VII. Generosity and Orphans

VII. Generosity and Orphans

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)." 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." 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." 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.'" 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) 134. Al-Hasan reported that an orphan used to eat with Ibn 'Umar. One day he called for food and looked 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!" 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. 136. Abu Bakr ibn Hafs reported that 'Abdullah would not eat unless an orphan was at his table. 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. 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." 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." 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.'" 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." 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.'"

VIII. Children Dying

80. The excellence of someone whose child has died 143. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "No Muslim who has had three of his children die young will enter the Fire, except to expiate an unfulfilled oath." 144. Abu Hurayra reported that a woman came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with a child. She said, "Make supplication for him. I have buried three children." He said, "You have built a strong barrier against the Fire." 145. Khalid al-'Absi said, "A son of mine died and I felt intense grief over his loss. I said, 'Abu Hurayra, have you heard anything from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to cheer us regarding our dead?' He replied, 'I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, "Your children are roaming freely in the Garden."'" 146. Jabir ibn 'Abdullah said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'If anyone has three of his children die young and resigns them to Allah, he will enter the Garden.' We said, 'Messenger of Allah, what about two?' 'And two,' he said." Mahmud ibn Labid said to Jabir, "By Allah, I think that if you had asked, 'And one?' he would have given a similar answer." He said, "By Allah, I think so too." 147. same as 144, different isnad. 148. Abu Hurayra reported, "A woman came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, 'Messenger of Allah! We cannot come to sit with you, so set aside a day when we can come.' He said, 'Your appointed place is the house of so-and-so.' He came to the women at that time. Part of what he said to them was, 'There is no woman among you who has three children die, resigning them to Allah, who will not enter the Garden.' A woman said, 'And if it is two?' He replied, 'And if it is two.'" 149. Umm Salim said, "While I was with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, he said, 'Umm Salim! There is no Muslim couple who have three of their children die without Allah admitting them to the Garden by virtue of His mercy to them.' I said, 'And if there are two?' He said, 'And if there are two.'" 150. Al-Hasan reported that Sa'sa'a ibn Mu'awiya told him that he met Abu Dharr finding him alone without any relatives and asked, "Don't you have any children, Abu Dharr?" He said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'There is no Muslim who has three of his children die before they reach puberty without Allah admitting him to the Garden by virtue of His mercy to them. There is no man who frees a Muslim with Allah Almighty making each of the limbs of the one who is freed a ransom for each of the emancipator's limbs.'" 151. Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If someone has three children die before they reach puberty, Allah will admit him and them to the Garden by virtue of His mercy." 81. Someone whose miscarried child dies 152. Sahl ibn al-Hanzala, who had no children, said, "I would prefer to have a miscarried child while I am a Muslim and resign that child to Allah than to have the entire world and what it contains." 153. 'Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Which of you prefers the money of heirs to his own money?" "Messenger of Allah," they replied, "there is none of us who does not prefer his own wealth to that of his heirs." The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Know that there is not one of you who does not prefer his heirs' money to his own. Your wealth is what you have spent (for Allah) and the wealth of your heirs is what you leave." 154. He said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Who do you reckon to be the childless among you?" They said, "They are those who do not have any children." No," he said, "The childless are those who have not sent any of their children ahead (i.e. none of their children have died)." 155. He reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Who do you reckon to be the one who most often throws people down (in a fight)?" They replied, "The one whom men do not throw down." He said, "No the one who throws people down is the person who controls himself when he is angry." Return to Contents Next Page Return to Home Page