My father passed away, and he had a sum of money in the bank which he had placed for orphans for whom he was the guardian. After his death, I withdrew the money for its owners, but the usurious increase...

The questioner : The questioner says: “Your Eminence, the Shaykh, my father passed away, and he had a sum of money in one of the usurious banks. He had placed it for orphans for whom he was the guardian. However, this amount increased every year by what the bank calls savings. After my father’s death, I withdrew the money for its owners, except that I took the interest out of it and gave it to the mujahideen. Please note that my father was a layman and did not know the ruling on this.”

The Shaykh : This action by the man is a good action, and it is the removal of the usurious increase from this money, because this is a purification for it, and it is in the interest of the orphans for whom he was the guardian. However, if he had obtained permission from the judge in this matter, that would have been safer, because I fear that one of the people or these orphans, when they grow up, might demand this usurious increase from him. And if he has permission from the judge, then the judge’s ruling settles the dispute. As for the action in terms of its legal validity, it is a valid action, and there is no blame on him for it. Yes.