Source/Credit: Ahmadiyya Times
By Mabroor Jattala | May 8, 2011
As the clock has ticked and approached this second Sunday of this month of May, known as Mother’s Day, wherever you go, people -young and old - are trying to present some token to show their mothers are special. Small children in their tiny hands holding some crafts or picture frames they had made with a full day’s labor at their schools to surprise their mothers over the weekend. On the other hand many feel unlucky not to be able to afford the expensive gifts to show that they love their mothers. But what always strikes me as odd is the thought that why this particular day, second Sunday of the May, is only one day of the year to show and celebrate that our mothers are special!
We all agree that the love and affection in a mother’s heart does not care for the expensive gifts and her love for her children is always unconditional. It does not change day to day nor does it have peaks and valleys according to the seasons. This day is not a religious celebration, nor is it mandated by any faith to be celebrated on a particular day. But every faith mandates love, respect and honor for the parents. Therefore, our gratitude toward our mothers for the hardship they endure not only during the nine month of pregnancy but all their lives in making sure that their children are well protected should not be limited to or be observed as a one day affair.
A Mother doesn’t love her children any extra one day out of a year or saves some special affection only for a particular day in May. The mothers go on worrying about their children all their lives. It is not unusual for a mother to worry even for her grownups in their 40’s and 50’s (who may have their own grand-children) that if they have eaten properly today?
The Islamic teachings place extraordinary emphasis towards the respect and obligations one must fulfill towards his or her parents. In the Holy Qur’an it is stated: “Thy Lord has commanded, `Worship none but Him, and show kindness to parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age with thee, never say unto them any word expressive of disgust nor reproach them, but (always) address them with excellent speech. And lower to them the wing of humility out of tenderness.' And say, `My Lord, have mercy on them even as they nourished me (when I was) a little child.'” (17:24, 25).
Ayesha (May Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) relates that a poor woman once came to visit her with her two daughters. Ayesha offered her three dates. The women gave one to each and raised the third date towards her mouth to eat. One of the girls asked her for that date too. So the mother broke it into two parts and gave one to each of her daughters. Ayesha relates that she was much struck by the mother’s action and mentioned what she has observed to the Holy Prophet. The Holy Prophet pronounced that Allah appointed Paradise for the mother in consequence of her action; or he said: “Allah freed her from her from the Fire on account of it.” (Gardens of the Righteous by Sir Mohammad Zafrulla Khan, Islām International Publications)
It is the mothers’ prayers that continue to guard us against hardships and this phenomenon is observed across all faiths and traditions. Abraham Lincoln once said: “I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.”
With respect to the high status of the mother in Islam, the Holy Prophet Muhammad said: Paradise is under the feet of mothers. (Sunan Nisaie) This saying of the Holy Prophet can be taken to mean that one may serve his or her mother so completely that God will find the person worthy of paradise just on that account.
Whichever category the society may place our mothers in, i.e. working mothers, stay-home moms, or single mothers; and whatever title we may want to give to our mother; i.e mom, mum, mama or ummi, her love for us remains constant and suffers no loss.
Let’s make sure we spread the word that Mothers are very special! Not for one day but every day in our lives.
-- Mabroor Jattala, Los Angeles, California
-- Ahmadiyya Times
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