different situations in the two verses.