Tark al-Aytām · The Orphan Within the Family Network

The story

The Prophet ﷺ himself was an orphan. His father died before his birth; his mother died when he was six; his grandfather died when he was eight. He grew up in the care of his uncle Abū Ṭālib. Allah named his orphan station in 93:6: did He not find you an orphan and shelter? The Prophet ﷺ's life is the embedded honor of orphans. Every believer who follows his Sunnah cares for orphans.

Why it's named first

Allah named the orphan as one of the categories of ḥuqūq in 4:36, paired with parents and neighbors. The Prophet ﷺ raised his fingers and said: I and the sponsor of the orphan are LIKE THESE in Paradise (showing index and middle fingers, Bukhārī). The orphan's care is one of the highest stations. The disease is the relative or community member who knows of an orphan in his family network and does nothing.

In the Qur'an

۞ وَٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا۟ بِهِۦ شَيْـًٔا ۖ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَـٰنًا وَبِذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينِ وَٱلْجَارِ ذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْجَارِ ٱلْجُنُبِ وَٱلصَّاحِبِ بِٱلْجَنۢبِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ مُخْتَالًا فَخُورًا

“Worship Allāh and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side,¹ the traveler, and those whom your right hands possess. Indeed, Allāh does not like those who are self-deluding and boastful,”

4:36Listen Read 4:36 with tafsir

Svenska: TILLBE GUD och sätt ingenting, vad det än kan vara, vid Hans sida. Och visa godhet mot era föräldrar och nära anförvanter, mot de faderlösa och de behövande, mot grannen som står er nära och grannen som är främling, mot vännen vid er sida och mot vandringsmannen och mot dem som ni rättmätigt besitter. Gud älskar inte de högmodiga och skrytsamma

In the Sunnah

The Prophet ﷺ said: I and the sponsor of the orphan are like these in Paradise, pointing with his index and middle fingers (Bukhārī). The closeness named is the highest a believer can hope for: next to the Prophet ﷺ himself. He also said: the best Muslim home is one in which there is an orphan being treated well; the worst is one in which there is an orphan being mistreated (Ibn Mājah, supported).

The cure

Three practices. 1) Identify if any orphan exists in your extended family or community; if yes, make contact and offer concrete help (financial, mentorship, social). 2) Support an orphan globally (most charity organizations have orphan-sponsorship programs); the monthly sponsorship is small but the Sunnah is huge. 3) Teach your own children about the orphan: their care of orphans now is their training for parenthood.

What is at stake

The community where orphans are neglected loses the proximity to the Prophet ﷺ the hadith named. The family that has a cousin's orphaned children no one cares for, the masjid that has young members whose father died without follow-up, all weigh on the Day. The verse 107:1-2 names the disease as the disease of those who DENY the dīn.