The Amount a Supervisor of the Properties of Orphans Can Lawfully Use

مَنْ كَانَ يَلِي شَيْئاً لِلْيَتَامَى وَ هُوَ مُحْتَاجٌ لَيْسَ لَهُ مَا يُقِيمُهُ فَهُوَ يَتَقَاضَى أَمْوَالَهُمْ‌[3] وَ يَقُومُ فِي ضَيْعَتِهِمْ فَلْيَأْكُلْ بِقَدَرٍ وَ لَا يُسْرِفْ وَ إِنْ كَانَ ضَيْعَتُهُمْ لَا تَشْغَلُهُ عَمَّا يُعَالِجُ لِنَفْسِهِ فَلَا يَرْزَأَنَّ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ شَيْئاً.

“About the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘One who is poor can eat to the proper limit’, (4:6) abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is one who manages the properties of orphans but is needy and does not have anything to support himself. He collects debts that people owe to them (orphans) and looks after

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- وَ إِنْ‌ تُخالِطُوهُمْ فَإِخْوانُكُمْ‌ قَالَ يَعْنِي الْيَتَامَى إِذَا كَانَ الرَّجُلُ يَلِي لِأَيْتَامٍ فِي حَجْرِهِ فَلْيُخْرِجْ مِنْ مَالِهِ عَلَى قَدْرِ مَا يُخْرِجُ لِكُلِّ إِنْسَانٍ مِنْهُمْ فَيُخَالِطُهُمْ وَ يَأْكُلُونَ جَمِيعاً وَ لَا يَرْزَأَنَّ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ شَيْئاً إِنَّمَا هِيَ النَّارُ.

“About the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘If you mix with them then they are your brothers in religion’, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is a reference to orphans. If one becomes the person-in-charge of the affairs of orphans, one must take from one’s own assets a certain amount, and equal to this

الْمَعْرُوفُ هُوَ الْقُوتُ وَ إِنَّمَا عَنَى الْوَصِيَّ أَوِ الْقَيِّمَ فِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ وَ مَا يُصْلِحُهُمْ.

“About the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘He must eat to the proper limit’, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Al-Ma‘ruf (proper limit) is what one needs for sustenance. It applies to the executor of the will or one who is appointed as the custodian of their assets and to work for their welfare.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ سَأَلَنِي عِيسَى بْنُ مُوسَى عَنِ الْقَيِّمِ لِلْيَتَامَى فِي الْإِبِلِ وَ مَا يَحِلُّ لَهُ مِنْهَا قُلْتُ إِذَا لَاطَ حَوْضَهَا وَ طَلَبَ ضَالَّتَهَا وَ هَنَأَ جَرْبَاهَا فَلَهُ أَنْ يُصِيبَ مِنْ لَبَنِهَا مِنْ غَيْرِ نَهْكٍ بِضَرْعٍ وَ لَا فَسَادٍ لِنَسْلٍ‌[1].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ‘Isa ibn Musa asked about guardians of orphans, camels and what is lawful in matters of camels. I said, ‘If he repairs their water tank, finds the lost ones, scratches their itch, he then is entitled to use their milk without excessive use of their udder or harming their young.’”

ذَلِكَ رَجُلٌ يَحْبِسُ نَفْسَهُ عَنِ الْمَعِيشَةِ فَلَا بَأْسَ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ إِذَا كَانَ يُصْلِحُ لَهُمْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فَإِنْ كَانَ الْمَالُ قَلِيلًا فَلَا يَأْكُلْ مِنْهُ شَيْئاً قَالَ قُلْتُ أَ رَأَيْتَ قَوْلَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- وَ إِنْ تُخالِطُوهُمْ فَإِخْوانُكُمْ‌ قَالَ تُخْرِجُ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ بِقَدْرِ مَا يَكْفِيهِمْ وَ تُخْرِجُ مِنْ مَالِكَ قَدْرَ مَا يَكْفِيكَ ثُمَّ تُنْفِقُهُ قُلْتُ أَ

“About the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘One who is poor can eat within the proper limits’, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘He is a man who holds himself back from making his living (to help the orphans). It is not harmful if he eats within the proper limits when he looks after their properties. If t

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الْيَتِيمِ يَكُونُ غَلَّتُهُ فِي الشَّهْرِ عِشْرِينَ دِرْهَماً كَيْفَ يُنْفَقُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْهَا قَالَ قُوتُهُ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ وَ التَّمْرِ وَ سَأَلْتُهُ أُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِ ثُلُثَهَا قَالَ نَعَمْ وَ نِصْفَهَا.

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about an orphan whose income every month is twenty dirham; how I must spend it. He (the Imam) said, ‘Spend what the orphan needs of food and dates.’ I asked if spending one-third is sufficient. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, you must spend half of the income.’”