KINDNESS TO THE POOR AND WEAK IN ISLAM

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Allah said:

وَاخْفِضْ جَنَاحَكَ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

Lower your wing to the believers.

Surah Al-Hijr 15:88

And Allah said:

وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ ۖ وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا

Keep yourself patient with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. Let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life.

Surah Al-Kahf 18:28

And Allah said:

فَأَمَّا الْيَتِيمَ فَلَا تَقْهَرْ وَأَمَّا السَّائِلَ فَلَا تَنْهَرْ

As for the orphan, do not oppress him. As for the beggar, do not repel him.

Surah Ad-Duha 93:9-10

And Allah said:

أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يُكَذِّبُ بِالدِّينِ فَذَٰلِكَ الَّذِي يَدُعُّ الْيَتِيمَ وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ

Have you seen him who denies the Judgment? That is the one who repels the orphan and does not encourage feeding the poor.

Surah Al-Ma’un 107:1-3

Sa’d, RadiyAllahu Anhu, reported: We were with the Prophet, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, and the idolaters said to the Prophet, “Drive these people away, lest they turn against us.” We were myself, Ibn Mas’ud, Bilal, a man from the tribe of Hudhail, and two men whose names I did not know. The Prophet thought within himself whatever Allah wished him to think, and then Allah revealed the verse:

وَلَا تَطْرُدِ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ ۖ

Do not turn away those who call upon their Lord in the morning and evening, seeking His countenance. (6:52)

Source: Sahih Muslim 2413, Grade: Sahih

Sahl ibn Sa’d, RadiyAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, said:

أَنَا وَكَافِلُ الْيَتِيمِ فِي الْجَنَّةِ هَكَذَا

The one who cares for an orphan and myself will be together in Paradise like these two fingers.

Source: Sahih Bukhari 5659, Grade: Sahih

The Prophet held his two fingers together to illustrate.

Anas ibn Malik, RadiyAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, said:

مَنْ عَالَ جَارِيَتَيْنِ حَتَّى تَبْلُغَا جَاءَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَنَا وَهُوَ

Whoever cares for two girls until they reach maturity, then him and I will come together on the Day of Resurrection like these two fingers.

Source: Sahih Muslim 2631, Grade: Sahih

The Prophet held his two fingers together to illustrate.

Abu Huraira, RadiyAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, said:

لَيْسَ الْمِسْكِينُ بِالَّذِي تَرُدُّهُ التَّمْرَةُ وَالتَّمْرَتَانِ وَلَا اللُّقْمَةُ وَاللُّقْمَتَانِ إِنَّمَا الْمِسْكِينُ الْمُتَعَفِّفُ اقْرَءُوا إِنْ شِئْتُمْ لَا يَسْأَلُونَ النَّاسَ إِلْحَافًا

The poor person is not the one who is satisfied with a date or two or a morsel or two, but rather the poor person is only who abstains from begging. Recite the verse if you wish: They do not ask people persistently. (2:273)

Source: Sahih Bukhari 4265, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi

Abu Huraira, RadiyAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, said:

السَّاعِي عَلَى الْأَرْمَلَةِ وَالْمِسْكِينِ كَالْمُجَاهِدِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَوْ الْقَائِمِ اللَّيْلَ الصَّائِمِ النَّهَارَ

One who strives to help the widows or the poor is like one who strives in the cause of Allah, or one who prays at night and fasts during the day.

Source: Sahih Bukhari 5038, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi

Abu Huraira, RadiyAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, said:

شَرُّ الطَّعَامِ طَعَامُ الْوَلِيمَةِ يُمْنَعُهَا مَنْ يَأْتِيهَا وَيُدْعَى إِلَيْهَا مَنْ يَأْبَاهَا وَمَنْ لَمْ يُجِبْ الدَّعْوَةَ فَقَدْ عَصَى اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ

The most evil food is the food of a wedding banquet in which those who want to come are prevented and those who are invited refuse to come. Whoever does not answer an invitation has disobeyed Allah and His Messenger.

Abu Huraira, RadiyAllahu Anhu, said:

بِئْسَ الطَّعَامُ طَعَامُ الْوَلِيمَةِ يُدْعَى إِلَيْهِ الْأَغْنِيَاءُ وَيُتْرَكُ الْمَسَاكِينُ

The worst food is the food of a wedding banquet in which the rich are invited but the poor are left out.

Source: Sahih Muslim 1432, Grade: Sahih

Aisha, RadiyAllahu Anha, reported: A woman along with her two daughters came to me asking for charity, but she found nothing with me except one date which I gave to her and she divided it between her two daughters, and then she got up and left. Then the Prophet came in and I informed him about the story. The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, said:

مَنْ يَلِي مِنْ هَذِهِ الْبَنَاتِ شَيْئًا فَأَحْسَنَ إِلَيْهِنَّ كُنَّ لَهُ سِتْرًا مِنْ النَّارِ

Whoever is responsible for these daughters and treats them with excellence, then they will be a shield from the Hellfire for him.

Source: Sahih Bukhari 5649, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi

In another narration, the Prophet, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, said:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَوْجَبَ لَهَا بِهَا الْجَنَّةَ أَوْ أَعْتَقَهَا بِهَا مِنْ النَّارِ

Verily, Allah as assured her place in Paradise or He has freed her from the Hellfire by her daughter.

Source: Sahih Muslim 2630, Grade: Sahih

Abu Huraira, RadiyAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, said:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أُحَرِّجُ حَقَّ الضَّعِيفَيْنِ الْيَتِيمِ وَالْمَرْأَةِ

O Allah, I have issued a warning concerning the rights of two weak groups: orphans and women.

Source: Sunan Ibn Majah 3678, Grade: Sahih

Mus’ab ibn Sa’d, RadiyAllahu Anhu, reported: Sa’d viewed himself as better than those below him. The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, said:

هَلْ تُنْصَرُونَ وَتُرْزَقُونَ إِلَّا بِضُعَفَائِكُمْ

You are given support and provision due to your weak ones.

Source: Sahih Bukhari 2739, Grade: Sahih

Abu Ad-Darda, RadiyAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, said:

ابْغُونِي ضُعَفَاءَكُمْ فَإِنَّمَا تُرْزَقُونَ وَتُنْصَرُونَ بِضُعَفَائِكُمْ

Seek out the vulnerable among you. Verily, you are only given provision and support due to your weak ones.

Source: Sunan At-Tirmidhi 1702, Grade: Sahih

Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.