Rebuilding the lives of the orphans of Gaza | Jumu'ah Khutbah | Sh. Yaser Birjas

Rebuilding the Lives of the Orphans of Gaza

The orphan grew up to make this whole world busy with his remembrance and his stories and his accomplishments, his achievements. The Ummah today is dealing with a crisis of orphans everywhere. SubhanAllah, look everywhere around you, in Kashmir, in Burma, in Yemen, in Syria, everywhere. And obviously today as we speak, in Gaza.

When it comes to the subject of the orphans, we all know the hadith of the Prophet ﷺ when he says, I will be in Jannah with those who sponsor the orphans, take care of the orphans like this. And he pointed ﷺ with his two fingers, showing the status is very close — or at least the proximity is extremely close — to be with Rasulullah ﷺ in Jannah.

May Allah make us among those who are close to the Prophet ﷺ in Jannah, ya Rabbal Alameen.

The Situation in Gaza and the Call to Rebuild

Brothers and sisters, SubhanAllah, as we see the situation in Gaza — alhamdulillah, and I hope it will continue to improve for our brothers and sisters there — and as we see that aid is coming through, help insha'Allah is coming there, a lot of people are asking me: what can we do? How can we help?

I've seen a lot of people, alhamdulillah, being contacted by many organizations, and all of them would like to have some sort of coalition where they get together and say, okay, how can we help? While internationally, everybody is thinking about rebuilding Gaza in terms of the actual urban areas — the buildings, the infrastructure, the streets and so on. But that's something, bi-idhnillahi azzawajal, that will be taken care of.

Allah promised we will take care of that. But our concern as an Ummah is supposed to be actually rebuilding the Ummah — the people themselves, the human resources. That is much more important than anything else you can imagine.

Especially if you take them from a young age and you educate them and you teach them so they become the leaders for the future — you can imagine what they will do. Wallahi, they will move mountains and change the whole world.

Alhamdulillah, I had that experience back in the days in Bosnia, where I was supposed to go to spend one single year, but Allah blessed me to stay there for four years. Those four years we helped many of these orphans, and there were many of them. Some of them were sent overseas to study in universities and when they came back to their countries and their cities and their counties, SubhanAllah, they were very much the leaders in improving the quality of life for their own communities.

So brothers and sisters, Rasulullah ﷺ was one example. As that orphan, by the grace of Allah — and Allah selected him, a divine selection — he changed the whole world. Maybe your choice and my choice to help and assist could be bringing that leader who will make that change for their own communities, insha'Allah.

The Orphan in the Quran — More Than Twenty Times

When it comes to the subject of the yateem and orphans, Allah mentioned the yateem in the Quran more than 20 times. More than 20 times — and nothing in the Quran is random. Nothing in the Quran is random. And if Allah spoke about the yateem and the orphan more than 20 times, there is great significance in it.

Not just that — to show the significance of this matter as well, Allah began speaking about the orphans, which means caring for them, taking care of them, helping them out, in the early years of Islam. In the early years of Islam.

You see, when the Prophet ﷺ came to the people of Mecca, what was his main mission? To invite people to worship one and only one — Allah. That was the sole purpose. To bring people to Allah, to refine their character and worship Allah in a way that pleases Him. That is the main mission. And all the Anbiya — not almost all, all of them — were sent to the people with the exact same mission: to worship Allah.

So whatever comes next with that is extremely important. And we have learned from the Quran that Allah mentioned immediately after that — after worshipping one God and only one:

That you take care of your parents — وَبِذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ — and your kinship. And then He said وَالْيَتَامَىٰ — the orphans.

From the early years of Da'wah in Mecca, one of the main instructions that Allah gave the early believers — it wasn't fasting, it wasn't going for Hajj or Umrah, it wasn't even giving Zakah to be specific — no. Out of the early instructions the people were given in Mecca was to care for the orphans.

Surah Al-Fajr — A Condemnation of Neglect

Allah says in Surah Al-Fajr, addressing the people of Mecca:

No, you do not honour the orphans. You don't care about them, you ignore them, you neglect them.

Surah Al-Ma'un — The One Who Denies the Day of Judgment

This is in Mecca. He is saying — يا محمد — have you seen the one who denied the Day of Judgment, the Day of Reckoning? Who are they? فَذَٰلِكَ الَّذِي يَدُعُّ الْيَتِيمَ — that's the one who pushes back at the orphans, who ignores them, who pushes them away. Speaking about the Day of Reckoning, the Day of Judgment, and their sin was not taking care of the orphans — pushing the orphan away. That shows how important that is, how significant that matter is in our deen.

