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2- AND GIVE THE ORPHANS THEIR WEALTH, AND DO NOT EXCHANGE WHAT IS GOOD FOR WHAT IS EVIL, AND DO NOT TAKE THEIR WEALTH INTO YOUR WEALTH, FOR THIS IS A GREAT SIN.

In this Ayah, Allah the Highest commands to be very honest in dealing with the orphan’s money, particularly those under our care.  There are the following points:

1-    “AND GIVE THE ORPHANS THEIR WEALTH”. 

When we are entrusted with the wealth of the orphans, once they come of age, we should never withhold their money with us, unless they are not of sound minds, for Allah the Highest said: “AND TEST THE ORPHANS WHEN THEY REACH PUBERTY, IF YOU FIND THEM OF SOUND MINDS, GIVE THEM THEIR WEALTH”.  (S:4 A:6)

The age of being of age used to be considered the age of puberty, at which men can be independent and women may marry, and become independent.  Now, because of education, men and women depend on their guardians for longer, consequently, they might not considered to of age until they are 18 or even 21.

2-     “AND DO NOT EXCHANGE WHAT IS GOOD FOR WHAT IS EVIL”.

This means:

A-  Not to exchange the good parts of their wealth and inheritance for the bad parts of our.  This can happen if the orphan’s inheritance was mostly goods or property, mixed with that of the guardian.

B-   Not to exchange of the pure lawfully earned money with spending out of the money of the orphans for this is evil. 

3-    “AND DO NOT TAKE THEIR WEALTH INTO YOUR WEALTH”

That is not to take the property and money of the orphans outright, which is theft, but worse than the usual theft. 

Also not to mix our money and property with that of the guardian’s; then the guardian treating both as his own.

When the Muslims heard this Ayah, those who were guardians of orphans were very worried about mixing their money and property with that of the orphan’s under their guardianship.  Then Allah the Highest sent this Ayah down: “AND THEY ASK YOU ABOUT THE ORPHANS, SAY: “THE BEST IS TO DO WHAT IS GOOD FOR THEM, AND IF YOU MIX YOUR AFFAIRS WITH THEM, TREAT THEM LIKE BROTHERS”.  ALLAH KNOWS THOSE WHO DO MISCHIEF FROM THOSE WHO DO GOOD”.  (S:2 A:220)

In this Ayah, Allah the Highest clearly tells us that the most important thing in dealing with the money of the orphans is intending to do good for them.  Allah the Highest knows our intentions; it is not hidden from Him.

4-    “FOR THIS IS A GREAT SIN”.

All of the above actions Allah the Highest forbidden, and which are meant to take advantage of and abuse the orphan’s inheritance, are sinful.  They are in fact a great sin.  Indeed, it is very evil for the person who is entrusted with the orphan’s money to look after and invest and spend until the orphan is of age, to be the person who steals it.