Orphan sponsorship means taking charge of an orphan, spending on them and caring for their interests, and it is not required that the orphan live in the sponsor’s home. Sponsorship is fulfilled completely with a monthly amount that covers the orphan’s maintenance, clothing, housing, education and treatment, even if the orphan is in another country. According to scholars it is a communal obligation (fard kifaya) on society, not merely voluntary work, and it can become the duty of a specific person if no one else will do it.
What does orphan sponsorship mean in language and in law?
In language, the root of sponsorship (kafala) is guarantee, and the root of orphanhood is being alone. The sponsor is the one who takes charge of the orphan and brings them up. In legal terms, orphan sponsorship is “taking charge of their affairs and striving for their interests, from their food and clothing to growing their property if they have any, and if they have no property, spending on them and clothing them seeking the face of God”, as the Fatwa Center of Islamweb in fatwa no. 79040 reported from al-Dhahabi’s book al-Kaba’ir.
The age of orphanhood in the law is before puberty: when a person reaches puberty the description of orphan no longer applies to them, even if their need remains.
What is the virtue of orphan sponsorship in Islam?
Al-Bukhari reported from Sahl ibn Sa’d, may God be pleased with him, that the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said: “I and the sponsor of an orphan will be in Paradise like this,” and he held up his index and middle fingers. This is the highest rank promised for any act of good.
It is also reported from Abu al-Darda, may God be pleased with him, that a man complained to the Prophet (peace be upon him) of the hardness of his heart, and he said to him: “Would you like your heart to soften and your need to be met? Show mercy to the orphan, stroke their head, and feed them from your food: your heart will soften and your need will be met.” Al-Tabarani recorded it. The effect here is twofold: on the orphan and on the heart of the sponsor together.
Is orphan sponsorship an obligation or voluntary?
Orphan sponsorship is not merely described as permitted; it is among the communal obligations, as scholars have said. That means it is required of society as a whole: when enough people carry it out, the sin is lifted from the rest. It can become the duty of a specific person if the orphan is feared lost and no one else sponsors them. This is what Islamweb fatwa no. 101294 decided, and it also states that sponsorship has no fixed duration, and the longer it lasts the greater the sponsor’s reward.
Must the orphan live in the sponsor’s home?
No. Sponsorship in its legal sense, which is spending on the orphan and caring for them and their interests, is fulfilled even if they are somewhere else entirely, whether in their mother’s home or in their own country. Islamweb fatwa no. 33985 states this, and thereby resolves the difficulty that stops many people from taking the step.
Does a monthly amount count as full sponsorship?
Yes, provided it covers the orphan’s need. Islamweb fatwa no. 94301 says that paying a monthly amount to an orphan “if it covers their need for maintenance and clothing and what follows of housing and education expenses if they need them, counts as full sponsorship”, and the giver gains the reward promised to the sponsor of an orphan. If the amount is not enough, it is a great charity and an act of kindness, even if it does not reach the description of full sponsorship.
Is zakat valid for orphan sponsorship?
It is valid under two conditions together, according to Islamweb fatwa no. 107399:
- You must intend zakat at the time of payment, not afterwards.
- The orphan must be among those eligible for zakat, meaning they have no wealth and no provider obliged to support them, whether a specific orphan or not.
Orphanhood alone does not make a child eligible for zakat. An orphan may be an heir to wealth, or may have someone obliged to support them, in which case zakat is not paid to them even though charity is allowed. This is a practical difference that many donors overlook.
How many orphans are there in the world?
The number of orphans aged zero to 17 reached about 151 million children worldwide in 2025, according to the UNICEF database, August 2026 update.
Here is a key detail that is often misunderstood: UNICEF’s definition of an orphan includes a child who has lost one parent, not only both. The vast majority of these children live with the surviving parent, or with a grandparent or a relative. So the figure does not mean 151 million children without a family, and anyone who uses it in that sense describes it wrongly.
Key figures
| Indicator | Figure | Source and year |
|---|---|---|
| Orphans in the world (0 to 17 years) | 151 million | UNICEF, 2025 |
| Those who lost one or both parents to AIDS | 13.5 million | UNICEF, 2025 |
| Share of sub-Saharan Africa among them | 9.8 million, three quarters | UNICEF, 2025 |
| Children in institutional care worldwide | At least 2.7 million | UNICEF, 2017, data from 140 countries |
The 2017 UNICEF report estimates that at least 2.7 million children live in institutional care around the world, a rate of 120 children per 100 thousand globally, with an explicit warning from UNICEF that the real figure is higher, because official records in many countries count only a small part of reality. That is why the organization calls for keeping a child within a family, not an institution, whenever possible.
How do you start an orphan sponsorship with Qatar Charity?
Qatar Charity works on orphan sponsorship through the Rafaqa initiative for orphan care, the umbrella under which the sponsorship, health, education and psychological support programs are organized. Sponsorship through an organization is not an incomplete substitute for direct sponsorship; it is the form that ensures the amount reaches the person who deserves it and that its effect is followed from year to year.
- Choose the type of sponsorship. Sponsor an orphan, or sponsor a person with a disability, or sponsor a student of knowledge.
- Choose the country and the duration. Sponsorship is annual and renewable, and has no legal limit on its length.
- Intend zakat if you are paying from it, at the time of payment and not after, according to the two conditions above.
- Complete the sponsorship digitally. The full steps are in the guide: how do I sponsor an orphan?
Read also in this file
- Orphans Around the World: The Phenomenon and Its Causes
- Social Care and Psychological Support for Orphans
- Caring for Children and Orphans During Disasters and Crises
- The Best 5 Ways to Support Orphans and Vulnerable Children
- Orphans Who Defied Their Reality and Excelled in Their Studies
Frequently asked questions about orphan sponsorship
Must the orphan live in the sponsor’s home?
It is not required. Orphan sponsorship is fulfilled by spending on the orphan and caring for them and their interests even if they are in another place or country, as Islamweb fatwa no. 33985 stated. This means a sponsor can sponsor an orphan who lives with their mother or relatives without moving them into their home.
Is zakat valid for orphan sponsorship?
It is valid under two conditions together: that you intend zakat when you pay the amount, not after, and that the orphan is among those eligible for zakat, meaning they have no wealth and no provider obliged to support them. Orphanhood alone is not enough, because an orphan may be an heir to wealth or have someone who supports them. Reference: Islamweb fatwa no. 107399.
How long is an orphan sponsorship and when does it end?
Orphan sponsorship has no fixed duration in law, and the longer it lasts the greater the sponsor’s reward. As for the state of orphanhood itself, it ends at puberty: one who has reached puberty is no longer called an orphan, even if their need remains. Reference: Islamweb fatwa no. 101294.
How many orphans are there in the world?
About 151 million children between zero and 17 in 2025, according to UNICEF. This definition includes a child who lost one parent, not both, and most of them live with the surviving parent or with relatives. Among them, 13.5 million lost one or both parents to AIDS, three quarters of them in sub-Saharan Africa.
Start your sponsorship today
The hadith that promised the sponsor of an orphan the company of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in Paradise did not require an amount, a duration or a country. It required one thing: that you take charge of an orphan.
