Care for orphans and the needy

Care for orphans and the needy

BY MJ MOHAMMED IQBAL

The first ten days of blessed month of Ramadan has just over and reached its second part. The materials aspects of fasting are more and of course its spiritual benefits are immense for those who are practicing consciously. This blessed month is divided into 3 parts, the first part is merciful, the 2nd part is devoted to seek forgiveness and 3rd part is praying Almighty for freedom from the fire of Hell. This is the month of self-discipline and demonstration and protraction of complete surrender and submission to the will, wiser and commandments of Almighty.

It is quite and just a wonderful deed to concentrate more on the Holy Quran the book of eternal guidance to the mankind which was reveled to Holy Prophet (pbuh) first from this Holy month and hence this month got more superiority.

Holy Quran and Prophet have not left any subject whether it is social, science, management, legal, domestic, crime, etc. Holy Quran's concern towards orphans, poor, servants, slaves and distressed are very note worthy.

Orphans

Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), he himself, an orphan whose father died before he was born, leaving no property. The Prophet's mother Amina was in ailing health and hence he was chiefly brought up by his nurse Halima and his beloved mother Amina died at the age of 6 years of Holy Prophet.

Prophet treated all orphans with tender affection and respect, setting an example to his contemporaries who frequently took advantage of the helpless position of orphans and in any case looked upon them as subordinate creatures to be repressed and kept in their place such as attitude is common in all ages. Helpless creatures ought to be treated as sacred trusts, whether they are orphans, or dependents creatures of any kind unable to assert themselves either through age, sex, social, artificial conditions or any cause whatever.

Holy Prophet further told that he and caretaker of an orphan would be in paradise like these two fingers showing his two fingers where the gap is no space between i.e. so close each other. Further Holy Prophet told, the best home is which an orphan is nicely treated and if the orphan is gently petted or fondled, there will be reward equal to the number of hairs on his head. Though plenty of Holy verses of Quran and Hadeeds, the following would suffice the importance given to orphan.

"Seest thou one Who denies the Judgement (To come)?" [107:1]

"Then such is the (man) Who repulses the orphan (With harshness)" [107:2]

"And encourages not The feeding of indigent." [107:3]

Holy Quran warns that those who are swallowing the properties of orphan unjustly, surely they only swallow - fire into their bellies and they shall enter burning fire and further Holy Quran instructing mankind to treat orphan equally and don't threaten them.

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