bounty. Make it your intention to raise your children well, and especially if blessed with a daughter, raise her with enthusiasm and love! Many people consider sons to be support for their old age, which is a positive hope, though whether a son will indeed become that assistance is ultimately a matter of fate. However, consider a daughter as if she were a ticket to Paradise.

By seeking to please Allah, with sincere intention and a joyful heart, if we care for our daughters properly, then اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه we will become deserving of proximity to the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in Paradise.

3) Raising an orphan

Dear Islamic brothers! There is another deed that make us close to the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in Paradise. This is, to raise and support an orphan. It is mentioned in hadith:

Whoever takes care of three orphans is like he who spends his nights in worship, his days in fasting, and fights in the path of Allah morning and evening. He and I will be together in Paradise like these two fingers.

The Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم then joined his index and middle fingers.^[1]

In another narration from Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, even caring for just one orphan brings this same glad tiding. However, in this narration, when the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم indicated with his index and middle fingers, he left a slight gap between them.^[2]

سُـبْحٰـنَ الـلّٰــه What an honour, my dear Islamic brothers! Care for orphans, and اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه you will be close to the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in Paradise.