When the words of God most high came down, “Do not come near an orphan’s property except to improve it,” (Al-Qur’an 6:152) and “Those who devour unjustly the property of orphans. . .” (Al-Qur’an 4:10) those who were in charge of an orphan went and separated their food and drink from his, and if any of the orphan’s food or drink was left over they kept it for him until he ate it or it went bad. Finding that a burden, they mentioned the matter to God’s Messenger, and God most high sent down, “And they ask you about orphans. Say, to set things right for them is good, and if you intermix with them they are your brethren” (Al-Qur’an 2:220). They then mixed their food and their drink with theirs.
Sahl b. al-Hanzaliya told of God’s Messenger coming upon an emaciated camel and saying, “Fear God regarding these dumb animals. Ride them when they are in good condition and let them free when they are in good condition.”
