MOTHERS

As'salaamu Alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,

"Worship God and join not any partners with Him; and be kind to your parents..." - An Nisa ayah 36

"Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him and that you be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour. And out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility and say, "My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood." – Al Isra ayaat 23-24

"And We have enjoined on man [to be good] to his parents: in travail upon travail did his mother bear him and his weaning was over two years. Be thankful to Me and to your parents, unto Me is the final destination."- Luqman ayah 14

It is related from Talhah ibn Mu'âwiyah as-Salamî (RA) who said: I came to Rasul’Allah and said, "O Messenger of Allah, I want to perform Jihad in the way of Allah. He asked, "Is your mother alive?" I replied, "Yes." The Prophet then said: "Cling to her feet, because paradise is there." (at-Tabarânî).

Rasul’Allah continually used to remind his followers of the status of the mother and the obligation of being good to one's parents….a man came to Rasul’Allah and said: O Messenger of Allah! Who from amongst mankind warrants the best companionship from me? He replied: "Your mother." The man asked: Then who? So he replied: "Your mother." The man then asked: Then who? So the Prophet replied again: "Your mother." The man then asked: Then who? So he replied: "Then your father." (Sahîh Bukhârî 5971 and Sahîh Muslim 7/2)

Rasul’Allah showed us the importance of serving one's parents as narrated by Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (RA)…..I asked Rasul’Allah, 'O Messenger of Allah, what is the best deed?' He replied 'Prayer offered on time.' I asked, 'What is next in goodness?' He replied, 'To be dutiful and kind to one's parents.' I further asked, 'What is next in goodness?' He replied, 'Jihad in the Allah's cause. [Sahîh Bukhârî, Sahîh Muslim]

Just as the Prophet said that kindness to one's parents was of the best deeds, he also said that disobedience to them was amongst the major sins…."The greatest sins are to associate partners in worship with Allah, to be undutiful or unkind to one's parents, to kill a soul forbidden by Allah and to bear false witness." [Sahîh Bukhârî]

Abdullah Ibn Abbâs (RA), a Sahabi and a great scholar of Islam, considered kind treatment of one's mother to be the best deed for strengthening or rectifying one's relation with God. He said: I know of no other deed that brings people closer to Allah than kind treatment and respect towards one's mother. [Al Bukhârî 1/45]

A Sahabi, Abdullah Ibn 'Umar (RA), a great scholar of Islam narrated that he saw a Yemeni man performing Tawâf while carrying his mother on his back. This man said to Abdullah Ibn 'Umar (RA), "I am like a tame camel for her! I have carried her more than she carried me. Do you think I have paid her back, O Ibn 'Umar?" Abdullah Ibn 'Umar (RA) replied, "No, not even one contraction!!" [Al Bukhari 1/62]

Iyâs Ibn Mu'âwiyah (RA) was a famous Islamic scholar from the second generation of Muslims. When his mother died, Iyâs Ibn Mu'âwiyah (RA) cried. He was asked, "Why do you cry?" He said, "I used to have two gates open to Paradise, now one of them is closed."

All that has preceded shows how the status of mothers and consequently that of women is elevated to the highest position in Islam.

The honour Islam has given to mothers is beyond that found in any other religion, ideology or culture. This is clear proof of the lofty status of Muslim Women.

Source: Qur'an, Sahih Al Bukhari, Muslim and Tabarani As'salaamu Alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.