The Muslim Woman and Her Community / Society
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She strives for people's benefit and seeks to protect them from harm
The Muslim woman who has been truly guided by Islam is keen to be constructive and active in good and beneficial deeds, not only for herself, but for all people. So she always looks for opportunities to do good, and hastens to do as much as she can, in obedience to the words of the Qur'an:
( . . .And do good, that you may prosper.) (Qur'an 22:77)
She knows that doing good to others is an act or worship, so long as it is done purely for the sake of Allah (SWT). The door to good deeds is open to all Muslims, to enter whenever they wish and earn the mercy and pleasure of Allah (SWT). There are many aspects to goodness and piety, and they take many forms. Goodness includes all those who work for the sake of Allah (SWT), and any good deed that is done for the sake of Allah (SWT) will be rewarded as an act of charity (sadaqah) in the record of their deeds:
"Every good deed is a sadaqah."100
Note: 100. Bukhari and Muslim. See Sharh al-Sunnah, 6/142, Kitab al-zakat, bab kullu ma'ruf sadaqah.
"A good word is a sadaqah."101
Note: 101. From a hadith whose authenticity is Bukhari and Muslim. See Sharh al-Sunnah, 6/145, Kitab al-zakat, bab kullu ma'ruf sadaqah.
The mercy of Allah (SWT) encompasses every Muslim woman whose heart is pure and whose intention is sincerely to please Allah (SWT). It applies to her if she does good, and if she does not do good, so long as she refrains from doing evil:
Abu Musa (RAA) said:
"The Prophet (PBUH) said: `Every Muslim must give charity.' Someone asked, `What if he finds he has nothing with which to give charity?' He said, `Let him work with his two hands and benefit himself and give charity (from his earnings).' Someone said, `What if he does not do that?' He said, `Let him help one who is in desperate need.' Someone said, `What if he does not do that?' He said, `Let him enjoin what is good.' Someone said, `What if he does not do that?' He said, `Let him refrain from doing evil, and that will be an act of charity.'"102
Note: 102. Bukhari and Muslim. See Sharh al-Sunnah, 6/143, Kitab al-zakat, bab kullu ma'ruf sadaqah.
The Prophet (PBUH) began this hadith with the words, "Every Muslim must give charity," then he went on to list various types of good deeds and acts of kindness by means of which a Muslim man or woman may earn reward for doing charity. Charity is a duty on the Muslim woman, that is, she must undertake deeds that are socially constructive in her community. If she is unable to do so, or does not do so for any reason, then at least she can restrain her tongue and refrain from doing evil; in this, too, there is reward. Thus both her positive and negative aspects (i.e., what she does and what she does not do) will be directed towards the service of the truth upon which the Muslim community is built. The Muslim is "the one from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe."103
Note: 103. Fath al-Bari, 1/53, Kitab al-iman, bab al-Muslim man salima al-Muslim min lisanihi wa yadihi.
So the Muslim woman is always keen to do good, and hastens to do it, hoping that she will be the one to do it. She keeps away from evil, and is determined never to indulge in it. In this way she is one of the best Muslims in the Muslim community, as the Prophet (PBUH) said in the hadith narrated by Imam Ahmad:
"The Prophet (PBUH) stood up before some people who were seated and said: `Shall I tell you the best of you and the worst of you?' The people were silent, so he repeated it three times, then one man said, `Yes, O Messenger of Allah.' He said: `The best of you is the one from whom people expect good deeds, and from whose evil deeds people are safe; the worst of you is the one from whom people expect good deeds but from whose evil deeds people are not safe.'"104
Note: 104. Reported by Ahmad; the men of its isnad are rijal al-sahih. See Majma' al-Zawa'id, 8/183, Bab fiman yurji khayrahu.
The Muslim woman who truly understands her Islam is one of those from whom good deeds are expected and from whose evil deeds people are safe. She is eager to do good deeds in this life, and she knows that her efforts will not be wasted, as she will be rewarded for it in this world and the next:
"Whoever relieves a believer of some of the distress of this world, Allah (SWT) will relieve him of some of the distress of the Day of Resurrection, and whoever comes to the aid of one who is going through hardship, Allah (SWT) will come to his aid in this world and the next."105
Note: 105. Sahih Muslim, 17/21, Kitab al-dhikr wa'l-du'a', bab fadl al-ijtima' 'ala tilawah al-Qur'an wa 'ala'l-dhikr.
