Is it obligatory to return the money to my father after I took it for myself instead of giving it to an orphan, or is repentance sufficient?
This money is a trust (amanah) for the orphan, and disposing of it after puberty is a great sin and a betrayal that necessitates repentance by returning what was taken, due to the Prophet's (peace be upon him) saying: "On the hand is what it took until it returns it." The money can be returned to the sender or the recipient; for agency (wakalah) is not invalidated by transgression according to many scholars, and agency without remuneration is not binding. However, if the disposal occurred before puberty, there is no sin upon you because the pen is lifted from the child, but there is a disagreement among scholars regarding the guarantee of the consumed money.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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