Being charitable to the kin & the orphan & sincere intention

Being charitable to the kin

Kin (by lineage or affinity) means paternal and maternal relatives like uncles, aunts and grandchildren.

Brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, sons-in-law and daughters-in-law are also among relatives.

Being kind and charitable to them is by visiting them and solving their problems and needs. Being kind to the closest relatives is one of the Divine orders and legal and moral obligations which will be rewarded with a great reward while denying it will be faced with a painful torment on the Day of Resurrection.

The Qur'an emphasizes on that breaking covenants, cutting kin relations and corruption in the earth are among the signs of the great loss and the ones, who commit such things, are considered as losers;

“Who break the covenant of Allah after its confirmation and cut asunder what Allah has ordered to be joined, and make mischief in the land; these it is that are the losers.” Qur'an, 2:27

Cutting the relation with one’s relatives is not permissible even if this one gets harm and damage from those relatives.

Visiting one’s relatives and being courteous and kind to them are among the divine ethic and admirable conducts and they are rays of the good morals. If some of one’s relatives are not religious or they are disbelievers and there is a hope of guiding them, then one must try to guide and save them. He must strengthen his relation and communication with them and must visit them often and always to enjoin the right and to forbid the wrong.

Many traditions have been narrated from the Prophet (s) and the infallible imams (s) in this concern whose wise instructions and recommendations should be paid much attention by every believer.

Here are some of the important traditions of the Prophet (s) about strengthening kinship;

‘The promptest good in being rewarded is maintaining kinship.’[1]

‘Maintaining kinship makes accounting (on the Day of Resurrection) easy and it protects one from bad death.’[2]

‘Maintain your kinship in this world even by a greeting.’[3]

‘Maintain your relation with one who has cut his relation with you, do good to one who has done wrong to you and said the truth even if it is against you!’

‘Allah changes the three years that remain in the life of one, who maintains his kinship, into thirty years and He changes the thirty years that remain in the life of one, who cuts his kinship, into three years.’ Then the Prophet (s) recited:

“Allah effaces what He pleases and establishes (what He pleases), and with Him is the basis of the Book.” Qur'an, 13:39

Ameerul Mo'mineen (s) has said, ‘Be generous to your tribe because they are your wing by which you fly, your origin to which you come back and your hand by which you attack!’[4]

Imam al-Hadi (s) has said, ‘Once Prophet Moses (s) said to Allah the Almighty, ‘What is the reward of one who maintains his kinship?’ Allah said, ‘O Moses, I delay his death (prolong his life) and make the agonies of death easy for him.’

Being kind to the orphan

The matter of being kind, charitable and merciful to the orphans has been mentioned in the Qur'an about eighteen times. Allah has said,

“And they ask you concerning the orphans Say: To set right for them (their affairs) is good, and if you become co-partners with them, they are your brethren; and Allah knows the mischief-maker and the peacemaker, and if Allah had pleased, He would certainly have caused you to fall into a difficulty; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise.” Qur'an, 2:220

“And give to the orphans their property, and do not substitute worthless (things) for (their) good (ones), and do not devour their property (as an addition) to your own property; this is surely a great crime.” Qur'an, 4:2

“(As for) those who swallow the property of the orphans unjustly, surely they only swallow fire into their bellies and they shall enter burning fire.” Qur'an, 4:10

“…and that you should deal towards orphans with equity; and whatever good you do, Allah surely knows it.” Qur'an, 4:127

“And do not approach the property of the orphan except in the best manner until he attains his maturity.” Qur'an, 6:152

The Prophet (s) has said, ‘Whoever adopts an orphan of the Muslims to his subsistence Allah will enter him into Paradise unless he commits an unforgivable sin.’[5]

The Prophet (s) has also said, ‘In the Paradise there is a house called the “house of joy”. No one will enter this house except those who has delighted the orphans of the believers.’[6]

One day a man came to the Prophet (s) complaining of his hard- heartedness. The Prophet (s) said to him, ‘If you like your heart to be soft and you get your needs, be merciful to the orphans, pat their heads and feed them from your food. Then your heart will be soft and your needs will be achieved.’[7]

Ameerul Mo'mineen (s) has said, ‘Every believing man and believing woman puts his/her hand on an orphan’s head Allah will reward him/her with a good deed for each hair his/her hand passes over.’[8]

Being kind to the needy

The needy person is that one whom need and poverty have disabled and who has lost every means of living.

The duty of the believers and their legal and human responsibilities are to help this needy person with their money to solve his problems, to keep his dignity and to satisfy his needs.

