no. 737 for the year 2004 sent by fax from the Kuwaiti office for charitable projects in Egypt which includes the following:

    Some Kuwaiti donors wish to build or repair houses for some orphans' families that the office provides for and want to know if this is considered from among the acts of ongoing charity.

Islam: A religion of cooperation, sympathy, mercy and [social] welfare

     Allah Almighty urged Muslims to cooperate in righteousness and piety. He says:

    O you who have believed, do not violate the rites of Allah or [the sanctity of] the sacred month or [neglect the marking of] the sacrificial animals and garlanding [them] or [violate the safety of] those coming to the Sacred House seeking bounty from their Lord and [His] approval. But when you come out of Ihram, then [you may] hunt. And do not let the hatred of a people for having obstructed you from al-Masjid al-Haram lead you to transgress. And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty. [Qur'an 5:2]

The welfare of orphans

    Among the righteous deeds for which a Muslim is rewarded in the Hereafter is safeguarding the welfare of orphans. Allah Almighty says:

    Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah , the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous. [Qur'an 2: 177]

Benevolence to orphans 

    Allah Almighty commanded His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his community not to oppress orphans. He Most High says:

    So as for the orphan, do not oppress [him]. [Qur'an 93: 9]

    Allah also commanded Muslims to be kind to orphans and support them, so that they could become valuable members in the community. He says:

    Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side, the traveler, and those whom your right hands possess. Indeed, Allah does not like those who are self-deluding and boastful. [Qur'an 4: 36]

    Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, "The believers in their mutual love, mercy and sympathy are like one body; when one of its organs suffers, the whole body responds to it with sleeplessness and fever" [Bukhari and Muslim].

The reward for safeguarding the welfare of orphans

    The Prophet said, "The one who looks after an orphan and I are like these two in Paradise (and he pointed to his middle and index fingers)" [Bukhari].

    Malik ibn Anas narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) said, "The one who takes in an orphan, whether he is a relative or a stranger, and I are like these two in Paradise (and he pointed to his middle and index fingers)."

    The Prophet (pbuh) said, "A person who provides for a widow and a needy person is like one who strives for the sake of Allah, like one who does not tire of praying at night or like one who is always fasting" [Bukhari and Muslim].

The rights of orphans

    Allah demonstrates that it is those who deny the Day of Judgment that deny the rights of orphans:

    Have you seen the one who denies the Day of Judgment? For that is the one who drives away the orphan. [Qur'an 107:1-2]

The reward for doing good deeds 

     Allah Almighty urges His servants to do good deeds in this world to gain the reward in the Hereafter. He says:

    Oh believers! Bow down, prostrate yourselves, worship your Lord, and do good so that you may succeed. [Qur'an: 22:77].

    The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When a person dies, his deeds cease except for three things: ongoing charity, knowledge benefited from and righteous offspring who pray for him" [Muslim and Ahmed].

The Ruling 

    Building houses for orphans and giving them ownership of them is a good deed for which a person is rewarded in the Hereafter. Likewise, repairing houses of orphans is considered among the acts of ongoing charity.

    We ask Allah Most High to guide those who do good deeds to benefit the Islamic community, grant them the best reward and make their work sincere for His sake.

Allah Almighty knows best.