The Muslim woman never spares any effort to do good deeds whenever she is able. How could she do otherwise, when she knows from the teachings of the Prophet (PBUH) that failing to do good when one is able to do so carries the threat of losing the blessings of Allah (SWT):
"Never does Allah (SWT) bless a servant with abundant bounty, then some needs of the people are brought to his attention and he feels annoyed and reluctant to help them, but that blessing will be exposed to the threat of loss."106
Note: 106. Reported with a jayyid isnad by al-Tabarani in al-Awsat. See Majma' al-Zawa'id, 8/192, Bab fadl qada' al-hawa'ij.
The Muslim woman does not think little any good deed, no matter how small it may be, so long as it is accompanied by a sincere intention to please Allah (SWT). Doing good may consist of protecting the Muslims from harm, as is brilliantly described in a number of ahadith, for example:
"I have seen a man who was enjoying the luxuries of Paradise because he removed a tree from the side of the road that used to harm the people."107
Note: 107. Sahih Muslim, 16/171, Kitab al-birr wa'l-silah wa'l-adab, bab fadl izalah al-adha 'an al-tariq.
There are two aspects to doing good, and Muslims are obliged to do both of them and to compete with one another in earning the pleasure of Allah (SWT) by doing them. They are: doing good deeds and seeking to benefit the people, and protecting the people from harm.
Seeking to protect the Muslims from harm is no less importantthan doing good and working for their benefit; both count as righteous deeds for which a person will be reward. All societies, no matter what their geographical location or historical era, need both of these deeds, operating in tandem. When both are present, goodness will spread in society, the ties of friendship will be established between its members, and their quality of life will be much improved. This is what Islam seeks to achieve when it constantly encourages Muslims to do good to people and to seek to protect them from harm.
Among the teachings which direct Muslim to protect others from harm is the hadith narrated by Abu Barzah, who said:
"I said, `O Messenger of Allah, teach me something that I may benefit from.' He said, `Remove anything harmful from the path of the Muslims."108
Note: 108. Sahih Muslim, 16/171, Kitab al-birr wa'l-silah wa'l-adab, bab fadl izalah al-adha 'an al-tariq.
According to another report, Abu Barzah said:
"O Messenger of Allah, tell me of a deed that will admit me to Paradise." The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Remove anything harmful from the road; this will be an act of charity on your part."
What a highly-developed, civil community is the society that Islam has built and instilled in each of its members the idea that the good deeds which will bring one closer to Allah (SWT) and admit one to Paradise include removing anything harmful from the path of the people!
Humanity today is in the greatest need of this highly-developed, civil society that Islam builds, in which every member feels that his contribution to the good of society will bring him closer to Allah (SWT) and grant him entrance to Paradise, even if his good deeds went no further than removing something harmful from the road. There is a huge difference between the society which forms sensitive souls such as these, who cannot bear to see carelessness and backwardness, and the society which pays no attention to the development of its members, so you see them not caring if the garbage and hazardous waste that they throw in the road harms people, and the authorities in those backward societies are obliged to issue laws and regulations to punish those who commit these offences.
How great is the difference between the society that is guided by Islam, whose members hasten to remove anything harmful from the road in obedience to Allah's command and in hope of reward from Him, and the society which has deviated from the guidance of Allah (SWT), whose members do not care on whom their garbage lands when they throw it from their balconies, windows and rooftops!
The civilized Western world has managed to excel in such matters of organization by making individuals become accustomed to respecting the system and following it strictly. But this high level of social organization in the West still falls far short of the true Islamic ideal, for one good reason: the Muslim who has received a sound Islamic education is even stricter and more sincere in adhering to the system, because he believes that stepping beyond the limits is an act of disobedience towards Allah (SWT), Who will punish him on the Day ( whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, but only he [will prosper] that brings to Allah a sound heart.) (Qur'an 26:88-89). Moreover, the Westerner does not see anything seriously wrong with transgressing the bounds of the system. His conscience may or may not trouble him, but there the matter ends, especially if the authorities are unaware of it.
She helps to alleviate the burden of the debtor
The true Muslim woman is distinguished by the nature of her moral and psychological make-up, and by her tolerant and easy-going personality. So if she is owed anything by her sister and her sister is in difficulty when the time comes to pay the debt, she postpones payment until another time, until the period of hardship is over, in obedience to the words of the Qur'an:
( If the debtor is in difficulty, grant him time till it is easy for him to repay . . . ) (Qur'an 2:280)
Postponing debts is a generous attitude, one that is encouraged by Islam because it brings about humane standards in one's dealing with one's brother, even if he is in debt.
