Quran Underlines Caring for Orphans in Surah Ad-Dhuha

TEHRAN (IQNA) – In every society there are children who have lost their parents for different reasons and need attention and help. The Holy Quran, in different Surahs including Surah Ad-Dhuha, lays emphasis o caring for orphans.

Ad-Dhuha is the 93^rd chapter of the Quran that has 11 verses and is in the 30^th Juz.

It is Makki and the 11^th Surah revealed to the Holy Prophet (PBUH).  

Dhuha means the beginning of the day when the sun’s light spreads in the sky. In the first verse God swears by Dhuha and hence the name of the Surah.

This chapter has three parts. In the first part, God swears two times and then underscores support for the Holy Prophet (PBUH). The second part stresses thankfulness for divine blessings, and the third part includes three moral and social orders: being kind to orphans, helping those in need, and remembering God’s blessings.

Ad-Dhuha is among the chapters of the Quran that were revealed to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) at one time not in different times.

There had been some time during which no verses had been revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and unbelievers mocked him, saying God had abandoned him. Then Surah Ad-Dhuha was revealed, stressing that God has not abandoned His messenger. And after that God enumerates divine blessings.

Surah Ad-Dhuha begins with two swears. God swears by the morning light and by the calm of night. It then tells the Prophet (PBUH) that “Your Lord has not forsaken you.” (Verse 3).

The following verses give the good news to the Prophet (PBUH) that God will give him many blessing so that he would be well pleased. They also remind him of Hod God has always been kind to him, supported him in the most difficult times in his life and given him blessings. Thus, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is ordered to be thankful to God for the blessings, be kind to orphans, help the poor and remind others of divine blessings.

In Verse 6, God points out the Prophet (PBUH) was an orphan: “Did He not find you an orphan and give you shelter?” According to Majma al-Bayan and Al-Mizan exegeses of the Quran, the Arabic word Yateem in this verse could refer to two meanings. The first is orphan, as the Holy Prophet (PBUH) had lost his father. The Prophet’s father, Abdullah died either before his birth or shortly after his birth. The Prophet (PBUH) also lost his mother at the age of six and his grandfather, Abdul Muttalib, at age eight.

The second meaning of Yateem is unique and matchless like in the word Durr al-Yateem, which means an exceptional and unique pearl.