فَذَٰلِكَ ٱلَّذِى يَدُعُّ ٱلْيَتِيمَ 2
Translations
For that is the one who drives away the orphan
Transliteration
Fa-dhālika al-ladhī yaduʿu al-yatīm
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the person who denies the faith as one who repels or mistreats the orphan, depicting cruelty toward the vulnerable as a characteristic of the disbeliever. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as highlighting the hypocrisy of those who claim faith while lacking compassion, as kindness to orphans is a fundamental Islamic virtue. The ayah uses the orphan as a symbol of the weakest members of society, whose mistreatment reveals the true spiritual condition of a person's heart.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Ma'un was revealed in Mecca and addresses the hypocrites and disbelievers who professed Islam outwardly while neglecting moral obligations. This ayah is part of a broader critique of those who lack genuine faith, using specific examples of social irresponsibility—particularly mistreatment of orphans—to illustrate their spiritual bankruptcy. The context emphasizes that true belief (īmān) must be accompanied by ethical conduct and social responsibility.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'The best house among the Muslims is the house in which orphans are well treated, and the worst house among the Muslims is the house in which orphans are ill-treated.' (Sunan Ibn Majah). Additionally, 'Whoever supports an orphan will be with me in Paradise like this,' placing his fingers together (Sunan At-Tirmidhi).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that genuine faith must manifest in concrete acts of kindness and justice toward society's most vulnerable members; mistreating orphans or the defenseless reveals a person's lack of true spiritual conviction. For modern readers, it calls for conscious introspection about how we treat those who cannot defend themselves and reminds us that charity and compassion are not optional extras but essential indicators of authentic belief.