The Muslim woman who is infused with this humane attitude of postponing payment of her sister's debts is acting in obedience to the commands of Allah (SWT), storing up righteous deeds for her Hereafter that will save her from affliction on the Day of Judgement and shade her in the shade of Allah's Throne on the Day when there is no other shade:
Abu Qutadah (RAA) said:
"I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) say: Whoever would like Allah (SWT) to save him from the hardship of the Day of Resurrection, let him alleviate the burden of a debtor109, or write off (part of the debt)."110
Note: 109. i.e., by postponing the payment, if he is the one to whom it is owed, or by paying off the debt for him. [Author]
Note: 110. Sahih Muslim, 10/227, Kitab al-musaqah wa'l-muzari'ah, bab fadl inzar al-mu'sir.
Abu Hurayrah (RAA) said:
"The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: `Whoever allows a debtor to postpone payment, or writes off part of the debt, Allah (SWT) will place him under the shade of His Throne on the Day of Resurrection, the Day when there will be no shade except His.'"111
Note: 111. A hasan sahih hadith, narrated by Tirmidhi, 3/590, in Kitab al-buyu', bab ma ja'a fi inzar al-mu'sir.
The true Muslim woman is able to take the matter further and rise to a higher level, if she is well-off, by letting her sister off paying all or part of the debt. This will earn her a great reward, as Allah (SWT) will compensate her for letting her sister off by letting her off even more, forgiving her for her errors and shortcomings, and saving her from the horror of the Day of Judgement.
Abu Hurayrah (RAA) said:
"The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: `There was a man who used to lend money to the people. He used to tell his employee: "If you come across any debtor who is in difficulty, let him off. Perhaps Allah (SWT) will let us off." So when he met Allah (SWT), He let him off.'"112
Note: 112. Bukhari and Muslim. See Sharh al-Sunnah, 8/196, Kitab al-buyu', bab thawab man anzara mu'siran.
Abu Mas`ud al-Badri (RAA) said:
"The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: `A man from among those who were before you was called to account, and no good deeds were found in his record except that he used to have dealings with the people, and he was rich, so he used to tell his employees to let off those debtors who were in difficulty. Allah (SWT), may He be glorified, said: "We should be more generous than he, so let him off."'"113
Note: 113. Sahih Muslim, 10/227, Kitab al-musaqah wa'l-muzari'ah, bab fadl inzar al-mu'sir.
Hudhayfah (RAA) said:
"Allah (SWT) brought to account one of His servants to whom he had given wealth, and asked him, `What did you do in the dunya?' He said - and no-one can hide a single thing from Allah (SWT) - `O my Lord, you gave me wealth, and I used to trade with people. It was my habit to be lenient; I would be easy-going with the one who could afford to pay his debt, and I would allow the one who was in difficulty to postpone payment.' Allah (SWT) said, `I should be more generous than you; let My servant off.'" `Uqbah ibn `Amir and Abu Mas`ud al-Ansari said, "We heard something like this from the mouth of the Prophet (PBUH)."114
Note: 114. Sahih Muslim, 10/225, Kitab al-musaqah wa'l-muzari'ah, bab fadl inzar al-mu'sir.
She is generous
One of the characteristics of the Muslim woman who adheres to the teachings of Islam is that she is generous and gives freely; her hands are always stretched forth to give to those who are in need. Whenever she hears the call of one who is in difficulty, or it is appropriate to give generously, she responds to the need.
She is certain that whatever she gives will not go to waste, for it is recorded with One Who has full knowledge of all things:
( . . . And whatever of good you give, be assured that Allah knows it well.) (Qur'an 2:273)
She also believes, when she spends her money generously, that whatever she spends will come back to her manifold, and that Allah (SWT) will multiply its rewain this world and the next:
( The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He pleases: and Allah cares for all and He knows all things.) (Qur'an 2:261)
( . . . And nothing do you spend in the least [in His Cause] but He replaces it . . .) (Qur'an 34:39)
( . . . Whatever of good you give benefits your own souls, and you shall only do so seeking the `Face'115 of Allah. Whatever good you give, shall be rendered back to you, and you shall not be dealt with unjustly.) (Qur'an 2:272)
Note: 115. 'Face' here is the literal translation of the Arabic word 'wajh', which in this context may also mean the sake, cause or presence of Allah. [Translator]
She also knows that if she is not saved from the meanness of her own nature and her desire to hoard wealth and treasure, she will eventually lher wealth and it will be wasted, as the Prophet (PBUH) said:
"Every morning that the servants of Allah (SWT) get up, two angels come down. One of them says, `O Allah, give compensation to the one who spends,' and the other says, `O Allah, cause loss to the one who is stingy.'"116
Note: 116. (Bukhari and Muslim), See Sharh al-Sunnah, 6/155, Kitab al-zakat, bab ma yukrah min imsak al-mal.
