What does Islam say about Care for orphans?
Caring for orphans is a sunnah. The Messenger ﷺ was an orphan, so were many of the sahaba, and numerous companions also cared for orphans in their own homes.
The Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever embraces an orphan of two Muslim parents by feeding him and giving him drink until he is independent of him, Paradise will certainly be necessary for him.” (Hadith Ahmad)
Looking after orphans is not just a logical duty – who else will look after the children of the ummah if not the ummah itself? – but it is also part of our history and tradition.
What does the Quran say about Care for orphans?
There are many instances where Allah mentions the orphans and out duty to them, but let us take the example of Surah Fajr. Here, Allah explains that many humans, when tested, will boast and brag, and assume that Allah is pleased with us, but when tested, they blame Allah, losing faith, rather than looking inwards to see if they are fulfilling Allah’s instructions. The surah adds that such an arrogant person doesn’t deserve to honoured because they aren’t fulfilling their duties.
No! But you do not honor the orphan. And you do not encourage one another to feed the poor. [Quran 89:17-18]
Our very pursuit of security and success is interlinked with our efforts towards supporting the most vulnerable of the ummah.
What did the Messenger ﷺ say about Care for orphans?
When he ﷺ praised the women of the Quraysh, he did so by mentioning, first and foremost, their kindness to orphans, and then their loyalty to their husbands. He describes the rights of orphans (and women) to be inviolable – this should not be taken lightly.
The Prophet ﷺ said, “The person who strives on behalf of the widows and the poor is like those who strive in the way of Allah and like those who fast in the day and pray at night.” (Al-Adab Al-Mufrad)
Again, every word the Messenger ﷺ said was deliberate. The reward for simply striving to take care of orphans and widows – typically vulnerable members in any community – is akin to the behaviour we associate with the most pious believers. Not all piety and obedience is in just the act of worshiping – as valuable as this is – but also in adhering to the commands in the Quran on how we should behave within our community.
Care for orphans = a softened heart
Many hadiths mention how the Messenger ﷺ encouraged the ummah to protect orphans not just for the child’s sake, but for the sake of their own heart too. Helping others is a treatment for the harshness of the world, keeping our hearts soft.
“A man who complained of a hard heart came to the Prophet ﷺ. He said: ”Would you like your heart to be soft and you meet your needs? Be merciful to an orphan. And rub his head and feed him from your food; your heart will become soft and you will meet your needs.” (Al-Albani)
Care for orphans year after year
An orphan waqf is an endowment that ensures that orphans are cared for year after year. One year, your charity may provide them with food, another it could buy their school books, and another it could pay for their medicine. Since we never spend your charity – we invest it and use only the profit to help orphans – your impact and blessings continue year after year.
Find out more about creating a world of good for orphans.
The Waqf Fund. Good, for good