The Qur'an has made obligatory on the believers to take care of the needy and to satisfy their needs. The Qur'an considers satisfying the needs of the needy and taking care of them as one of the great worships because Allah loves this doing and this high morals and He loves everyone who tries to improve the conditions of the needy and to care for their livings.

As for paying no attention to the needy and poor people and turning away from them will no doubt, according to the Qur’anic verses, bring painful torments on the Day of Resurrection.

“And give to the near of kin his due and (to) the needy and the wayfarer, and do not squander wastefully.” Qur'an, 17:26

“…and give away wealth out of love for Him to the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and the beggars and for (the emancipation of) the captives.” Qur'an, 2:177

“Alms are only for the poor and the needy, and the officials (appointed) over them, and those whose hearts are made to incline (to truth) and the (ransoming of) captives and those in debts and in the way of Allah and the wayfarer; an ordinance from Allah; and Allah is knowing, Wise.” Qur'an, 9:60

Being stingy, not spending on the needy and not taking care of them are not causes of deserving torment in the afterworld only but also they have bad and dangerous effects on man’s life in this world.

Allah has mentioned in the sura of al-Qalam (68) the verses 17-33 the story of the brothers who had inherited a flourishing garden from their father but they did unlike what their father did. Their father was generous and kind to the poor and needy. When the brothers inherited this garden they decided in their meeting not to help any poor one who would come to them the following day. They would close the gate of the garden and would not allow anyone of the poor and needy to come to them. In that night and because of that satanic intention and malicious thinking, a thunderbolt hit the garden by the will of Allah and burnt all the fruitful trees and nothing remained in the garden except ashes.

In the morning when the brothers opened the gate of the garden, they became astonished at seeing the ashes instead of their flourishing garden. They began blaming each other and said,

“Glory be to our Lord, surely we were unjust.” Qur'an, 68:69

The Qur'an sees that the appearance of the problems of poverty and neediness is because of some reasons among which are not caring for the poor, not being kind to them and not helping them.

“But when He tries him, then straitens to him his means of subsistence, he says: My Lord has disgraced me. Nay! but you do not honor the orphan, nor do you urge one another to feed the poor, and you eat away the heritage, devouring (everything) indiscriminately, and you love wealth with exceeding love.” Qur'an, 89:16-20

When there is nothing in man’s heart save love for money and wealth, poverty, neediness and meanness appears on man.

The Holy Qur'an mentions in the sura of al-Haqqah (69) some kinds of severe torment that will be the reward of some people because of two reasons; disbelieving in Allah and not feeding the poor.

“And as for him who is given his book in his left hand he shall say: O would that my book had never been given to me, and I had not known what my account was. O would that it had made an end (of me). My wealth has availed me nothing. My authority is gone away from me. Lay hold on him, then put a chain on him. Then cast him into the burning fire. Then thrust him into a chain the length of which is seventy cubits. Surely he did not believe in Allah, the Great, nor did he urge the feeding of the poor. Therefore he has not here today a true friend, nor any food except refuse (pus or festering liquid) which none but the wrongdoers eat.” Qur'an, 69:25-37

In fact taking care of the affairs of the poor and the needy is something very important that whoever is indifferent to this matter will be liable to the wrath of Allah and will get painful punishment on the Day of Resurrection. It is narrated that Gabriel has said, ‘I love three things in the worldly life; guiding the deviants, supporting the wronged people and loving the needy.’[9]

Imam as-Sadiq (s) has said, ‘…whoever helps them (the needy) with the leftover of his money, Allah will reward him with wide gardens in Paradise, forgive him and will be pleased with him.’[10]

He has also said, ‘Whoever feeds a believer until he makes him satiate no one of the creatures of Allah will know how much reward he will get on the Day of Resurrection; neither a close angel nor a prophet except the Lord of the worlds.’ Then he added, ‘From among the requisites of forgiveness is feeding a hungry Muslim.’[11] Then he recited,

“Or the giving of food in a day of hunger, an orphan near of kin, or some poor wretched in misery.” Qur'an, 90:14-16

Courteous saying

The many Qur’anic verses that talk about the important and sensitive job of the tongue and the importance the Qur'an has entrusted the tongue with show the great and the very important function of this organ of man.

The tongue leads either to the deliverance of man or to his perishment in this world and the afterworld.

The tongue can be the cause of tranquility and peace in the family and society and it can be the cause of disturbance and confusion.

The tongue is either a reformer or corruptive. It either keeps reputation, dignities and secrets of people or exposes their secrets and disgraces them.

The Qur'an invites all the people especially the believers to meet the others with good and courteous sayings. Besides the Qur’anic verses there are many important traditions talking about this important organ narrated from the Prophet (s) and the infallible imams (s). Perhaps if we collect these traditions from the books of Hadith, we can compose a big book on this concern alone.