And in a hadith qudsi:
"Spend, O son of Adam, and I shall spend on you."117
Note: 117. (Bukhari and Muslim), See Riyad al-Salihin, 301, bab al-karam wa'l-jud wa'l-infaq fi wujuh al-khayr.
The true Muslim woman believes that spending money for the sake of Allah (SWT) will never decrease her wealth in the slightest; rather, it will bless, purify and increase it, as the Prophet (PBUH) stated:
"Charity does not decrease wealth . . ."118
Note: 118. Sahih Muslim, 16/141, Kitab al-birr wa'l-silah wa'l-adab, bab istihbab al-'afu wa'l-tawadu'.
She knows that whatever she spends for the sake of Allah (SWT) is in fact that which is truly saved, because it is recorded in the book of her good deeds, whilst everything else will eventually disappear. The Prophet (PBUH) drew the Muslims' attention to this higher understanding of generous giving when he asked `A'ishah (May Allah be pleased with her) what was left of the sheep they had slaughtered. She told him, "Nothing but the shoulder." He said, "Everything except the shoulder is saved."119
Note: 119. Reported by Tirmidhi, 4/644, In Kitab siffat al-qiyamah, 33. The reward for everything except the shoulder would be stored up for them in the Hereafter, as they had given it all away in charity. The part that they had kept for themselves, the shoulder, had in effect been "spent" as it carried no such reward. [Translator]
The true Muslim woman is highly motivated by all of this to give generously of whatever possessions and goods come to her.
An example of giving on the part of Muslim women is the well-known report narrated by Bukhari from Ibn `Abbas (RAA), who said:
"The Prophet (PBUH) went out on the day of `Eid and prayed two rak`ahs with no prayer before or after them (i.e., he prayed only two rak`ahs). Then he came to the women, and commanded them to give in charity, so they started to give their earrings and necklaces in charity."120
Note: 120. Fath al-Bari, 10/330, Kitab al-libas, bab al-qala'id wa'l-sakhab li'l-nisa'.
According to another report also given by Bukhari:
"He (PBUH) came to the women and commanded them to give in charity, so they began to throw their rings into Bilal's cloak."121
Note: 121. Fath al-Bari, 10/330, Kitab al-libas, bab al-khatim li'l-nisa'.
A third report by Bukhari, narrating from Ibn `Abbas states that the Prophet (PBUH) prayed two rak`ahs on the day of `Eid with no prayer before or after them (i.e., he prayed only two rak`ahs), then he came to the women, and Bilal was accompanying him; he commanded them to give in charity, and the women began to throw down their earrings.122
Note: 122. Fath al-Bari, 10/331, Kitab al-libas, bab al-qurt li'l-nisa'.
The wives of the Prophet (PBUH) and the women of the salaf set the highest example of generous giving, and their deeds are recorded by history in letters of light.
In his biography of `A'ishah given in Siyar a`lam al-nubala', al-Dhahabi states that she gave seventy thousand dirhams in charity, at the time when she was putting patches on her shield.
Mu`awiyah sent her a hundred thousand dirhams, and she gave it all away in charity before evening fell. Her servant said to her, "Why did you not buy a dirham's worth of meat with it?" She said, "Why did you not tell me to do so?"
Mu`awiyah also sent her bracelets worth a hundred thousand, which she shared out among the other wives of the Prophet (PBUH).
Ibn al-Zubayr sent her money in two containers, to the amount of a hundred thousand. She called for a large tray, and began to share the money among the people. When evening came, she said, "O young girl, bring me my fatur (food with which to break fast)," for she, (May Allah be pleased with her), used to fast all the time. The young girl said to her, "O Mother of the Believers, could you not have bought us a dirham's worth of meat?" She said, "Do not rebuke me; if you had reminded me I would have done so."
Her sister Asma' was no less generous. `Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr (RAA) said: "I never saw two women more generous than `A'ishah and Asma', but their ways of being generous were different. `A'ishah would accumulate things and then share them out, whilst Asma' would never keep anything until the next day."
