In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
Helping the Poor & Orphans (for teens)
Even though we sometimes see healthy and young people begging, we should not assume they are lazy and looking to make “quick money”. Islam condemns begging but encourages Muslims to help those in need.
In particular, the ones in real need are often too ashamed to ask and we need to search and identify them. And along with that, the Quran and hadith speak highly of those who take orphans under their care.
The following are verses of the Quran and Ahadith on helping orphans and the poor.
The Poor and Orphans in the Holy Quran:
... لَا تَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَقُولُوا لِلنَّاسِ حُسْنًا ...
… Worship no one but Allah, do goo to parents, relatives, orphans, and the poor, and speak kindly to people …
Surah al-Baqarah, 2:83
لَيْسَ الْبِرَّ أَنْ تُوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَلَٰكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالْكِتَابِ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَآتَى الْمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِ ذَوِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَالسَّائِلِينَ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ ...
Piety is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but piety is [personified by] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and who gives wealth, for the love of Him, to relatives, orphans, the poor, the traveller and the beggar …
Surah al-Baqarah, 2:177
يَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنْفِقُونَ ۖ قُلْ مَا أَنْفَقْتُمْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَلِلْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْأَقْرَبِينَ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ ۗ وَمَا تَفْعَلُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ
They ask you, [O Muhammad], as to what they should spend. Say, "Whatever wealth you spend, let it be for parents and relatives and orphans and the poor and the traveller [in need]. And whatever good you do, Allah indeed knows it."
Surah al—Baqarah, 2:215
فَأَمَّا الْيَتِيمَ فَلَا تَقْهَرْ * وَأَمَّا السَّائِلَ فَلَا تَنْهَرْ
So as for the orphan, do not oppress [him]. And as for the beggar, do not repel [him].
Surah ad-Duha, 93:9-10
أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يُكَذِّبُ بِالدِّينِ * فَذَٰلِكَ الَّذِي يَدُعُّ الْيَتِيمَ * وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ
Have you seen him who denies the Judgement [Day]? That is the one who drives away the orphan and does not urge the feeding of the poor.
Surah al-Ma’un, 107:1-3
Orphans in Hadith
- Prophet Muhamad [PBUH] said:
“In Paradise, there is a place called Dar al-Farh (The Adobe of Joy) – none shall enter it except one who brings joy (farh) to the orphans of the believers.”
- Prophet Muhammad [PBUH] said:
“One who takes hold an orphan from the Muslims to share his food and drink, Allah will definitely admit him to Paradise unless he commits an unforgivable sin.”
- A man complained of being hard-hearted and the Prophet [PBUH] advised him,
“Do you wish to soften your heart and have your wishes granted? Show mercy to the orphan and pat his head, and feed him from your food (i.e. what you eat). Your heart will soften and you will obtain your wishes.”
- The Messenger of Allah (s) said:
“I and the guardian of an orphan shall be like “this” in Paradise (and he joined his index and middle fingers when saying “this”).
- Imam Ali [AS] said in his testament:
“Allah, Allah (i.e. I remind you of Allah's command) concerning the orphans. That they should never be hungry or lost while you are present. For I heard the Messenger of Allah [PBUH] saying: One who supports an orphan until his needs are met, Allah, the Mighty & Glorious, makes Paradise (Jannah) obligatory (wajib) on him because of that; just like He makes the Fire obligatory on one who consumes the property of orphans.”
- Imam All [AS] said:
“If any believing man or woman places their hand on the head of an orphan, out of mercy for them, Allah would write for them a good deed for every hair that their hand passes through.”
The Orphans of Aal Muhammad (s)
- Rasulullah [PBUH] said:
“More in need than the orphan who has lost his father is the “orphan” who has been cut off from his Imam and is unable to reach him. He does not know what the (shari'ah) law is and what affects him in his religion.
So whoever from our Shi'ah is learned in our teachings should take under his wing the one who is ignorant in our shari'ah and is cut off from knowing us. One who guides and sets (such a person) aright and teaches him our shari'ah, shall be with us in the highest level (al-rafiq al-a'ala) (of Paradise).”
- The Messenger of Allah [PBUH] said:
“The learned ('ulama) from our Shi'ah will be raised on the Day of Judgement and honoured in proportion to the quantity of their knowledge and their effort in guiding the servants of God; until one of them will be given a million robes of honour made of light (nur). Then a caller of our Mighty & Glorious Lord will call out,
(saying): 'O you guardians of the orphans of the family (Aal) of Muhammad, you who revived and strengthened them when they were cut off from their (spiritual) fathers, their Imams ... here are your students and the 'orphans' that you supported and strengthened, so give them (intercession) as you gave them knowledge in the world.”
- Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba [AS] said:
“The superiority of a guardian to an orphan of Aal Muhammad i.e. one who is cut off from his Imams and stuck in ignorance - and one who takes such a person out of his ignorance and teaches him over the superiority of a guardian to an orphan that he feeds and gives waters is like the superiority of the Sun over a hidden (dark) star.'
- Imam Hussain [AS] said:
“One who becomes a guardian on our behalf to an orphan who is cut off from our love, and he shares with him of our knowledge that had fallen away from him, until he guides him and sets him aright (then) Allah, the Mighty & Glorious, says: O noble and charitable servant! I am greater in nobility than you (i.e. in how I shall give you). O’ My angels! Give him in the gardens, in exchange for every letter that he taught, a million palaces, and add to them what is appropriate for them from all the blessings.”