Surah Ad-Duha — Do Not Oppress the Orphan

As for the orphan, do not overwhelm, do not oppress, do not overpower them. Do not enjoy your privilege when they are weak and vulnerable.

Surah Al-An'am — Do Not Touch the Orphan's Wealth Unjustly

Allah also mentioned in Surah Al-An'am, another Meccan surah — do not ever come close to the wealth of the orphans, unless you have the intention to make it better, to invest it for them, to grow it for them, to help them with it. All these instructions came in Mecca.

Surah An-Nisa — Social Reform Begins with the Orphan

And in Surah An-Nisa, where Allah began speaking about the human race:

O you people, be conscious of your Lord who created you all from the same single person. And from that person He created his mate, and then He dispersed so many men and women out of this. Allah right after that — the following ayat were all about the yatama, the orphans.

That surah, the scholars call it — in modern terms — what we call social reform in society. Changing the culture with regard to specific social norms: how to deal with the orphans, how to deal with women, inheritance — all these things were mentioned in Surah An-Nisa. And out of the first things, after Allah established the equality of humanity — you are all humans, you belong to the same race and you have the same opportunity to be righteous before Allah — right after that, He talked about the yatama and the orphans. That shows how important that is, jama'ah. It is extremely important.

Surah Al-Baqarah — Even in Madinah, the Orphan Remains Central

That mission continued even in Madinah. In Surah Al-Baqarah, Allah said:

And if they ask you about the orphans — still, even in Madinah — قُلْ إِصْلَاحٌ لَّهُمْ خَيْرٌ — say, improving their affairs is better for them and better for you.

The Best and Worst of Households

How is that? Why is that so important? The Prophet ﷺ says in the hadith reported by Ibn Majah, and Imam Bukhari reported it in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad — though some scholars consider it weak, the message is very clear:

(Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, Imam al-Bukhari, Hadith 137; also reported by Ibn Majah)

The best household in the Muslim community is the household that hosts an orphan that they care for. And the worst of houses among the Muslims are those hosting an orphan who is not being treated kindly. SubhanAllah. How dangerous that concept is, ya jama'ah.

Softening the Hard Heart

Rasulullah ﷺ — as narrated by Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him — a man came to the Prophet ﷺ and complained about how hard his heart had become.

Especially in our time, ya jama'ah. Wallahi, when we are overwhelmed with dunya, day and night, morning and evening, right and left, there is no break. Everything is about this dunya. We've become so indulged in it that we don't have any spiritual break anymore. Your heart becomes all attached to this dunya and it just feels so hard. You start watching the videos of the atrocities and what happens around the world and it doesn't move you anymore. Your eye doesn't shed any tears. Khalas — you get desensitized.

So the man came to the Prophet ﷺ complaining: ya Rasulullah, my heart is getting so hard. What do I do?

(Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 7522)

If you want your heart to turn soft, feed the needy, take care of the poor — go to those who are vulnerable. And then he said: وَامْسَحْ رَأْسَ الْيَتِيمِ — and wipe over the head of the orphan.

SubhanAllah. The scholars say this hadith speaks about the meaning of kafalat al-yateem. You know, the Prophet ﷺ said: أَنَا وَكَافِلُ الْيَتِيمِ — I am with the one who sponsors or takes care of an orphan, like this. So what does it mean when we say kafil al-yateem? People think kafil al-yateem is simply: I send my money and that's it. It is more than that.

This hadith speaks about the emotional support you give to the orphan — not just the physical or financial support. Indeed, they need financial support, no doubt about it. But it doesn't end there. That money does not replace the love and the care that they lost when they lost their parents. And that is why, if you would like your heart to be softened, go and be there physically. Go to an orphanage, deal with the orphans, hear their stories, let them speak to you, hear from them — and you will see wonders.

Nowadays, with technology, you can see some of their stories and hear their stories online, no doubt. But to see it and hear it firsthand — that is unbelievable. I've seen it many times in Bosnia. And I cannot tell you how much we take life for granted, Wallahi. How much we take life for granted.

Another time, SubhanAllah, we went and were with some of the Syrian refugees in Turkey. Going to that building which housed all widows and orphans — and as we were just trying to bring a cheerful moment for them, just to distract them from the misery of life — you have no idea how many of these children, as you just walk in, as you are just being there with them, they try to hold your hand and try to hold your fingers. And I'm trying to keep a smile when I'm dealing with them, but my heart is crying. Because I know this is going to be for an hour or two, and then I'm going to leave them — that's it.

