7. Generosity and Orphans

7. Generosity and Orphans

Chapter 71. Generosity

129. Abu Hurayra said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked, ‘Which people are the most generous?” He replied, ‘The most generous of them in the sight of Allah are those with the most taqwa.’ They said, ‘That is not what we are asking about.’ He said, ‘The most generous of people was Yusuf, the Prophet of Allah, son of the Prophet of Allah, who was the son of the Intimate Friend of Allah (Ibrahim).’ They said, ‘That is not what we are asking about.’ He said, ‘Are you asking about those of Arab origin?’ ‘Yes,’ they replied. He said, ‘The best of you in the Jahiliyya is the best of you in Islam when you have understanding from Allah).”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: While the first response of the Prophetﷺ is from the angle of being noble by acting upon good deeds, his second response refers to nobility in terms of lines of descent. The word, Ma’adin (lit. treasures) actually refers to Arab ancestry to which the Arabs proudly ascribe themselves. So, those who displayed noble charaters during the Time of Ignorance to preserve ancestral pride and then accepted Islam and still adhered to nobility as a religious practice in addition to having true understanding of the religion are the best of the people. The hadeeth shows that a questioner could still make his intent clear in a good manner when the response given to his question does not resolve the problem area.

Chapter 72. Kindness to both the pious and the deviant

130. Mundhir at-Tawri reported what Muhammad ibn ‘Ali (ibn al-Hanafiyya) said about, “Is the repayment of kindness anything except kindness?” He said, “It is not denied to either the pious or the deviant.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

Chapter 73. The excellence of someone who provides for an orphan

131. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The person who strives on behalf of the widows and poor is like those who strive in the way of Allah and like those who fast in the day and pray at night.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth encourages taking care of orphans, widows and the poor; it likens it to fighting in the way of Allah, fasting during the day and observing the late-night prayers. However, what is likened to another is basically lesser in rank to that to which it was likened.

Chapter 74. The excellence of someone who provides for his orphan

132. ‘A’isha said, “A woman came to me who had two of her daughters with her. She asked me for something, but I could not find anything except for a single date which I gave her. She divided it between her daughters and then got up and left. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came in and I told him what had happened. He said, ‘Whoever looks after these girls in any way and is good to them will have them as a veil from the Fire.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This shows the kindness of the mother for her child, and that being merciful to others, especially the children and near relatives earns one Allah’s mercy. It also encourages towards giving in charity, and evinces the permissibility of mentioning a good deed one performed if doing so will not lead to pride

Chapter 75. The excellence of someone who provides for an orphan in the company of his parents

133. Umm Sa’id bint Murra al-Fihri related from her father that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “I and the guardian of an orphan will be in the Garden like these two.” (His two fingers)
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth shows that maintaining the orphan is one of the means to gaining entrance into the Garden. Imam Ibn Battaal (الله رحمه (said: “The one who hears this should act upon it to be in the company of the Prophetﷺ in the Garden, and there is no rank greater than that in the hereafter.”

134. Al-Hasan reported that an orphan used to eat with Ibn ‘Umar. One day he called for food andlooked for this orphan but could not find him. He arrived after Ibn ‘Umar had finished. Ibn ‘Umar called for more food to be brought to him but they did not have any. So he was brought sawiq and honey. He said, “Here, have this! By Allah, you have not been cheated!” Al-Hasan said, “By Allah, Ibn ‘Umar was not cheated!”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary :Sawīq is a kind of mash made of barley

135. Sahl ibn Sa’d reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “I and the guardian of the orphan will be in the Garden like that,” indicating his forefinger and middle finger.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth encourages taking care of orphans, widows and the poor; it likens it to fighting in the way of Allah, fasting during the day and observing the late-night prayers. However, what is likened to another is basically lesser in rank to that to which it was likened.

136. Abu Bakr ibn Hafs reported that ‘Abdullah would not eat unless an orphan was at his table.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This shows the humility of this companion , his kindness towards orphans and his eargerness to earn the beautiful rewards of taking care of the orphan.

Chapter 76. The best house is a house in which orphans are well treated

137. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The best house among the Muslims is the house in which orphans are well treated. The worst house among the Muslims is the house in which orphans are ill treated. I and the guardian of the orphan will be in the Garden like that,” indicating his two fingers.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

Chapter 77. Be like a merciful father to orphans

138. Dawud said, “Be like a merciful father towards the orphan. Know that you will reap as you sow. How ugly poverty is after wealth! More than that: how ugly is misguidance after guidance! When you make a promise to your friend, fulfil your promise. If you do not, it will bring about enmity between you and him. Seek refuge in Allah from a companion who, when you mention something to him, does not help you and who does not remind you when you forget.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth encourages us to kindly treat orphans and reminds us that taking care of orphans earns us tremendous rewards. It could also be inferred from the narration that some orphans may choose to renegade from Islam if they lose their wealth; so they are warned that: As ugly as poverty is after wealth, misguidance after guidance is worse than that. And the refuge is with Allah. Breaking promises is from the aspects of hypocricy and the hearts detest that. One should ask Allah for and actually seek out good companions, and seek Allah’s refuge from companions who will not give him remembrance when he errs.

139. Al-Hasan said, “I remember a time among the Muslims when their men would shout (to remind their families), ‘O family! O family! (Look after) your orphan! Your orphan! O family! O family! (Look after) your orphan! Your poor person! Your poor person! O family! O family! (Look after) your neighbour! Your neighbour!’ Time has been swift in taking the best of you while every day you become baser.” Hamza ibn Nujayh said that he heard al-Hasan say, “If you wish, you can see a deviant going 30,000 times deeper into the Fire. What is wrong with him? May Allah fight him! He has sold his portion from Allah for a price of a goat. If you like, you can see him constricted and desirous of the path of Shaytan. There is no one to warn him – neither himself nor anyone else.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

140. Asma’ bint ‘Ubayd said, “I said to Ibn Sirin, ‘I have an orphan in my care.’ He said, ‘Treat him as you would treat your own child. Beat him as you would beat your own child.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:That is, since you do not beat your child except that you anticipate that it benefits him in his religion and worldly affairs; then you should beat the orphan under your care for the same reasons. This indicates that to beat a child when and as apprioprate is from the parents’ showing mercy to their children

Chapter 78. The excellence of a woman who perseveres with her child and does not re- marry

141. ‘Awf ibn Malik reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “I and a woman who is widowed and is patient with her child will be like these two fingers in the Garden.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

Chapter 79. Disciplining an orphan

142. Shumaysa al-‘Atakiyya said, “The disciplining of orphans was mentioned in the presence of’A’isha and she said, ‘I would beat an orphan until he submits.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The orphans in the care of ‘Ā‘isha (عنها الله ريض (were the children of her brother. She loved them as a mother would do, but she would also beat them to discipline them. That is, since you do not beat your child except that you anticipate that it benefits him in his religion and worldly affairs; then you should beat the orphan under your care for the same reasons. This indicates that to beat a child when and as apprioprate is from the parents’ showing mercy to their children