Seerah of the Prophet s.a.w. - The Orphan Part 2

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace

In the last post, we touched upon the Prophet's s.a.w. status as an orphan.  In this post, we will discuss about his role in defending the rights of orphans.

Even before the advent of Islam, Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. was actively looking after orphans, namely his stepchildren from Khadijah r.a. whose fathers have passed away.  His stepson, Hind ibn Abu Halah, was brought up in his household from a young age and one of the first to embrace Islam.  Hind r.a. was one of those companions who gave a description of the Prophet. s.a.w. and his words showed his affection for his stepfather.

Clearly his own orphanhood made the Prophet s.a.w. sensitive to the orphans around him.  In fact, Surah Ad-Dhuha came about to remind us through the Prophet s.a.w. of such:

Did He not find you an orphan, and give you shelter?...Therefore. as for orphan, do not oppress him.

Ibn Majah also narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that Prophet Muhammad said:

The best Muslim house is a house in which an orphan is well treated; and the worst Muslim house is a house in which an orphan is badly treated.

And certainly the Prophet's household was the best of households with his stepchildren from his wives r.a. being cared for by him. 

In Madina, the Prophet established the laws that defended the rights of the orphans.  The verses in Surah 4 states these rights:

Give unto orphans their wealth. Exchange not the good for the bad (in your management thereof) nor absorb their wealth into your own wealth. Lo! that would be a great sin. (2) And if ye fear that ye will not deal fairly by the orphans, marry of the women, who seem good to you, two or three or four; and if ye fear that ye cannot do justice (to so many) then one (only) or (the captives) that your right hands possess. Thus it is more likely that ye will not do injustice. (3) And give unto the women (whom ye marry) free gift of their marriage portions; but if they of their own accord remit unto you a part thereof, then ye are welcome to absorb it (in your wealth). (4) Give not unto the foolish (what is in) your (keeping of their) wealth, which Allah hath given you to maintain; but feed and clothe them from it, and speak kindly unto them. (5) Prove orphans till they reach the marriageable age; then, if ye find them of sound judgment, deliver over unto them their fortune; and devour it not by squandering and in haste lest they should grow up Whoso (of the guardians) is rich, let him abstain generously (from taking of the property of orphans); and whoso is poor let him take thereof in reason (for his guardianship). And when ye deliver up their fortune unto orphans, have (the transaction) witnessed in their presence. Allah sufficeth as a Reckoner. (6) 

Before these laws were established, the conditions for the orphans, especially girl orphans were terrible.  In the Shade of the Qur'an by Sayyid Qut'b, he wrote:

We see addressed the rights of orphans, particularly girls, plundered by the very relatives and guardians who were supposed to look after them; what property theirs was good and valuable being substituted with foul and less valuable thing. The good of their inheritance being quickly consumed lest these orphans come of age and demand what was rightfully theirs. Young and rich orphaned girls were detained at home until they could be married to their guardians, not because the latter loved them, but rather because they wanted their money. Alternatively, they might be forced to marry their guardians’ sons so as to achieve the same end. We see a society in which the young and vulnerable, as also women, were wronged and not given their rightful share of any inheritance. Strong-bodied men who were able to fight in war got away with the largest share of any inheritance, whilst the weak and vulnerable were left with only a meagre portion. Yet it was for such miserly shares that young orphan girls and widowed women were detained so that they would be married to either the guardians themselves or to whom the latter so chose. The reason for that was simply to ensure that their property would not fall into the hands of strangers.

In a span of a few years in Madina, the Prophet s.a.w. was able to establish the rights of the orphans and in later generations it was codified into the Shariah.  This was due to the strength of faith that the Prophet s.a.w. and the Companions had and the Tarbiyyah (the inculcation of values) that they went through such that they feared Allah's wrath and wanted His approval, such as when Allah warned them in Surah 4

 Allah sufficeth as a Reckoner. (6)...And when kinsfolk and orphans and the needy are present at the division (of the heritage), bestow on them therefrom and speak kindly unto them. (8) ... So let them mind their duty to Allah, and speak justly. (9) Lo! Those who devour the wealth of orphans wrongfully, they do but swallow fire into their bellies, and they will be exposed to burning flame. (10)

As with any of Allah's commands, the laws are established only when the foundations are strong.  Thus we see Allah's Tarbiyyah in action through the various verses in the Quran such as Surah Al-Ma’un 107:1-7

Have you seen the one who rejects [the true spirit] of religion? That is he who repels the orphan. And does not advocate for the feeding of the very poor. Woe to you worshipers! Those who pray yet are heedless. Who only pray to be seen [by men]. But neglect even neighbourly needs.

which shows the prominence Islam gives to helping the needy and uplifting the poor. Anyone who prays with no attention to helping orphans and the needy is spoken of as denying the entire religion. And in Surah 2:177 where Allah says

It is not piety, that you turn your faces to the East and to the West. True piety is this: to believe in Allah, and the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the Prophets, to give of one’s substance, however cherished, to kinsmen, and orphans, the needy, the traveller, beggars, and to ransom the slave, to perform the prayer, to pay the alms. And they who fulfil their covenant when they have engaged in a covenant, and endure with fortitude misfortune, hardship and peril, these are they who are true in their faith, these are the truly God-fearing.

The Prophet himself instructed his Companions as when he said:

Would you like that your heart becomes soft and that you acquire what you need? Be merciful with the orphan, pat his head and feed him from what you eat. This will soften your heart, and enable you to get what you need. ( At-Tabaranee As-Silsilah as Saheehah).

or when he said:

The one who looks after and works for a widow and for a poor person, is like a warrior fighting for Allah’s Cause or like a person who fasts during the day and prays all the night.  (Saheeh Al Bukhari :: Book 8 :: Volume 73 :: Hadith 35)

or:

I and the person who looks after an orphan and provides for him, will be in Paradise like this, putting his index and middle fingers together. (Saheeh Al Bukhari ::Book 8 :: Volume 73 :: Hadith 34 )

Is it therefore not our duty as Muslims to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet s.a.w. and the Companions to defend and uphold the rights of the orphans?  With Eid Al-Fitr around the corner and the last ten days of Ramadhan rushing past by us, should we not grab the opportunity afforded to us this Ramadhan to do exactly that?  

Here are some links if you want to grab the opportunity:
Islamic-Relief for Orphans
Save The Children - Children-in-need-of-care
World Vision - child-sponsorship
Rahma Mercy - orphan sponsorship

May you be rewarded for your good works.  Ameen.