By Abdullahi Abubakar Lamido, PhD
It was after a wet Thursday Asr prayer in a quiet neighbourhood of Gombe that Mallam Isa stood up to speak. The small mosque was dimly lit, the air heavy with humidity and the scent of earth. His voice trembled slightly—not from fear, but from the weight of the message he bore.
“Brothers and sisters,” he began, “let me ask you: what would happen if today, right now, your heart stopped, and your children became orphans?”
A hush fell. Even the children at the back stopped playing. That question pierced through the hearts like an arrow.
“You pray five times a day, you give Zakah and fast Ramadan, but have you made any plan for the ones you might leave behind?” he continued.
It was not just a rhetorical question. It was a wake-up call.
The Crisis of Orphans in Our Midst
In every corner of Nigeria—especially in the north—there are orphans. They are in the streets, in distant relatives’ homes, in understaffed orphanages, and in classrooms with torn uniforms and hungry eyes. Every funeral of a husband, a father, a provider, often produces not one or two, but sometimes 10, 15 or even 20 orphans. In a society with polygamy and a high birth rate, the multiplication may be frightening.
The silent cries of orphans echo through our communities, a poignant reminder of our collective responsibility. In societies like northern Nigeria, where large families are common and the spectre of loss ever-present, the number of children left without a guiding hand is staggering.
Losing a parent can mean losing everything: food, shelter, education, and the loving embrace of family. While various efforts exist to care for these vulnerable souls – from individual families to community and religious organisations, and a few dedicated orphanages – a critical challenge remains: the lack of sustainable, reliable funding. This is where the profound and enduring institution of Waqf emerges as a beacon of hope, offering a pathway to a robust and self-sustaining future for orphans.
What do we do with this growing population?
Islam doesn’t leave this to chance. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“I and the one who looks after an orphan will be like this in Paradise,” and he held his two fingers together. (Bukhari)
This Hadith should not be a mere quote for charity posters—it is a divine incentive for action.
The Legacy of Layth b. Sa‘d: A Model for Us
Let us take a lesson from the noble jurist and philanthropist Layth b. Sa‘d, a contemporary of the great Imam Malik. He was not only a scholar of high standing (who was often described as more grounded in fiqh than Malik -Afqah min Malik), but also a man of immense wealth. One of his investment —earning over 70,000 dinars annually (The current Naira equivalent of 70,000 Dinars, based on the pure gold content of those Dinars and today’s market price of gold, is approximately ₦51,188,742,500, ie Fifty-one billion, one hundred and eighty-eight million, seven hundred and forty-two thousand, five hundred Naira). Yet he gave away so much that he didn’t even have zakātable savings. One day, he bought a house, only to discover it had been used as a shelter for orphans. Without hesitation, he declared:
“This house is now a waqf for them. Let it remain a refuge. And I shall endow another waqf whose profits will feed and clothe them.”
Today, we admire his foresight. But more importantly, we must emulate it.
The Missing Link: Waqf as Sustainable Support
Most of our current models for orphan care, although well-meaning, are unsustainable. We rely on inconsistent donations or goodwill that may not last.
But waqf is not a charity of the moment. It is a charity of the generations.
“When a person dies, all their deeds end except three: a continuing charity (Sadaqah Jariyah), beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for them.” (Muslim)
Waqf is Sadaqah Jariyah. And every orphan fed, educated, healed, or empowered through it continues your reward in the grave.
How Do We Build a Waqf for Orphans?
1. Family-Level Waqf
Families should dedicate one house, piece of farmland, or business as a waqf for orphans. It could be residential housing, a school, or a rental property whose income supports orphan welfare.
Imagine if, in every city block, one family donated one apartment to serve as orphan housing or as an investment asset to support orphans.
2. Community-Level Waqf
Mosques, Islamic centres, and community associations should establish orphan waqf portfolios. These can include:
Schools with waqf-run canteens and hostels
Hospitals or clinics with orphan wards funded through waqf
Skills acquisition centres that train orphans for real livelihoods
3. Organisational Waqf
Existing orphanages should stop relying solely on donations. Let them build waqf farms, shops, or event halls. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“The best of people are those who are most beneficial to others.”
Let’s be beneficial in a lasting way.
You Could Be Next
One chilling truth binds us all: no one knows who will become an orphan next. We plan our lives, but we often forget how fragile life is.
A car crash, a silent heart attack, a violent raid—your child could be orphaned tomorrow. So, build the system you would want them to find.
Would you want your child to sleep under a bridge?
Would you want them to beg for school fees?
Would you want them to eat once every two days?
“None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Then love orphans as you would love your child.
Every Little Bit Counts: What YOU Can Do
Contribute to a waqf share initiative. You don’t have to give millions. Start with ₦1,000. Drops make oceans.
Educate others about the orphan waqf. Deliver a Friday khutbah, launch a WhatsApp and Facebook campaign, and distribute flyers.
Talk to local Imams, community leaders, and philanthropists. Propose orphan waqf projects.
Use your wasiyyah (will) to declare a portion of your estate as waqf for orphans.
Empower your children to understand this legacy so they can continue the chain.
Let us build an ummah where no orphan is neglected, where no child grows up feeling discarded, where our waqf institutions become sanctuaries of dignity.
Let Gombe, Kano, Lagos, Borno, Zamfara, Sokoto, Osun and every Nigerian state become shining examples of Waqf-Orphan Integration. Let Nigeria offer the world a new orphan care model—rooted in Islam, powered by community, and sustained by waqf.
And let each of us rise, in our small way, to be counted among those who build for the forgotten, the voiceless, the orphaned.
For on the Day of Judgment, it might just be that orphan’s dua that grants you the mercy you seek.
“They ask you what they should spend. Say: Whatever of good you spend must be for parents and kindred and orphans…”
— Qur’an 2:215
Amir Lamido wrote from Gombe via lamidomabudi@gmail.com.