But at least that moment when you're with them — you give them balloons, you blow the balloons in their face, you start laughing and laugh with them — it gives them a break. And Wallahi, the moment that broke my heart the most, as we were done with that meeting with these kids, they said: when are you guys going to come back again? And I just didn't know what to say. Because there was no plan to come back again. We came from a faraway land. It was just that one moment to give them a break from the hardship of life, SubhanAllah.

Why We Must Care for the Orphans

Can you imagine, my dear brothers and sisters, if Allah utilized you for the service of these little children? We know why it is so important to care for them. Because if we don't care for them and they unfortunately end up in the streets, we are all going to suffer. They're going to have to fend for themselves. They're going to have to fight to survive in that life. And you can imagine, when there's no law and order and these children are just fighting for themselves, what are they going to do?

But if they know that, alhamdulillah, the community is taking care of them — from afar and also from close by — financially as well as emotionally, and caring for one another as a community — if they know that it's happening, alhamdulillah rabbil alameen, they will be at ease, at least. Even if it is temporary, at least they know they're not going to be forgotten and they're not going to be lost.

That's why the Prophet ﷺ says:

I will be with the one who takes care of the orphan like this in Jannah. Because there is no price tag for being that person. You can't really give enough reward for someone who truly builds a human being and makes them whole in this life, so they become productive in society.

And Rasulullah ﷺ says:

(Al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, al-Tabarani; also reported by al-Albani in Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah, Hadith 906)

The most beloved people to Allah are those who are most beneficial to others.

The Blessing of Wealth Shared with the Vulnerable

Brothers and sisters, Allah has blessed us so much, alhamdulillah, in this life. Alhamdulillah rabbil alameen. And the Prophet ﷺ said in the hadith that is agreed upon — in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1465; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1052)

This money that you have, this wealth, is lush and sweet — it is beautiful. You have it, alhamdulillah, it makes you feel great. And the best wealth in the hand of the Muslim believer is the one that you share with the needy, with the orphan, and with the wayfarer — those who are perhaps the most vulnerable in our societies. Because that is where the barakah exists. You want your wealth to improve in terms of its barakah, in terms of its value? Share with those who really need it. Share as much as you can, bi'nillahi tabaraka wa ta'ala.

And the Prophet ﷺ says:

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2588)

Wealth given in charity does not diminish your wealth. As a matter of fact, it increases its barakah.

And Allah has given this opportunity to everybody. When the Prophet ﷺ says: I will be with the one who takes care of the orphan like this in Jannah — that is open for everybody. It is an opportunity for all of us to be among the VIP people in Jannah surrounding the Prophet ﷺ. And if I can get that opportunity, I will do it.

If I could go back to the days in Bosnia when I helped the orphans and the widows and helped these children in those refugee camps — SubhanAllah — I would not hesitate, Wallahi. I would go frequently. And I would like for you to experience that as well. Send your children sometimes, let them volunteer, let them go experience that firsthand so they can recognize what life really means and how it looks out there. So when they come back again, they appreciate all the ni'am and all the blessings that they have.

The Believers Are One Family

My brothers and sisters, إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ — the believers are all one family. And that is now our duty to our brothers and sisters around the world. And by the way, I am not saying to ignore our responsibility locally as well. But this is an emergency situation right now. We are trying to help people survive, improve their lives, and make things better. So if you can do something for them, think about it.

Because the Prophet ﷺ said:

(Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 4941; Jami' al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1924)

Those who are merciful — Allah, the Most Merciful, will have mercy on them. You have mercy on those on earth, and the One in heaven will have mercy on you. May Allah have mercy on us, ya Rabbal Alameen.

Second Khutbah — A Call to Action for Gaza's Orphans

Alhamdulillahi rabbil alameen. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and companions.

After that, my dear brothers and sisters — like I said earlier, SubhanAllah — I have been contacted by many organizations seeking guidance and help on creating a coalition so we can help the people of Gaza, insha'Allah, particularly the younger ones, the most vulnerable ones, the orphans. And that is a cause very dear to me because I experienced it firsthand. Among all the other projects, that one is actually what is dearest and closest to my heart.

And today we have UMR coming here, insha'Allah, to help us with that, bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Statistically speaking, there are approximately 17,000 orphans accounted for in Gaza. But Allah knows how many more there are who are not on the record. Unfortunately, these organizations cannot go and cover all of these children. Each organization can at least do maybe 200, 300, as many as they can, insha'Allah wa ta'ala.

It is an opportunity for all of us. If you can help today, insha'Allah wa ta'ala, we would appreciate that, bismillahirrahmanirrahim.