The Prophet's wife Zaynab bint Jahsh used to work with her own hands and give in charity from her earnings. She was the most generous of the Prophet's wives in giving freely and doing good deeds. According to a hadith narrated by Imam Muslim from `A'ishah (May Allah be pleased with her), the Prophet (PBUH) told his wives about Zaynab: "The first of you to join me (after death) will be the one who has the longest hand." `A'ishah said: "They began to measure their hands against one another to see who had the longest hand, and the one who had the longest hands of all of us was Zaynab, because she used to work with her hands and give charity from her earnings."123
Note: 123. Sahih Muslim, 16/8, Kitab fada'il al-sahabah, bab fada'il umm al-mu'minin Zaynab.
`Umar ibn al-Khattab (RAA) sent Zaynab her annual salary, and when it was brought to her, she said: "May Allah forgive `Umar! Others of my sisters are more capable of sharing this out than I am." They told her, "This is all for you." She said, "Subhan Allah! Pour it out and cover it with a cloth." Then she told Barzah bint Rafi`, the narrator of this report: "Put your hand in and take a handful of it, and take it to Bani So-and-so and Bani So-and-so" - who were orphans or related to her. This was repeated until there was only a little left under the cloth. Barzah bint Rafi` said to Zaynab: "May Allah forgive you, O Mother of the Believers! By Allah (SWT), it is our right to have some." Zaynab said: "What is left under the cloth is for you." (Barzah bint Rafi`) said that they found eighty-five dirhams under the cloth. Zaynab said, "O Allah, do not let me live to receive another payment like this from `Umar," and she died before the time for the next payment came.124
Note: 124. Ibn Sa'd, al-Tabaqat, 8/109, 110; Sifat al-Safwah, 2/48,49; Siyar A'lam al-Nubala', 2/212.
Ibn Sa`d reported that when the money was brought to Zaynab, she started saying, "O Allah, do not let me see this money again next year, for it is a fitnah (temptation)." Then she shared it out among her relatives and those who were in need, until it was all gone. `Umar (RAA) heard about this, and said, "This women is destined for good." He stood at her door and conveyed his salam to her, then said: "I have heard about what you gave out to others. Send her a thousand dirhams to keep for herself." But she did the same thing with that money, and did not even keep a single dirham or dinar for herself.
Among the women to whose generosity history bears witness is Sakinah bint al-Husayn who would give generously of whatever she had. If she had no money, she would take off her own jewellery and give it to those who were destitute.
`Atikah bint Yazid ibn Mu`awiyah gave up all of her money to the poor members of Abu Sufyan's family.
Umm al-Banin, the sister of `Umar ibn `Abd al-`Aziz, was a marvellous example of generous giving. She said, "Everyone has a passion, and my passion is giving." She used to free slaves every week, and equip horsemen to fight for the sake of Allah (SWT). She would say, "Uff to stinginess! If it were a shirt I would not wear it, and if it were a road I would not follow it."125
Note: 125. Ibn al-Jawzi, Ahkam al-nisa', p. 446.
Zubaydah, the wife of the khalifah Harun al-Rashid, had a channel dug to being water from springs and rain-pools to Makkah, to provide fresh water for the inhabitants of the city and for the pilgrims. This was named `Ayn Zubaydah (the spring of Zubaydah), and was known as one of the wonders of the world at that time. When her treasurer objected to the high cost of this project, she told him: "Do it, even if every single blow of the axe costs a dinar."
If we were to discuss all the women in our history who were pioneers of generous giving, we could fill entire volumes. It is enough for us to know that these kinds of generous, charitable, believing women have never disappeared from Muslim societie, from the dawn of Islam until the present day. In every era and region of the Islamic world, these women have held a noble and prominent position, and their generosity is enshrined in the many awqaf, charitable institutions, schools, mosques, hospitals, etc., that exist throughout the Muslim lands. These women sought out areas of need, poverty, deprivation and misery, and showered their generosity on the less fortunate by establishing charitable institutions that would benefit the Muslims. They wiped away the tears of the orphan, relieved the suffering of the wretched, eased the hardship of the afflicted and clothed the body of the naked.
The Muslim woman who truly understands the teachings of her religion never looks down upon any charitable deed, no matter how small it may be; she strives to do as much as she is able, firmin her conviction that Allah (SWT) will reward her good deeds, no matter how small, as Allah (SWT) says:
( On no soul does Allah place a burden greater than it can bear... ) (Qur'an 2:286)
She also responds to the words of the Prophet (PBUH):
"Protect yourselfs from the Fire even if it is with half a date"126
Note: 126. See Fath al-Bari, 3/283, Kitab al-zakat, bab ittaqu al-nar wa law bi shiqq tamarah. [Check]
"O `A'ishah, protect yourself from the Fire, even if it is only with half a date, for it can benefit a hungry person as much as one who has enough to eat."127
Note: 127. Reported with a sahih isnad by Ahmad, 6/79.
