Honoring Widows

As a matter of fact, all divine religions order honoring widows and prohibit oppressing them. Widow abusers are threatened with harsh punishment. Good widows are highly praised for their patience.

The Old Testament encourages doing good, bringing justice and pleading the cause of the widows.

In the Old Testament, we read the following verse: “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” (Isaiah 1:17)

The Old Testament also prohibits oppressing a widow. We read the following verse: “Do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” (Zechariah 7:10)

Also, the Old Testament tells us that if a widow is mistreated and she cries out to God, His wrath burns and God will then kill the oppressor and render his wife a widow and his children fatherless.

In the Old Testament, we read the following verses: “You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.” (Exodus 22:22-24)

The New Testament praises widows and orders others to honor her. We read the following verses: “Honor widows who are truly widows. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God. She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day, but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.” (1 Timothy 5:3-6)

All divine religions order honoring widows and prohibit oppressing them.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) likened the one who looks after a widow to a warrior fighting in the cause of Allah or the one who observes prayer at night and fast at night. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet said: “The one who looks after a widow or a poor person is like a Mujahid (warrior) who fights in the cause of Allah or like him who performs prayers all the night and fasts all the day.” (Al-Bukhari)

Prophet Muhammad praised those women who opt to remain widows and refuse to marry to take care of their orphan children.

Abu Hurairah reports that Prophet Muhammad said: ”I will be the first one to open the gate of Paradise. All of a sudden, a woman will outstrip me. Then, I will wonder: ‘Who are you?’ She will reply: ‘I am a woman who remained a widow for the sake of orphans of mine.’” (Abu Ya`la)