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Fatwa CenterIs supporting an orphan who lost his mother the same as supporting an orphan who lost his father?
Question
Is supporting an orphan who lost his mother the same as supporting an orphan who lost his father? Is the Hadeeth where the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "I and the one who looks after an orphan will be like this in Paradise, showing his middle and index fingers" applicable in such a case?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger.
It is authentically reported that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, “I and the one who looks after an orphan will be like this in Paradise, showing his middle and index fingers and separating them.” [Al-Bukhari]
According to another version, he sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said "One who looks after an orphan, whether he is his relative or not, I and he would be together in Paradise like this (i.e. showing his middle and index fingers)." [Muslim]
Scholars unanimously agreed that an orphan is a child who lost his father before reaching puberty. However, they differed as to whether a child who lost his mother is considered an orphan or not. Some scholars stated that a child who lost his mother is considered an orphan.
Az-Zarkashi 
said "It is well known that an orphan is a little one who lost his father. In humans, an orphan is a child whose father is dead, while in animals, an orphan is a little one whose mother is dead." Al-Maawardi said: "This is because an animal is attributed to its mother, so it becomes an orphan when its mother dies. On the other hand, a human being is attributed to his father, so he becomes an orphan when his father dies.” Ibn Abi Hurayrah, also said in his commentary on the chapter of Hajr: "An orphan is a child who lost both his father and mother as is unanimously agreed. Likewise, one who lost his father is called an orphan without any difference in opinion. However, there are two opinions regarding one who lost only his mother: the first is that he is considered an orphan, following the opinion that confirms the mother's responsibility for her child."
Ibn Hajar held that supporting an orphan is applicable in the case of a father who replaces the mother in raising a child who lost his mother. This is stated within his explanation of the statement of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, that reads: "One who looks after an orphan whether he is his relative or not…," as he said, "A relative means that one who takes care of an orphan is his grandfather, uncle, brother and so on or that the mother replaces the dead father in looking after the child or vice versa.”
The conclusion is that one who takes care of a baby who lost his mother is included in the meaning of the mentioned Hadeeth, Allaah Wiling.
In general, anyone who does good to an orphan who lost his mother will not miss the reward based on the general indication of the texts that highlight the virtue of being kind and good to others.
Allaah Knows best.
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