ORPHANS ARE YOUR BROTHERS
*فِى الدُّنۡيَا وَالۡاٰخِرَةِؕ وَيَسۡـئَلُوۡنَكَ عَنِ الۡيَتٰمٰىؕ قُلۡ اِصۡلَاحٌ لَّهُمۡ خَيۡرٌ ؕ وَاِنۡ تُخَالِطُوۡهُمۡ فَاِخۡوَانُكُمۡؕ وَاللّٰهُ يَعۡلَمُ الۡمُفۡسِدَ مِنَ الۡمُصۡلِحِؕ وَلَوۡ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ لَاَعۡنَتَكُمۡؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَزِيۡزٌ حَكِيۡمٌ*
*(2:220) both in regard to this world and the Next. They question you concerning orphans. Say: “To deal with them in the way which is to their good, that is best. And if you intermix (your expenses and living) with them, (there is no harm for) they are your brothers.” Allah knows the mischievous from the righteous, and had Allah willed, He would indeed have imposed on you exacting conditions; but He is All-Powerful, Most Wise.*
_Before this verse was revealed many severe injunctions had already been revealed regarding the protection of orphans' property_
★ _It had been ordained that._
*people should not even draw near to the property of the orphan' (6: 152), (17: 34) and that 'those who wrongfully eat the properties of orphans only, fill their bellies with fire' (4: 10).*
★ _It was not permissible for them to use food which belonged to the orphans, nor did they have the right to give what belonged to the orphans in charity. This was a matter of sheer discomfort and a source of loss to the orphans as well._
★ _Because of these severe injunctions the orphans' guardians were so over awed that they 【even separated the food and drink of the orphans from their own】; they felt anxious lest anything belonging to the orphans became mixed with their own._
_It is for this reason that they enquired of the Prophet ﷺ what the proper form of their dealings with orphans should be._
▪ Allah ﷻ reminds us that the purpose of His commands is not to make our lives difficult but to encourage us to live an honest life.
▪ There is no harm in mixing the property of the orphans with one’s wealth as long as no one’s right was being usurped.
▪ Allah ﷻ strengthened the bond by calling one another “brothers”.
▪ The above permission has been hemmed by a warning that Allah watches over the performance of guardians in this matter,
*“And Allah knows the corrupter from the amender…”*
He knows who is mischievous and who is righteous. He knows our intentions. Therefore, we should not wear a garb of piety but be truly righteous in our lives.
▪ Here It should also be remembered that looking after the needs of an orphan is not limited to providing them with food, shelter and clothing but also raising them.
★ _Many people believe that their responsibility ends at providing food, 【but in the absence of one’s parents who will do the tarbiyah of the children?】_
★ _Treat others’ children as you would like your children to be treated. Study the Seerah and see how Prophet’s grandfather and uncles raised him after both his parents had died._
He ﷻ could have, by setting up a harder code of conduct, put the people in trouble that cook separate meals for your family and for the orphan.
But, He has provided an easier code of conduct because He is All-Wise and does not obligate people with what they cannot do.
May Allah ﷻ soften our hearts and allow us to be kind and loving toward the orphans, aameen
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