Judaism
Deuteronomy
“He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.”
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ParallelsA comparative study
JudaismIslamChristianity
On The Orphan and the Widow
Abrahamic traditions uniformly mandate the protection of orphans and widows as a primary indicator of covenantal fidelity and social justice. While Judaism and Islam embed these duties within detailed legal codes governing inheritance and litigation, Christianity often frames the care of these groups as a litmus test for authentic faith and ethical purity. Scholars note that while the legal mechanisms differ, the theological imperative to shield the vulnerable from exploitation remains a constant across these texts.
What every account tells.
- iDivine command to actively defend the legal and economic rights of the orphan and widow.
- iiProhibition against oppressing, defrauding, or turning away from these vulnerable classes.
- iiiIdentification of God as the specific protector or 'Father' of the fatherless and widow.
- ivThe treatment of orphans and widows as a definitive measure of communal righteousness.
How each tradition tells it.
Judaism
The Torah integrates these protections into the civil and criminal law, prescribing specific penalties for mistreatment and linking them to the Israelites' own historical experience in Egypt. The prophetic literature further elevates this duty to a central critique of ritual observance devoid of social justice.
Islam
The Qur'an frequently pairs the command to worship God with the specific injunction to treat orphans with kindness, often linking the two as inseparable acts of piety. Legal verses also address the complex management of orphan wealth, emphasizing strict accountability for guardians who might misappropriate assets.
Christianity
The New Testament shifts the focus from civil legislation to the definition of 'pure religion' itself, centering the care of widows as an act of devotion to God. While early church administration addressed the material distribution to widows, the theological emphasis rests on the moral character of the believer.
Read the passages as one.
Judaism
Deuteronomy
“Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.”
Islam
Surah 4: An-Nisa (The Women)
وَءَاتُواْ ٱلۡيَتَٰمَىٰٓ أَمۡوَٰلَهُمۡۖ وَلَا تَتَبَدَّلُواْ ٱلۡخَبِيثَ بِٱلطَّيِّبِۖ وَلَا تَأۡكُلُوٓاْ أَمۡوَٰلَهُمۡ إِلَىٰٓ أَمۡوَٰلِكُمۡۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ حُوبٗا كَبِيرٗا
“And give to the orphans their properties and do not substitute the defective [of your own] for the good [of theirs]. And do not consume their properties into your own. Indeed, that is ever a great sin”
Islam
Surah 93: Ad-Duhaa (The Morning Hours)
فَأَمَّا ٱلۡيَتِيمَ فَلَا تَقۡهَرۡ
“So as for the orphan, do not oppress [him]”
Christianity
James
“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”
Christianity
1 Timothy
“Honour widows that are widows indeed.”