The Prophet (s) has said, ‘When the son of Adam gets up in the morning, all the organs say to the tongue, ‘Fear Allah on behalf of us! If you become straight, all of us will become straight and if you become deviate, all of us will become deviate.’[12]

Ameerul Mo'mineen (s) has said, ‘The tongue is the scales of man.’[13]

The Prophet (s) has said, ‘Allah will punish the tongue with torment that He will never punish any other organ with. The tongue will say, ‘O my Lord, you have punished me with torment that You have never punished any of the organs with!’ It will be said, ‘A word has come out of you and has reached the east and the west and because of it inviolable bloods have been shed, moneys have been robbed unlawfully and honors have been violated unlawfully.’[14]

Imam Ali (s) has said, ‘How many men have been perished because of their tongues!’

The tongue must be controlled day and night and must not be set free to say whatever it likes. One has to think deeply before saying anything. One has to say the suitable thing, at the suitable time, in the suitable place, before the suitable person and about the suitable subject. One has to put in mind that Allah is present at every time and everywhere in order not to commit a sin that cannot be repented of or forgiven.

Imam as-Sadiq (s) when talking about this verse “and speak kindly to people” (Qur'an, 2:83) has said, ‘Speak kindly to all people whether the believers or other than the believers. As for the believers you are to meet them smilingly and delightfully and as for the others you are to speak with them kindly to attract them towards faith and even if they do not believe at least you will keep yourself and your brothers safe from their evil.’[15]

Imam al-Baqir (s) has said when explaining this verse “and speak kindly to people,” ‘Say to them the best as you like to be said to you. Allah hates those who curse and abuse the believers and those who speak obscenely and ask importunately and He loves coy, polite, patient, lenient and chaste people.’[16]

The Prophet (s) has said, ‘All the speech of the son of Adam is against him and not for him except enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong or mentioning Allah.’[17]

According to the verse 83 of the sura of al-Baqara (2) mentioned above, being kind to the parents, the relatives, the orphans and the needy and saying good and courteous talking with all the people are among the good moral things that a repentant of sins especially the major sins and in order to perfect his repentance and reform his condition, doings and sayings has to follow. He has to follow the orders mentioned in this verse so that he can purify his inward from vices and bad deeds and replace them with good morals, good doings and good sayings to gain success in this life and the afterlife.

Sincerity

Sincere intention is one of the most important matters which the Qur'an and the holy traditions have paid too much attention to.

Thinking, intention, doings and morals will not be of any value and the doer will not deserve any Divine reward unless these things are immersed in sincerity.

If any doing, behavior or moral quality is not done for the sake of Allah, it will be useless and with no value and it will not be rewarded by Allah at all.

The persons, who repent of sins, have, after repenting, to reform themselves in doings and sayings and have to know that Allah is present always and everywhere and he sees their outwards and inwards so they have to be sincere to Allah in all of their worldly and religious affairs. They have to avoid doing good when intending just to be seen by others. They have to deal in offering their worships and obligations with Allah only in order to be resurrected with the believers and pious people in the afterlife. In this concern there are several verses. Here are some of them;

“Except those who repent and amend and hold fast to Allah and are sincere in their religion to Allah, these are with the believers, and Allah will grant the believers a mighty reward.” Qur'an, 4:146

“Now, surely, sincere obedience is due to Allah (alone).” Qur'an, 39:3

“…therefore serve Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience.” Qur'an, 39:2

“…and we shall have our deeds and you shall have your deeds, and we are sincere to Him.” Qur'an, 2:139

Doing just to be seen by others annuls the doing and devoids it of any value whereas sincerity gives the doing a great value and makes it rewardable in the afterlife.

A repentant has to reform his intention and to make his will just towards Allah so that the tree of his repentance fruits and the fruits ripen.

Being sincere is to turn to Allah, to believe in the Day of Resurrection, to take lessons from the lives and conducts of the loyal saints, to believe that the key of Paradise and Hell is in the hand of Allah the Almighty and under His will and that the happiness and unhappiness of one have no relation with the others.

The Prophet (s) has said, ‘If a servant becomes sincere to Allah for forty mornings, springs of wisdom will flow from his heart to his tongue.’[18]

Imam as-Sadiq (s) has said, ‘Everything submits to the believers and everything reveres them. If a believer is sincere to Allah, Allah will make every thing fear him even the vermin, the beasts and the birds in the sky.’[19]

Imam Ali (s) has said, ‘The cause of sincerity is certainty.’[20]

‘The essence of sincerity is not to wish what the people have.’[21]

‘Whoever wishes what Allah has will be sincere in his doings.’[22]