Q: If a woman has children and the children’s father passed away, and the woman’s parents want to give the orphan grandchildren’s property to the woman’s brother, then do they have the right to do so? If not, then what should the woman do? Should she fight her parents and brother to take her children’s money and property back or should she ignore it and leave if for the Day of Judgement?
A: It is haraam for them to take the inheritance of the children and give it to somebody else. Consuming the wealth of the orphans unjustly is a grave sin. Severe warnings have been sounded in the Quraan and hadith in regard to usurping the wealth of orphans.
Allah Ta'ala says in the Quraan Majeed:
إِنَّ الَّذينَ يَاْكُلونَ أَمْوَالَ اليَتـٰمىٰ ظُلمًا إِنَّما يَاْكُلُوْنَ فِىْ بُطُوْنِهِم نَارًا وَسَيَصْلَوْنَ سَعِيْرًا ﴿النساء: ١٠﴾
Those who consume the wealth of the orphans unjustly are consuming within their bellies the fire of Jahannum.
In the mubaarak hadith, Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) has said:
عن أبي هريرة عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه كان يقول على المنبر أحرج مال الضعيفين اليتيم والمرأة (صحيح ابن حبان، الرقم: 5565)
I warn you in regard to (unjustly taking) the wealth of two weak people, orphans and women.
In another hadith, Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, "Refrain from seven destructive (major) sins." The Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) asked, “O Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), what are the seven destructive sins?” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “Ascribing partners with Allah Ta‘ala, practicing black magic, murdering an (innocent) soul which Allah Ta‘ala has forbidden (you to kill) except with a right, consuming usury, usurping the wealth of an orphan, fleeing from the battlefield and making false accusations of Zina against innocent, chaste, believing women.”
We advise that you refer this case to an Islamic Ulamaa body or the Jamiat of your area and ask them to assist you in this regard.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال اجتنبوا السبع الموبقات قالوا يا رسول الله وما هن قال الشرك بالله والسحر وقتل النفس التي حرم الله إلا بالحق وأكل الربا وأكل مال اليتيم والتولي يوم الزحف وقذف المحصنات المؤمنات الغافلات (صحيح البخاري، الرقم: 2766)
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