The Holy Quran commands about orphans : “To orphans restore their property/ (When they reach their age),/ Nor substitute (your) worthless things/ For (their) good ones; and devour not /Their substance (by mixing it up) /With your own. For this
is /Indeed a great sin!” (Sura Nisa 4 : Ayat 2. The Holy Quran Translation and Commentary by A. Yusuf Ali)
The Holy Quran reveals : ” … Treat with kindness/ Your parents and kindred,/ And orphans and those in need;/ ” (Sura Baqara 2: Ayat 83, Do)
“…And do good/ To parents, kinsfolk, /Orphans, those in need, /Neighbours who are near,/ Neighbours who are strangers, /The Companion by your side, /The way-farer (ye meet), /And what your righthands possess: /For God loveth not /The arrogant, the vainglorious; ….. ” (Sura Nisa 4 : Ayat 36, Do)
In the Holy Hadith affection and responsibility of a Muslim towards a child is much emphasised. In the background of a soft and beautiful attitude of the Messenger of Allah towards the children, the position of an orphan who is also a child and left helpless without parents, may be viewed.
Helpless orphans should be provided with all humanitarian support by the believers of Allah. The Holy Hadith says : “The best house among the Muslims is the house in which an orphan is well treated and the worst house among the Muslims is the house in which an orphan is badly treated.” (Ibne Mazah Sharif)
The merit of observance of fasting greatly depends on a person’s treatment of an orphan or a helpless distressed person, as he/she is a Muslim first and then he is a worshiper. A worst Muslim, because of his/her ill treatment with an orphan, cannot be a good rozadar.
Humanitarian consideration is of prime importance in Islam. So the Holy Quran and the Sunnah proclaim responsibility towards orphans. It should be included in the spirit and message of fasting.
In this context comes the repatriation and rehabilitation of lakhs of ousted orphans, who have lost their fathers and mothers in the contemporary genocide and atrocities in different parts of the world including our neighbouring country Myanmar. These orphans’ fathers and mothers are the victims of genocide-a process continued for many years. Bangladesh’s role in giving shelter to the people and the uprooted orphans is commendable. The OIC should be more active for united efforts according to the Quranic guidelines. The crime against humanity should be brought to justice under the shade of the UNO and ICC. The Holy Quran calls a clarion : “And why should ye not/Fight in the cause of God/And of those who, being weak, /Are ill-treated (and oppressed) ? -/ Men, women and children,/Whose cry is : “Our Lord!/Rescue us from this town, /Whose people are oppressors; /And raise for us from Thee/ One who will protect;/And raise for us from Thee/One who will help!” (Sura Nisa 4 : Ayat 75, The Holy Quran Translation and Commentary by A. Yusuf Ali)
Allama Yusuf Ali comments : “…..Their cry for a protector and helper from God was answered when Muhammad, the Chosen One brought freedom and peace to Mecca again.” The quoted Ayat is a part of the Quranic universal and eternal message. The contemporary world witnesses such atrocities in different countries, yes, on the Muslims for their being Muslims in Faith. Massacres and atrocities on Rohingya community is a part of that. The message of the Holy Quran is applicable to such tragedies any-where and everywhere in the globe. The call in the background of inhuman atrocities in Makka is applicable to the leaders and Muslims in general for the protection of the helpless victims of the Muslim Ummah.
All concerned including the world of conscience and Human Rights Watch should continue their endeavours for the repatriation and rehabilitation of the uprooted citizens and the orphans. The justice for crime against humanity should be ensured. Otherwise such catastrophe of ethnic cleansing may arise again.
