The Guardian's Responsibility for the Property of Orphans

Question:
May Allah reward you and bless you. Honorable Shaykh, a listener to the program says: I am overseeing a property that belongs to the husband of my deceased sister, for the sake of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He. This is a voluntary act on my part, not a formal appointment. The property consists of residential apartments. As you know, some tenants pay on time, some only pay installments, and some delay payment and then flee, and I know nothing about them. The question, Shaykh, is: Do I bear responsibility in my conscience for the orphans' money regarding those who flee, delay, or fail to pay, while advising the tenants to pay what they owe, and being rewarded for it?

Answer:
There is no doubt that the guardian of orphans is commanded to preserve their property until they grow up and then hand it over to them. He should not rent to anyone except one he trusts to pay the rent, and he must take the necessary documentation and precautions. If, after that, some negligence occurs and the agent has not been negligent and has taken the precautions, then he is not held accountable. However, if some of the orphans' money, whether rent or otherwise, is lost due to his laxity and negligence, then he must compensate for it.