A Mother, Honored And Beloved

A Mother, Honored And Beloved

By Amal S

She is a nurse, and sometimes even a doctor. She is a teacher. She is a cook, cleaner, and chauffer. She is a manager. She is a counsellor, therapist and psychologist all-in-one. She is a youth worker and community developer. She is a fashion director, hairdresser, and maybe a seamstress. She is a hygienist. She is a gardener and a storyteller. She is a mediator and negotiator. She is a coach. She is a role model. And more…

No, I’m not talking about 16 different women here, just one; you might have guessed it – a mother! A mother, honoured and beloved.

But what does society tell us this woman is? Just a housewife, or just a stay-at-home mother. But why do women insert the word just whenever they explain what they do; maybe modern society is telling us that this role is not a very significant one, however managing a house and several lives is one of the most important roles. She is keeping the family together, running a household in its many different aspects, and raising human beings; it is not a task for the weak, unintelligent, lazy, or unskilled. It requires many great virtues. 

Let us look at these beautiful mothers of great figures (by the Help and Will of Allah SubhanahuwaTa’ala) – the mother of Imaam Bukharee, Assiya - the foster mother of Propeht Musa (alayhi salaam), Fatima – the mother of Hassan and Hussain, Khadija – the mother of Fatima, Umm Sulaym - the mother of Anas ibn Maalik, Maryam – mother of Eesa (alayhi salaam), and the list goes on, ma sha Allah.

Islamic history also fights the theory that orphans or single moms result in broken homes, instability, and underachievement. Islamic history is rich with single mothers who were widowed because their husbands died in jihaad or due to some other reason, and yet by their belief and trust in Allah AzzawaJall and dedication in taking their children to the masjid and teachers, they raised pious, well-mannered, knowledgeable Muslims who contributed so much to the ummah, alhamdulillah.

Does any man or even female CEO do more than a mother? If you took all the roles I listed in the beginning and paid a part-time salary for each profession, the mother would have a 6 figure salary!

But a mother isn’t honoured because how much she could potentially be paid if all the roles she fills were paid. A mother has her high status because of her vital importance to her children, the family unit, and society and humanity at large. Ma sha Allah.

This dunya makes it seem that money is the only measure of so-called success: A mother is in fact paid, and paid very well, with an unbelievable retirement plan bi’ithnillah. She is ‘paid’ every time she sees her child smile or memorize another surah. She is ‘paid’ every time she sees her child choose to share and use kind words. And she is ‘paid’ when her child becomes a scholar or doctor opening medical clinics for the poor. But indeed she will receive the biggest pay, on Day of Recompense, bi’ithnillah Ta’ala.

So let those mothers out there not demean or undervalue their high status and work hard in their precious role.

Posted in: Women