Helping Orphans

What does it mean to help an orphan?

The message of Islam is all about helping people, relieving suffering, spreading goodness and removing harm. The end doesn't justify the means. We are supposed to do good things in a good way and not resort to counteracting evil with evil.

"The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal. Repel the evil with one which is better…" (Fussilat 41:34)

In recent times the world stood shocked at the disaster that devastated so much of Asia . And in response to the inbuilt goodness that exists within the human soul, mankind stretched his collective hand to render assistance. This is a phenomenal example of human brotherhood that is rarely experienced these days which witness continuous war, injustice, and oppression.

The tides of evil abound this world and have done since the beginning of time and will continue to do so until the end. These tides of evil are only counteracted and held at bay by corresponding tides of goodness. Just like darkness disappears with the rays of light, and cold disappears with warmth, likewise evil disappears with goodness.

A new catastrophe has hit Asia which is already reeling under the weight of trauma and suffering caused by the earthquake and consequent tidal wave. Child traffickers have taken the opportunity to make use of the chaos that prevails to steal away helpless, vulnerable orphans to use or to sell as they wish. Posing as relief workers or parents these evil creatures take away young children.

Where does that leave us? Allah tells us in the Qu'ran that He offered the amana (being the caretakers of the world) to the heavens, the earth and the mountains….. "Truly, We did offer Al-Amanah (the trust and all the duties which Allah has ordained) to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it. But man bore it. Verily, he was unjust to himself and ignorant of its results." (Al-Ahzab 33:72)

Well the reality is that we have this responsibility. Whether or not we live up to it is our decision but we will be judged for what we did in our lives as well as for what we didn't do.

Sahl ibn Sa`d reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I and the one who sponsors an orphan will be like this in Paradise ,” and he gestured with his index and middle fingers (Al-Bukhari).

Do you think you will be resurrected in the company of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and all the other prophets – Jesus, Moses, Abrahim, David, Soloman, Elias, Adam (peace be upon them all) – if you just sit back and watch the world keeping a nice comfortable emotional distance, without striving to fulfill the trust Allah gave us? Paradise doesn't come cheap. We have to work for it. Simply calling ourselves Muslims is not a guaranteed ticket to Paradise ! If all it takes is giving some money, urging others to give, helping out in our own communities and so on, well then that's a start. What does it mean to help an orphan? Well it could mean Paradise .

There is no justification to simply turn our heads away and pretend we don't hear – because we all know what has happened and what is happening now, as well as the threat of what can possibly happen in the future. If the devastation of so many countries didn't touch your heart, if the stories of heart-broken people who lost loved ones didn't touch your heart, if the accounts of homes and businesses destroyed didn't touch your heart, if the pending epidemics and starvation that millions face didn't touch your heart, then the story of sad, lost, weary vulnerable children who have been recently orphaned and are now the target of child traffickers to be sold into the sex industry – must touch your heart. And if it doesn't then pray to God because perhaps you no longer have one.