Key Verses

1. 4:127An-NisaWarning
   وَيَسۡتَفۡتُونَكَ فِي ٱلنِّسَآءِۖ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ يُفۡتِيكُمۡ فِيهِنَّ وَمَا يُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ فِي يَتَٰمَى ٱلنِّسَآءِ ٱلَّـٰتِي لَا تُؤۡتُونَهُنَّ مَا كُتِبَ لَهُنَّ وَتَرۡغَبُونَ أَن تَنكِحُوهُنَّ وَٱلۡمُسۡتَضۡعَفِينَ مِنَ ٱلۡوِلۡدَٰنِ وَأَن تَقُومُواْ لِلۡيَتَٰمَىٰ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۚ وَمَا تَفۡعَلُواْ مِنۡ خَيۡرٖ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِهِۦ عَلِيمٗا
   They consult thee concerning women. Say: Allah giveth you decree concerning them, and the Scripture which hath been recited unto you (giveth decree), concerning female orphans and those unto whom ye give not that which is ordained for them though ye desire to marry them, and (concerning) the weak among children, and that ye should deal justly with orphans. Whatever good ye do, lo! Allah is ever Aware of it.
   In context

   They ask you, O Messenger, about the rights and duties of women. Say: Allah will clarify for you what you have asked and what is recited in the Qur’ān with respect to orphan girls in your care, to whom you do not give the dowry and the inheritance that Allah has ordained for them; and whom you do not wish to marry, yet you prevent them from getting married because of your greed for their wealth.

2. 6:152Al-Anam
   وَلَا تَقۡرَبُواْ مَالَ ٱلۡيَتِيمِ إِلَّا بِٱلَّتِي هِيَ أَحۡسَنُ حَتَّىٰ يَبۡلُغَ أَشُدَّهُۥۚ وَأَوۡفُواْ ٱلۡكَيۡلَ وَٱلۡمِيزَانَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۖ لَا نُكَلِّفُ نَفۡسًا إِلَّا وُسۡعَهَاۖ وَإِذَا قُلۡتُمۡ فَٱعۡدِلُواْ وَلَوۡ كَانَ ذَا قُرۡبَىٰۖ وَبِعَهۡدِ ٱللَّهِ أَوۡفُواْۚ ذَٰلِكُمۡ وَصَّىٰكُم بِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَكَّرُونَ
   And approach not the wealth of the orphan save with that which is better, till he reach maturity. Give full measure and full weight, in justice. We task not any soul beyond its scope. And if ye give your word, do justice thereunto, even though it be (against) a kinsman; and fulfil the covenant of Allah. This He commandeth you that haply ye may remember.
   In context

   He has prohibited you from becoming involved with the wealth of orphans – those who lose their father before maturity – until they became mature and are considered to be sensible, unless you do so in a manner that brings benefit and an increase in that wealth.

3. 17:34Al-Isra
   وَلَا تَقۡرَبُواْ مَالَ ٱلۡيَتِيمِ إِلَّا بِٱلَّتِي هِيَ أَحۡسَنُ حَتَّىٰ يَبۡلُغَ أَشُدَّهُۥۚ وَأَوۡفُواْ بِٱلۡعَهۡدِۖ إِنَّ ٱلۡعَهۡدَ كَانَ مَسۡـُٔولٗا
   Come not near the wealth of the orphan save with that which is better till he come to strength; and keep the covenant. Lo! of the covenant it will be asked.
   In context

   Do not transact in the property of a child whose father has passed away, except in his best interests such as investing or preserving it until he reaches the age of mental and prudential maturity. Fulfill any pledge between yourselves and Allah, or between yourselves and His servants, without breaking or falling short in them. Allah will question the one who made a pledge on the Day of Judgement.

4. 18:82Al-KahfCommand
   وَأَمَّا ٱلۡجِدَارُ فَكَانَ لِغُلَٰمَيۡنِ يَتِيمَيۡنِ فِي ٱلۡمَدِينَةِ وَكَانَ تَحۡتَهُۥ كَنزٞ لَّهُمَا وَكَانَ أَبُوهُمَا صَٰلِحٗا فَأَرَادَ رَبُّكَ أَن يَبۡلُغَآ أَشُدَّهُمَا وَيَسۡتَخۡرِجَا كَنزَهُمَا رَحۡمَةٗ مِّن رَّبِّكَۚ وَمَا فَعَلۡتُهُۥ عَنۡ أَمۡرِيۚ ذَٰلِكَ تَأۡوِيلُ مَا لَمۡ تَسۡطِع عَّلَيۡهِ صَبۡرٗا
   And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and there was beneath it a treasure belonging to them, and their father had been righteous, and thy Lord intended that they should come to their full strength and should bring forth their treasure as a mercy from their Lord; and I did it not upon my own command. Such is the interpretation of that wherewith thou couldst not bear.
   In context

   As for the wall which I fixed but you criticised me for fixing, it belonged to two young boys in the town we went to and whose father had passed away. Beneath the wall some wealth of theirs was buried. And the father of these two boys was pious.

5. 76:8Al-Insan
   وَيُطۡعِمُونَ ٱلطَّعَامَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ مِسۡكِينٗا وَيَتِيمٗا وَأَسِيرًا
   And feed with food the needy wretch, the orphan and the prisoner, for love of Him,
   In context

   They also feed food, despite being in the state of loving food due to being needy and desirous of it. They feed it to the poor, orphans and captives.

6. 89:17Al-FajrWarning
   كَلَّاۖ بَل لَّا تُكۡرِمُونَ ٱلۡيَتِيمَ
   Nay, but ye (for your part) honour not the orphan
   In context

   Never! It is not as this human thinks, that favouring is proof of Allah being pleased with His servant, and that misfortune is proof of the servant’s insignificance in the eyes of his Lord. Rather, the reality is that you do not show generosity towards the orphan from the sustenance Allah has provided you with.

7. 90:15Al-Balad
   يَتِيمٗا ذَا مَقۡرَبَةٍ
   An orphan near of kin,
   In context

   A child who has lost his father, whom he is related to.

8. 93:6Ad-Duha
   أَلَمۡ يَجِدۡكَ يَتِيمٗا فَـَٔاوَىٰ
   Did He not find thee an orphan and protect (thee)?
   In context

   Verily, He found you at a time when you were a child whose father had passed away, and so He made a place of refuge for you by causing your grandfather Abdul Muttalib to become fond of you, and then your uncle Abu Talib.

9. 93:9Ad-Duha
   فَأَمَّا ٱلۡيَتِيمَ فَلَا تَقۡهَرۡ
   Therefor the orphan oppress not,
   In context

   Therefore, do not treat badly the one who has lost his father in childhood, nor look down upon him.

10. 107:2Al-Maun
    فَذَٰلِكَ ٱلَّذِي يَدُعُّ ٱلۡيَتِيمَ
    That is he who repelleth the orphan,
    In context

    It is the one who harshly turns away the orphan when in need.