“And your Lord decreed that you should worship none but Him and that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both attain old age in your life, then do not say to them ‘uff‘ (a word of disrespect), nor shout at them, rather address them in terms of honor. And lower for them the wing of submission and humility through mercy. And say, ‘My Lord! Grant them Your mercy as they brought me up when I was small.” (Al- Qur’an). With everything constantly changing around, there is one thing that always stay safe and unchanged and that is family. And ‘Mother’ like ‘Father’ occupies a supreme role in the family. Every day is a Mother’s day for a ‘Mother’ is a selfless, loving human who sacrifices many of her good wishes for the betterment of her children. We find some strong characters in life, they love us unconditionally and beyond limits, trust us and stay with us. We should not forget that such major characters have a huge role in our life. Some characters in our life are indisputable and sincere while some are unkind and mean. We meet people who turn their back to us in times of need. Some harm and break us in ways we have never imagined. But some good characters lift us up, boost our morale and make us stronger. Those strong characters are more close to our heart and souls and belong to our family.
Almighty ‘Allah’ (swt) has gifted us with a blessing known as a sweet ‘Mother’. It is the first word a baby utters, loves and calls out loud no matter it is a happy or sad moment of its life. The mother-child relationship is the most important one and it’s reciprocal. One of the most beautiful things of Islam is that it gives mothers (as well as any woman) the highest position and commands children to be grateful, respectful, kind and obedience to their mothers. Sometimes being service of parents is more emphasized than worshiping Allah. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw) has said, “Paradise is at the feet of the mothers”.In Hinduism, God as Mother is worshipped frequently. Bhagwat Gita reveals that Lord Sri Krishna has once said, “Among women I am fame, fortune, fine speech, memory, intelligence, steadfastness and patience.”One proverb from Bible suggests, “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.” This verse describes the good woman and mother who sacrifices much for the sake of her children and family, and it is what all Christian mothers strive to achieve.The family in Sikhism is a training school for social, cultural, political and spiritual makeup. It is a training school for Seva and charity. In Sikhism, women are equal to men in status, role and power, and that women are the very grace of God.There is no religion, no caste and culture and no species on earth where a ‘Mother’ is not a dominant force and occupying a top seat in relations. If there is a love that can survive any test of scary winds on its day and that is solely a Mother’s love.
I need my Mother, or Maa or Mommy, such hearty words we often use, as we usually all turn to our beloved mothers in times of difficulties, pain or even excitement. Mother offers the remedies for our problems, or they know how to take away our hurts and heartaches at even the darkest hour. Our Mothers are our teachers, doctors, housecleaners, comforters.Moreover they are the best and spiritual leaders throughout our lives.A mother toils hard to make sure that her child is equipped with the knowledge, skills and abilities to transform her child into a capable human being. Being a mother is perhaps the challenging, most rewarding job a woman will ever experience. A mother is a disciplinarian, protector and a friend. A good mother has many defining traits, unconditional love, support, and being a good role model.When a strong Mother gives birth to her child; she makes a pledge to herself and her child that she would be a strong mother which can face any odds in life. A good mother has a never-ending supply of unconditional love and affection. A Mother could lose her most prized possession, but she will still wear a smile on her face to make her child happy. A mother forgives and forgets if a child is violent and agitated. A mother’s child grows and turns into a mature being, and one might make decisions which are against the will of Mother, but she will still love her child and be there for all times. No matter what, a good mother will always have unconditional love for her child.
“Anyone can be a father, but it takes a real man to be a great father”(Anonymous).A good father teaches his children to be well-rounded members of society. He teaches them the proper social etiquette, the importance of being honest, showing gratitude, keeping one’s word, etc.It is he who protects his children. Protection doesn’t mean only physical safety but also emotional security, financial security and many other different things that are unique to each child. Research finds that a child who gets unconditional love and full protection from his/her father experiences a greater sense of self-confidence and courage. A good father knows his responsibility for being bread-winner very well and do all he can for as long as he is able.
Our parents are the first role models in our lives as they are the first human contact we have at the start of our lives; and they continue to influence our growth and development throughout our lives. When Almighty Allah (swt) commands us to treat our parents in right ways just after Allah has decreed to worship Him, we should understand how great and important it is. It is never too late to become a submissive and faithful child of our parents and make Allah pleased on us.Parent’s love and affection is unshakable and without any greed. We must love and respect our parents for they deserve the best.It is they who suffer unbearable pains for us. We never know the love of our parents for us; till we become parents of our own. Without any doubts, parents are the most important and influential people we will ever encounter on this earth. They are always ready to catch us when we fall. They constantly remind us of the love.May Allah be kind to our parents (Aameen).
(The author is Assistant Professor, ITM University Gwalior and can be reached at: dr.shahidamin15@gmail.com)
