Guardianship over Orphans

Question:
Who is an orphan? And what is the age limit at which orphanhood ends? The questioner asks: Is it permissible for the guardian to appoint someone to manage the orphans' wealth, if that person is trustworthy and knowledgeable about trade matters? Does he have the right to take charge of their affairs and invest their wealth?

Answer:
Answer: An orphan is one whose father has died while he is still below the age of puberty; because he needs guardianship over him for his upbringing and guidance, and he needs someone to protect his wealth from loss. Allah commanded kindness to orphans, so He established for them a right among the ten rights mentioned in the saying of the Exalted: (And worship Allah and associate nothing with Him...) the verse. The orphan has a great right upon the Muslims, and it is obligatory for the one who takes charge of his affairs to be kind to him and to protect his wealth. Among the forms of reconciliation is to invest it so that it increases and grows, and so that zakah does not consume it. He should invest it himself, or entrust its investment to a trustworthy person among those in whom he has confidence. There is nothing wrong with this. The important thing is that it is invested in order to grow and increase. This is for the benefit of the orphan and is among the reforms in the orphan's wealth.