Reward for Caring for Widows and the Poor

📖Sahih al-Bukhari 5353
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The one who looks after a widow or a poor person is like a Mujahid (warrior) who fights for Allah’s Cause, or like him who performs prayers all the night and fasts all the day.”

This hadith highlights the immense reward and spiritual status of someone who takes care of widows or the poor. In Islam, social responsibility is not limited to prayers or rituals—it includes actively supporting the vulnerable. The Prophet ﷺ compares such a person to a warrior in the path of Allah, or one who constantly prays and fasts. This elevates social welfare to one of the greatest acts of devotion.

One of the ways Islam provides protection to widows is through the allowance of marriage to them—offering emotional, financial, and social support. This leads us to the Qur’anic guidance on polygyny:

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📖Quran 4:3
“And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women—two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one or those your right hands possess. That is more suitable that you may not incline [to injustice].”

Explanation:

This verse was revealed during a time when war had left many women as widows and children as orphans. The permission to marry up to four women was especially relevant to provide protection and dignity to those women, including widows, within a framework of responsibility and justice.

However, the verse clearly puts a condition: “if you fear that you will not deal justly, then marry only one.” This implies:

• A man must not marry multiple women if he knows he cannot maintain justice between them in terms of time, financial support, or emotional care.

• This justice is not just financial, it includes fairness in love, attention, and rights.

Thus, while Islam permits multiple marriages, it is not a free license. It requires a valid reason, particularly if a widow or someone in need is involved, and the ability to maintain balance. If marrying more than one wife causes harm or injustice to the first wife or within the family, then it becomes impermissible to proceed, Also, any additional marriage must be done with consent, transparency, and valid purpose., not out of selfish desires, but to uphold justice, especially within the family structure. Women, too, have the right to understand the reasoning behind a second marriage and must not be left in confusion or treated unjustly.

So, taking care of widows, whether through charity, support, or even marriage, holds great reward, but marriage in Islam is always bound by the condition of justice and responsibility, not personal desire.

So Can We Apply This Today?

Yes—but only under legal Islamic authority.
Fighting for justice is allowed only through a just Islamic legal system, with proper verification, investigation, and due process, That means: no rogue acts, no personal missions, no playing “hero.” But here’s the truth bomb: We don’t even have Islamic courts or leadership applying Shari’ah properly today, Most Muslim leaders are too busy sucking up to the West, chasing money, media approval, or power, while Islamic law is left behind, If a Muslim commits injustice, go to a court near you