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_-_The_Value_of_Motherhood_Paradise_is_at_Her_Feet_001.jpg) In several verses of the Quran, God makes clear that
duty, kindness and gratitude towards parents is an essential part of Islam. However,
women in Islam, particularly mothers, have been singled out for the upmost
respect and devotion. God Himself tells of the hardships involved in
motherhood.
“And we have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his
parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and
hardship...” (Quran 31:14)
In the time of Prophet Muhammad, a man asked permission
to go on a military expedition. The Prophet asked the man if he had a mother,
when he replied yes, Prophet Muhammad said, “Stay with her because Paradise lies beneath her feet”. (Ahmad, Al-Nasai) What wonderful imagery
these words invoke: Mothers and children gazing at each other with love and
gratitude. Tiny hands closed within larger hands. A touch to the face in
times of stress and illness, or the warmth of a loving mother’s voice. Images
of mothers nurturing and caring for their children, in health or sickness, in
good times, or trying times. Paradise lies at the feet of mothers; but what exactly
do these words mean? Simply, the gates of Paradise are open for those who
cherish and respect their mothers.
The role of the mother in the Islamic family is as equally
important if not more as the role of the father, who is the provider and
protector of his family. Not only does she go through both the joys and
difficulties of pregnancy and giving birth, she dedicates the whole of her life
to nurturing and caring for her children. It is her responsibility to raise
and to educate them to be righteous and pious human beings. She cooks, cleans,
nurtures and educates, she is also responsible for their spiritual, emotional
and physical health and well-being. In return, children owe their mothers
care, love, affection, respect and dutifulness. The task God assigned to
mothers is large and sometimes overwhelming. Accordingly, the reward for a
righteous mother is nothing less than Paradise and in this life, she is
esteemed and honoured.
Who is Most Worthy of Good Companionship?
In a hadeeth of Prophet Muhammad, a man came to the
Prophet asking, ‘Who among the people is the most worthy of my good
companionship? The Prophet said, your mother. The man said, ‘Then who?’ The
Prophet said, then your mother. The man further asked, ‘Then who?’ The
Prophet said, then your mother. The man asked again, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet replied,
then your father. (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim)
From only these two sayings of Prophet Muhammad, we are
able to understand the importance of mothers in Islam. However, in these days
of materialism it is easy to forget that God obligated us to honour our
parents, especially our mothers. Sometimes we find ourselves uttering words of
contempt or complaining about our parents. This sort of behaviour is not from
Islam.
God reminds us that Prophet John (known as the Baptist)
was dutiful towards his parents both loving them and obeying them. He said:
“O John! Hold fast the Scripture. And We gave him wisdom
while yet a child. And (made him) sympathetic to men as a mercy
(or a grant) from Us, and pure from sins and he was righteous. And
dutiful towards his parents, and he was neither an arrogant nor disobedient (to
God or to his parents).” (Quran 19:12-14)
Additionally, in the Quran, we are able to hear the
words of Jesus; he describes himself by coupling his obedience to God with his
duties towards his mother Mary.
“Verily! I am a slave of God. He has given me the Scripture
and made me a Prophet; and He has made me blessed wheresoever I be, and has
enjoined on me prayer, and alms, as long as I live, and dutiful to my mother,
and made me not arrogant, unblest.” (Quran 19:30-32)
As busy as our lives may be it is of great benefit to
look back at the lives of the Prophets, and our righteous predecessors, to see
how they treated their parents, particularly their mothers.
The Companions’ Behaviour
Abdullah ibn Omar, a leading scholar from among Prophet
Muhammad’s companions once saw a man carrying his mother on his back and going
around the Holy House in Mecca.
He did not complain or show any signs of annoyance; rather he kept repeating a
line of poetry comparing himself to a camel. He looked at Abdullah ibn Omar
and asked him whether by so doing he discharged his debt to his mother. Ibn
Omar said, “No. You have not even paid back one twinge of the pain she felt
when giving birth to you”.
Another companion from the early days of Islam, Dhibyan
ibn Ali ath-Thowree also used to travel with his mother to Mecca. The journey
was long and very hot; on the side of the road during their travels, he would
dig a little pool and fill it with cool water. He would then turn to his
mother and say, “Mother, sit in this water to cool yourself.”
Muslims who are obedient to God can never be unmindful
or unkind to their parents. Great reward is offered to those who treat their
parents, especially their mothers, with affection and gentleness, but a stern
warning is also given. The danger of disrespect is illustrated in the following
saying of Prophet Muhammad.
A man came to Prophet Muhammad and said, “A young man is
dying and people are asking him to say there is no god but God, but he is
unable to do so. “The Prophet then asked, "Did this man offer prayers?” The
answer was yes. The Prophet then went to see the man and tried to encourage
him to say there is no god but God. Still he was unable to pronounce the
words. Prophet Muhammad then called for the dying man’s mother. The mother he
had persistently disobeyed.
When she appeared, the Prophet asked, 'Respected lady,
is he your son?” She replied yes. He then asked, “O respected lady, if we
threaten to throw your son into a raging fire, would you recommend him to be
forgiven?” The lady replied that she would definitely ask him to be forgiven.
The Prophet then said to her, “Then declare, making God and me your witnesses,
that you are now pleased with him.” The old woman readily declared, "O
God, you and your Prophet are my witnesses that I am pleased with this beloved
son of mine.” Then Prophet then turned to the dying man and asked him to
recite, "There is no god but God, He is the One and has no partners and I
witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger.” (At Tabarani, Ahmad)
Because of his mother’s forgiveness, the dying man was
able to recite the words that, by the Grace and Mercy of God, may have allowed
him to enter Paradise. The good treatment of parents can be the key to Paradise, on the other hand, bad behaviour towards them may result in a punishment in
hellfire.
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