The Muslim woman may give charity with whatever she possesses of the food she has at home or her husband's money, so long as he is happy for her to do so. In this case, she will be rewarded for what she spends, her husband will be rewarded for what he has earned, and the treasurer will also be rewarded, as is stated in a number of hadith narrated by Bukhari, Muslim and others, for example:
"If a women gives in charity of the food of her house (according to a report given by Muslim: of the house of her husband), without spending in such a way as could cause ruin to her husband, then she will be rewarded for what he earns, and the treasurer will be similarly rewarded, and the reward of any one of them will not detract from the reward of another."128
Note: 128. Fath al-Bari, 3/293, Kitab al-zakat, bab man amara khadimahu bi'l-sadaqah.
Islam wants the Muslims, men and women, to be constructive, beneficial members of their societies, always helping those who are deprived and destitute, to the best of their abilities. Every good deed is described as an act of charity (sadaqah), as the Prophet (PBUH) said:
"Every Muslim must give charity." They said, "O Messenger of Allah, what if he cannot do that?" He said, "Then let him help one who is in desperate need." He said, "Then let him do good, and refrain from doing evil, and that will be an act of charity on his part."129
Note: 129. (Bukhari and Muslim), See Sharh al-Sunnah, 6/143, Kitab al-zakat, bab kullu ma'rufin sadaqah.
Islam has opened wide the doors of good deeds to men and women, rich and poor alike, so that anyone may have the opportunity to do good. Everyone who has uttered the words of the Shahadah is required to do good deeds, which have been termed sadaqah. The poor person need not feel that he is deprived of the chance to take part in doing good in society just because he has little or no money. Every good deed or favour is described as a sadaqah, and the poor man or woman will be rewarded for a good deed just as a rich man or woman will be rewarded for money spent generously:
"Every good deed is sadaqah."130
Note: 130. (Bukhari and Muslim), See Sharh al-Sunnah, 6/142, Kitab al-zakat, bab kullu ma'rufin sadaqah
Thus Islam guarantees that all members of a society will participate in building, serving and improving it, and that all of them will feel the satisfaction of this participation which will give them back their pride and honour and will bring about their reward.
The generous Muslim woman gives to the poor and needy who are too proud to ask for help, which makes people think that hey are free from want. She tries to seek them out as much as she is able, for they are the first people who should be given help. These are the ones to whom the Prophet (PBUH) referred when he said:
"The poor man is not the one who takes a date or two, or a mouthful or two, then turns away. The poor man is the one who is too proud to ask for anything."131
Note: 131. (Bukhari and Muslim), See Riyad al-Salihin, 167, Bab mulatafah al-yatim wa'l-masakin.
The Muslim woman gives in charity to orphans as much as she is able. If she is well-off, she sponsors an orphan and help to bring him up and educate him, spending on him and taking care of him, hoping for the high status that Allah (SWT) has prepared for the one who sponsors an orphan, which is the status of being in the vicinity of the Prophet (PBUH) in Paradise:
"I and the one who sponsors an orphan will be like this in Paradise," and he held up his index and middle fingers and held them apart."132
Note: 132. (Bukhari and Muslim), See Sharh al-Sunnah, 13/43, Kitab al-birr wa'l-silah, bab thawab kafil al-yatim.
The Muslim woman also strives to help the widow and the poor, following the guidance of her religion, which has promised a great reward to the one who takes care of them, a reward that rivals that earned by the one who fasts during the day and stands in prayer a night, or the one who fights for the sake of Allah (SWT), as the Prophet (PBUH) said:
"The one who strives to help the widow and the poor is like the one who fights in jihad for the sake of Allah (SWT)." And I [the narrator] believe he also said: "and like the one who stands at night in prayer without rest and fasts continually without breaking his fast."133
Note: 133. (Bukhari and Muslim), See Sharh al-Sunnah, 13/45, Kitab al-birr wa'l-silah, bab thawab kafil al-yatim.
Taking care of widows and the poor, and sponsoring orphans, are among the most noble of humane deeds, and are most befitting to the Muslim woman, as they increase her in humanity, honour and gentility.
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