The status of the orphan in Islam is a high one. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was himself an orphan: his father passed away before his birth, and his mother in his childhood. He was raised first by his grandfather, Abdul Muttalib, and then by his uncle, Abu Talib, growing so close to his uncle that the year Abu Talib passed away became known in the Seerah as the 'Year of Sadness'.
What does the Qur'an say about caring for orphans?
Orphans are mentioned in the Qur'an more than twenty times, alongside repeated mention in the Hadith and Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.
“And they feed, for the love of Allah, the poor, the orphan, and the captive…”
The Qur'an also places giving to orphans among the marks of true righteousness: believing in Allah, the Last Day, the Angels, the Book and the Prophets, "and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveller…" (Qur'an 2:177). And when guiding believers on where charitable spending should go, the Qur'an again names orphans directly: "Whatever good offering you spend is to be for your parents, and nearest relatives, and orphans, and the indigent, and the needy wayfarers" (Qur'an 2:215).
What did the Prophet ﷺ say about caring for orphans?
“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.”
The Prophet ﷺ also described the closeness that awaits those who care for orphans:
“I and the caretaker of the orphan will enter Paradise together like this, raising (by way of illustration) his forefinger and middle finger jointly, leaving no space in between.”
To be close to the Prophet ﷺ in this way is something every Muslim should strive for. This sits within a wider teaching on communal responsibility; the Prophet ﷺ described believers as being like one body in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy: "When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever" (Bukhari and Muslim).
How can I support orphans today?
There are many ways to support orphan care today, and MyTenNights has partnered with some of the world's most established charities to help ensure donations are targeted where they're needed most.
Read Foundation
Read Foundation works towards a world where poverty no longer exists and every individual has access to education. Its mission to end poverty through education centres strongly on the orphan, and its 390 schools have supported around 11,341 orphans so far. Sponsoring an individual orphan through Read Foundation can provide accommodation, food, education and other support needed to give them a better chance in life.
Hidaya Foundation
Since 1999, Hidaya Foundation has served people in need around the world through social welfare, education, health care, self-employment and environmental projects. Among its most extensive efforts is support for orphans and their widowed mothers or guardians, helping meet both daily needs and the educational needs of school-aged orphans. Hidaya currently supports nearly 13,000 orphans and over 7,000 widows each month across 12 countries: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Cameroon, Guinea, Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Gambia, Yemen, and Turkey (for Syrian refugees).
Orphans in Need
Orphans in Need is a UK-based organisation supporting and caring for over 30,000 orphans and their families across 14 countries. Its focus is solely on orphans and widows, working to ensure the support provided is sustainable, particularly in areas worst affected by poverty. This includes regular food parcels, funding access to education, and essential medical care, delivered through two dedicated schemes: the Orphans Village project and Global Orphan Care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Islam place such importance on caring for orphans?
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was himself raised as an orphan, and both the Qur'an, which mentions orphans over twenty times, and the hadith repeatedly emphasise their care as a mark of righteousness.
What reward is promised for caring for orphans?
The Prophet ﷺ said that he and the caretaker of an orphan would enter Paradise together, illustrating the closeness with a gesture of his forefinger and middle finger joined with no space between them (Bukhari).
Which charities does MyTenNights partner with for orphan care?
Read Foundation, Hidaya Foundation, and Orphans in Need each run dedicated orphan-care and sponsorship programmes that MyTenNights partners with.
How many times are orphans mentioned in the Qur'an?
Orphans are mentioned more than twenty times throughout the Qur'an.
