Ad-Duha (The Morning Light): (6) Did He not find you an orphan...

Issues Discussed:

The connection is that God is saying: {Did He not find you an orphan?} The Messenger (peace be upon him) would reply, "Yes, my Lord." Then God would say: "Look! Were your deeds at that time more honored, or are they now?" He must reply, "Now." God would then say: "When you were a weak child, We did not forsake you; rather, We nurtured you and raised you to the station where you overlook the balconies of the Throne, and We said to you: 'Were it not for you, We would not have created the spheres (Al-Aflāk).' Do you think that after this status, We would abandon you?"

The phrase {Did He not find you} can mean "Did He not know you?" The two objects of the verb wajada (to find) are the state of being an orphan and the subsequent guidance.

The existence (finding) is from God. The meaning is: Did God not know you as an orphan, and then provide refuge?

Two interpretations are given for the term orphan (yatīm):

1. The Historical Orphanhood: According to narrators, the Prophet's father, 'Abdullāh ibn 'Abd al-Muṭṭalib, passed away while the Prophet's mother was pregnant. After the Prophet was born, he was with his grandfather 'Abd al-Muṭṭalib and his mother Āminah. His mother, Āminah, died when he was six years old, and he remained with his grandfather. Then his grandfather died two years later, when the Prophet was eight. 'Abd al-Muṭṭalib had entrusted the Prophet to Abū Ṭālib because 'Abdullāh and Abū Ṭālib shared the same mother. Abū Ṭālib took custody of the Prophet until God sent him with prophethood. Abū Ṭālib supported him for a long time, and then passed away. The Prophet never experienced the hardship of orphanhood after that. God mentioned this favor to him.

It is narrated that Abū Ṭālib once said to his brother al-'Abbās: "Shall I tell you what I have seen of Muḥammad?" He replied, "Yes." Abū Ṭālib said: "I drew him close to me, and how could I ever leave him for an hour, day or night? I would not entrust him to anyone. I even ordered him one night to take off his clothes and sleep with me. I saw displeasure on his face, but he hated to disobey me. He said: 'O uncle, turn your face away from me so I can remove my clothes, as it is not proper for anyone to look at my body.' I was amazed by his words and turned my gaze away until he entered the bed. When I entered the bed with him, there was a garment between me and him—and by God, I did not put it in the bed! It was extremely soft and fragrant, as if dipped in musk. I tried hard to see his body, but I could not see anything. Often, I would lose track of him in the bed, and when I got up to look for him, he would call out to me, 'Here I am, Uncle,' and I would return. I often heard speech from him that amazed me, usually towards the end of the night. We did not mention God's name before eating or drinking, nor praise Him afterward. He would say at the beginning of the meal: 'In the Name of Allāh, the One (Al-Aḥad).' When he finished eating, he would say: 'Praise be to God.' I was amazed by him. I never saw him lie, laugh excessively, engage in pre-Islamic folly, or play with boys."

It is known that the wonders narrated about him, such as the story of Baḥīrā the Monk and others, are famous.

2. The Uniqueness (Rarity) Interpretation: This means, as in the saying "a unique pearl" (durratun yatīmah), "Did He not find you unique among the Quraysh, without equal, and then provide you refuge?"

{So He sheltered you (fa-āwāk)}: Meaning, He provided you with someone to turn to, which was Abū Ṭālib.

It is also recited as {Fa-awā} (He sheltered/took refuge), which has two meanings: either from awāhu meaning He sheltered him, or from awā lahu meaning He had mercy on him.

Here arise two questions:

Question 1: How is it appropriate for the Generous One to bestow a favor and then mention it by saying, {Did He not find you an orphan, so He sheltered you}?

This question is reinforced by God recounting Pharaoh's words: {Did We not raise you among us as a child?} (Ash-Shu'arā': 18), used as a reproach against Pharaoh. If it is blameworthy for Pharaoh, how is it appropriate for God?

Answer: It is appropriate when the intention is to strengthen the heart and promise the continuation of the favor. This reveals the difference between this act of grace and Pharaoh's boasting. Pharaoh's boasting was nullifying, as his goal was: "Why don't you serve me?" God's boasting is an increase in blessings, as if He is saying: "Why do you cut off hope from Me? Have I not initiated your upbringing? Do you think I will abandon what I have started? No, I must complete the blessing upon you and your community, as He said: {And to complete My favor upon you} (Al-Baqarah: 150). Are you unaware that a pregnant woman who miscarries before full term is considered defective and blameworthy? If she miscarries, or if a man causes her to miscarry through treatment, a fine (ghurrah) is due, and she deserves blame. How much more appropriate is this for the Living, the Self-Subsisting (Al-Ḥayy al-Qayyūm)? What a vast difference between the one who is God and the one who is Pharaoh!

A parallel is what some have said regarding the people of the Cave: {The third of them was their dog} (Al-Kahf: 22). Regarding the Ummah of Muḥammad, He says: {There is no secret conversation of three but that He is the fourth of them} (Al-Mujādalah: 7). There is a huge difference between a community whose fourth is a dog, and a community whose fourth is their Lord.

Question 2: God favored him with three things, then commanded him to mention the favor of his Lord. What is the connection between these three things?

Answer: The connection is that repaying a debt is obligatory. Debt is of two types: material debt and debt of favor/benevolence. The latter is stronger in obligation because material debt can be waived by forgiveness, whereas the debt of favor is confirmed by forgiveness. Material debt is repaid once, and the person is free from it, but the debt of favor must be repaid throughout one's life.

If one cannot repay a small favor from a benefactor who is a mere servant, how much more so regarding the immense favor from the Great Benefactor?

It is as if the servant says: "My God, You brought me out of non-existence into existence as a sound human being, outwardly pure but inwardly impure. This was a favor from You to cover my sins with the veil of Your forgiveness, just as You covered my impurity with the outward skin. How can I possibly repay Your limitless and boundless favor?"

God then says: "The way to do that is to do for My servants what I have done for you. You were an orphan, so I sheltered you; therefore, do that for the orphans. You were lost, so I guided you; therefore, do that for My servants. You were needy, so I enriched you; therefore, do that for My servants."

Then, if you do all of that, know that you only did it through My success, grace, and will. Therefore, always remember these favors and graces.

7 < { And He found you lost and guided you. } > 7 !

As for His saying, the Exalted: {And He found you lost and guided you}...