Which is the better deed for a couple to draw closer to Allah: sponsoring an orphan, or marrying a widow who has children, especially given that the marriage might involve worldly desires? And does sponsoring an orphan mean raising him within the family or financially supporting him in an orphanage? Are there other deeds better than these?

Your marriage to a widow with orphans combines the sponsorship of orphans with the chastity of the widow. And the intention of permissible desire is not blameworthy; rather, its doer is rewarded. It has been stated in the Hadith (definition): "The one who strives for the widow and the poor person is like the mujahid in the cause of Allah." We advise you to be diligent in performing Fajr prayer, as neglecting it is a great calamity.