Part 10

community, there will be death. Whenever fraud in measure and weight appears in a community, there will

be deprivation of rain." 3

"The usurer suffers the torture from death up to the Day of Judgement by swimming in the Red

River which is like blood and he is fed while swimmingly stones."4

The stones represent the unlawful wealth he has collected in the world. He is also fed by stones (It was

narrated before.) of fire like what he has swallowed of unlawful wealth in the world. This is his lot of

torture in the period of Barrier before the Day of Judgement in addition to the curse of Allah.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

"Four classes of people will be prevented from entering Paradise nor will they taste its blessing as Allah

decreed: the intoxicant, the usurer, the one who appropriates the orphan's property without a lawful cause

and the one who was disobedient to his parents if they did not repent all."5

It was narrated that the usurers will be resurrected in the form of dogs and pigs since they contrived for

devouring usury like the people of Sabath who contrived for hunting fish by making basins in which the

fish were trapped on Saturday and then were collected on Sunday. Therefore, they were turned into

monkeys and pigs. Similarly, this will be the abode of those who contrive for devouring usury. However,

Allah knows all what they contrive. Abu Ayub As-Sakhtiani says." Behold! They deceive in the same

manner when deceiving a child."

"Usury has seventy two doors, the least of them is compatible with committing adultery with one's mother.

The most heino[{s kind of usury is to transgress by defaming one's brother." 6

Anas related, "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) preached us and expounded the question of usury by saying,

Reported by Ibn Majah. It is likely to be classified as weak.

Reported by Al-Hakim who said this hadith has a good chain of transmission.

This hadith has numerous references.

Reported by AI-Hakim who said this hadith has a good chain of transmission.

Postulated by AI-Haith ami in Majma' Al-Zawa'id.

"One Dirham gained by usury is more heinous than thirty six times of adultery at the sight of Allah." 1

"Usury is of seventy sins, the least of which is compatible with committing adultery with one's mother."2

Abu Bakr said, "He who takes the interest and the giver are in the Hell-Fire alike."

Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "When indebting someone, you should not accept his

gift since it is usury." Moreover, AI-Hasan, may Allah be pleased with him, regarded what you ate in your

indebted house as Suht (taking of usury or bribes.)

"When a loan renders an interest it is subsumed under usury."3

Ibn Mas'ud also said, "Whoever intercedes for someone, and then is offered a gift, it is considered

This is indicated in the following hadith:

"Whoever intercedes' (for someone) and is then offered a gift, then he approaches a grievous door

We ask Allah's pardon and soundness in the religion, the world and the Hereafter.

Reported by Ibn Abi Dunya.

It has been narrated before.

Postulated by Ibn Hajar in :41-Matalib AI-Aliyyah' and he said it has a missing transmission.

Reported by Abu Dawud and Ahmad.

13) Wrong Consuming an Orphan's Property

Allah, the Most High, says,

{Those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans eat up fire into their own bodies: they will soon be

enduring a blazing fire.} (Al-Nisa': 10)

{Come not nigh to the orphan's property except to improve it, until he attains the age of full strength.}

"When I was taken up in Ascent (Mi'raj) I saw some men gapping their jaws under the coercion of other

men. Then came another men who fed them stones of fire that penetrated their bodies and came out from

their anus. I wondered: 'Who are they, Gabriel?' He replied, 'They are those who unjustly eat up the

property of orphans eat up a fire intotheir bodies."1

It was related that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

"Allah, Most High resurrected some people from their graves with fire flaming out from their

bodies and burning their faces." The Prophet was asked: 'Who are they, Messenger of Allah?" He said,'

Allah, the Almighty says, {Those who unjustly will eat up the property of orphans eat up a fire into their

own bodies: they will soon be enduring a blazing fire.} (AI-Nisa': 10)2

As-Sadiy, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "On the Day of Judgement, the one who appropriated

an orphan's property will be resurrected with the flames of fire coming out from his mouth, ears, nose and

eyes. Therefore, he will be well-identified." (Isma'il Ibn AbdelRahman As-Sadiy was accused of following

Scholars said that there is no harm if a poor guardian of an orphan consumes some of his charge's

property without exceeding what is permissible as much as he disposes and improves his business affairs.

