A Reflection on Islamic Teachings about the Elevated Status of Mothers and the Consequences of Disobedience

By Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam 29 November 2024 The Sacred Duty of Honouring Parents: A Call for Reverence and Respect Main Points: 1. Mothers endure countless sacrifices for their children, often putting their own needs aside for their well-being. 2. The Quran and Hadith stress the importance of treating parents, especially mothers, with kindness and respect, elevating their status above all others. 3. Disrespecting or mistreating parents, particularly mothers, leads to severe consequences, including the risk of not entering Paradise. 4. Even when parents are wronged, they pray for their children's well-being, highlighting the power of forgiveness and the path to redemption through honouring them. ---- A mother is a wise and great woman, like a storm in the lives of her children. She endures various pains for her children, choking her own desires for their sake, burying her wishes, and even sacrificing her happiness. She doesn’t eat for herself and feeds her children instead. However, today, there are young people in society who abuse their mothers—curse them, speak ill of them, and even beat them, driving them out of their own homes. Perhaps it is for these people that Allah, the Almighty, has revealed in the Quran: "And do not associate anything with Him and be good to your parents. And to the near of kin, the orphans, the poor, the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the traveller, and what your right hands possess. Indeed, Allah does not like those who are arrogant and boastful." In this verse, Allah commands the most important duty: to treat parents with kindness, followed by relatives. In another place, Allah says: "And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, 'My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.'" Treat your parents with kindness, do not say harsh words to them! Do not even say "uff" to them, do not scold them, but speak to them with softness, respect, and honour. Honourable readers! A question may arise in your mind: Why is such emphasis placed on this, as mothers are human beings too? Why is it emphasized that we should not even say "uff"? When this question arises, your mother’s kindness will ask you, "Have you forgotten, my child? I am the one who fed you my blood in the form of milk. I am the one who used to turn you over to the other side when you wet the bed, and when you wet that side too, I would sleep in that place where you urinated and make you lie on my chest. I am the one who carried you for nine months in my womb, enduring the pain of your weight." To those who pretend to love their mother falsely, look into your hearts—how much love do we really have for our mothers? How many flowers of love have they planted in our hearts, and in return, how do we treat them? Most of us disobey our parents and cause them pain, crushing the flowers they’ve planted in our hearts. Yet, a mother will never curse her child. Even if she speaks something harsh, it is never from her heart; rather, she prays to Allah, asking Him to guide and bless her beloved child. Another verse from the Quran commands: "And be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination." In another place, Allah commands: "And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment." Narrated by Abu Hurairah (RA): A man came to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and asked, "O Messenger of Allah, who deserves my best companionship?" The Prophet replied, "Your mother." The man asked again, "Then who?" The Prophet responded, "Your mother." The man asked again, "Then who?" The Prophet replied again, "Your mother." The man asked, "Then who?" The Prophet said, "Your father." (Agreed upon) Here, it is noteworthy that the Prophet (PBUH) mentioned the mother’s status three times, and the father’s status once. This shows the elevated status of the mother, as it is said that paradise lies under the feet of mothers. Today, we curse and beat the very mothers whom the Prophet (PBUH) has given three times the respect of fathers. O disobedient children! Woe to you for driving your mother out of her own home. The Prophet (PBUH) said: _"Woe to him, woe to him, woe to him, the one who has his parents alive and does not enter Paradise." (Muslim)" To those who mistreat their parents, beware! They may never be blessed with the Shahada (testimony of faith). It is narrated that Abdullah ibn Salam (RA) was on his deathbed and wanted to see the Prophet (PBUH). The Prophet asked him to say the Shahada, but he couldn’t. When asked about his deeds, his wife replied that he had never missed a prayer, but his mother was upset with him. The Prophet (PBUH) called his mother, and she forgave him. Only then did Abdullah say the Shahada and pass away. The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Anyone who does not treat their mother well will not be blessed with the Shahada at the time of death." Do we not desire Paradise? Paradise lies beneath the feet of mothers. If we desire Paradise, we should serve our mothers as they served us when we were children. ---- Kaniz Fatma is a classic Islamic scholar and a regular columnist for New Age Islam. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-spiritualism/islamic-teachings-mothers-consequences-disobedience/d/133862 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism