Quran Garden

When you are young, it's all about you as you plan for the future and work for the life ahead.  However, as you age, the welfare of your children becomes the prime concern, putting their needs ahead of your own.  When a person feels death approaching, yet their children are still weak and vulnerable, they grieve leaving them behind.  It is a terrible feeling.  In today's Tafsir session, Allah gives you a path to security –a fantastic insurance policy for your kid's future that will take any worry off your mind.  Sit back and listen.

Session 547

Chapter 4

Verse 9

Let those who would fear for the future of their own helpless children if they were to die show the same concern; let them be mindful of God and speak out for justice.

(Chapter 4: Verse 9)

It is said that Muawiyah and Amr ibn al-Oss met in the later stages of their lives.  Amr asked Muawiyah, "What remains for you of the pleasures of worldly life?"  Despite being the Caliph and the leader of a strong, prosperous Muslim state, Muawiyah replied, "I have grown tired of fine food and weary of elegant clothing.  My only pleasure now is a cold drink of water in the shade of a tree on a hot day."

Then Muawiyah asked Amr, "What about you, Amr?  What remains for you of worldly pleasures?" Amr, known for his business acumen, responded, "My pleasure lies in a flowing spring on fertile land providing for me and my children after me."  Amr desired an ever-giving source of sustenance for himself and his descendants.

A servant named Wardan, serving them drinks, was then asked by Muawiyah, "And you, Wardan, what remains for you of worldly joy?" The servant replied, "What remains for me, Commander of the Faithful, is a good deed I do for noble people who will cherish it and pass it down through generations."

This humble servant understood God's message: "Let those who would fear for the future of their own helpless children if they were to die show the same concern." If a person is old, sick, dying, and has vulnerable children, he or she would naturally fear for their future.  Who will help them?  Will people take advantage?  Allah teaches you that if you have weak children and are constantly worried about them, show kindness to the orphans and weak children around you.  This way, God will move others to care for your children when you are gone.  Allah watches over us and ensures that the good we do returns to our children and grandchildren.  You can secure their future now with your good deeds.  Take good care of those less fortunate around you; worry about their present as you worry about your kids' future.   

Let's look at examples from the Quran of how this insurance policy pays out.  We start with the story of Moses and the righteous servant, Al-Khidr -peace be upon them-.  God says:

So they went on until they came upon the people of a township, and they asked its people for food, but they refused them hospitality.  They found there a wall which was on the verge of tumbling down, and he restored it.  Moses said: "If you had wished, you could have taken payment for it." (18:77)

On their long journey, Moses and Al-Khidr, peace be upon them, stopped by a village exhausted and hungry.  They asked the villagers for something to eat.  The people of this village refused and hurled insults at them.  When a person asks you for money, they may be hungry, but often, they will use it for cigarettes or other addictions.  However, when a traveler asks for food, you should recognize the urgency.  The villagers refused to help when Moses and Al-Khidr asked for food –the most basic human needs–. 

As they were resting in the street, Al-Khidr noticed a crumbling wall about to fall and restored it.  Moses loudly objected because he felt that the villagers who did not feed them deserved no help; Al-Khidr could have, at the very least, asked for payment for repairing the village wall.  They could buy food with the money. 

Allah had concealed from our beloved Moses but revealed to the servant that a treasure belonging to two orphaned boys was hidden beneath the wall.  Had the wall collapsed, the rude villagers would have undoubtedly found and stolen the treasure.  Thus, erecting the wall to conceal the treasure from them was necessary until the kids reached maturity and could defend their property. 

Why did God protect the orphans and their wealth from the villagers?  Listen to the answer from verse 82 of chapter 18:

The wall belonged to two young orphans in the town and there was buried treasure beneath it belonging to them.  Their father had been a righteous man, so your Lord intended them to reach maturity and then dig up their treasure as a mercy from your Lord.

Allah teaches us that the future of the two orphans was secure because of the good deeds of their fathers.  In fact, God inspired the righteous servant to construct the wall in such a way as to extend its lifespan just enough until the orphans matured —perfectly timed by the Divine because their father was a righteous man!

Wouldn't you like the same level of Heavenly care for your kids?  If you answered yes, then you should heed God's instruction: "Let those who would fear for the future of their own helpless children if they were to die show the same concern" in all your daily actions. 

By living according to the Lord's teachings and taking special care of the orphans and the vulnerable around you, you ensure security for your own children long after you are gone.  Your duty is to speak to orphans kindly, addressing them as you would your own child with warmth and love.  If a believer treats the weak in the community with righteousness and love, Allah will ensure that others treat their children even better.

In Surah Al-Baqarah, we told a beautifully animated story of how a father's good manners protected his son and made him the wealthiest young man in town with a literal mound of gold long after his father's death.  The link to this fantastic story is in the description box below.  It is perfect for kids, teens, and adults alike.  Make sure to subscribe and hit the bell icon so you do not miss any upcoming videos.