What is in excess of the permissible is absolutely unlawful (Suht)? Allah, the Almighty says,

{If the guardian is well-off, let him claim no remuneration, but if he is poor, let him have for himself what

is just, reasonable. When ye release their property then, take witnesses in their presence: But all-sufficient

is Allah in taking account.} (An-Nisa': 6)

Reasonable consuming of an orphan's property may be interpreted as: Intending the loan, fulfilling his

own needs without excess, taking the wage of disposing or improving the orphan's business or intending to

return what he takes out of need, if he becomes prosperous. These different points of views are mentioned

Reported by Ibn Hibban on the authority of Abu Bazrah but it has a weak trans

by Ibn AI-Jawziy in his Tafsir (exegesis)

"I and one who takes care of an orphan, will enter paradise together like this" and he raised his forefinger

and middle finger jointly leaving no space betWeen them (by way of illustration)." 1

"I and one who takes care of an orphan, whether related to him or a stranger, will be like these two in

paradise;" and the narrator raised his forefinger and middle finger to illustrate this." 2

The guardianship of an orphan means to dispose his affairs: food, clothing and to improve his property

if he has any. However, if he is poor, it is recommended to take care of him for the sake of Allah. In the

aforementioned hadith, there is a reference that the orphan mayor may not be a relative as the Prophet says

in the hadith: "related to him or a stranger"

"Whoever receives an orphan from amongst the Muslims to feed and give him drink until Allah makes him

prosperous, Allah will render the Paradise binding to him unless he commits an unforgivable sin." 3

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

"Whoever wipes over an orphan's head for the sake of Allah, he will be rewarded for every hair he touched

good deeds. Whoever has an orphan and treats him or her kindly, I and he will be in the Paradise like that

(Then he combined his two fingers)." 4

Someone asked Abu Ad-Darda' an advice. Thus he advised him saying, "Show mercy to the orphan,

bring him nearer to you and feed him of what you eat. I heard Allah's Messenger (pbuh), when a man asked

him about the harshness of his heart, saying,

"If you want to soften your heart, then you should bring the orphan nearer, wipe over his head and feed

him of what you eat. These surely will soften your heart and enable you to do what you need." 5

One of the early Muslims recounted, "I was at first used to committing sins and drinking wine. Then,

one day I received a poor orphan. I was kind to him, fed him, gave him a bath and clothed him. I treated

him as tenderly as a man does with his own son and more. Afterwards, I went to sleep I dreamt that it was

the day of Judgement and I was called for reckoning. Then, I was to go to Hell for my sins. I was dragged

by the angels of punishment to the Fire. Meanwhile, when I was being dragged to the Fire, the orphan

blocked me and said, 'O angels of my Lord, let him go. So as to intercede for him before Allah since he

treated me kindly and honored me.' But the angels said; 'We were not commanded to do so.' Then came the

call of Allah, "Let him go. I forgave him because of the orphan's intercession and the kind treatment he did

Reported by Ibn Hajar AI-Haithami Majma' AI-Zawa'id.

with him. Then, I got up and repented to Allah the High Exalted. Later on, I kept on doing my best to show

"The best of the houses is that which contains an orphan who is treated kindly and the worst of the houses

is that which mistreats him. The most beloved one to Allah the Almighty is the one who offers a favor to an

"Allah revealed to Dawud (pbuh): "0 Dawud! Be a loving father to the orphan, and a kind husband to the

widow. Put into your account that the more you do the more you reap 2

This means that whatever you do, you will find its consequences thereafter. For example, when you die

and leave a child or a widow, thy will be treated in the same manner you treated others.

In his soliloquy, Dawud says, "O Allah! What is the recompense of whomever takes care of an orphan

or a widow for Your Sake?" Allah answered, "He will be under the Shade of Mine when there will be no

shade except Mine." i.e., the shade of the Throne on the Day of Judgement."

The following is another account that highlights the excellence of treating the orphan and the widow

kindly. Once there was someone who belonged to the 'Alowiyyin sect. He lived in Balkh (a Byzantine

region) and had a wife and several daughters. They were living in luxury and prosperity. Then the husband

died. His widow and daughters become so poor that they moved to another town to flee from the ghost of

noticing their enemies rejoice at her misfortune. Having entered the town she resorted to a deserted mosque

with her daughters. Then, she went out to bring them something to eat. She passed by two people, a Muslim

She started by asking the Muslim and explained to him how she suffered a lot while she was an