Woman in Islam - Role as Mother

Apart from her role as a wife, the Muslim woman has a very important role as mother. The status and value attached to parents in the Muslim world is very high. A woman becomes complete when she becomes a mother. Enjoying her power of creativity and grade of superiority over man, she experiences those precious feelings and senses, which nature gives only to woman. There is no doubt that as a mother, she is superior to man and is the nucleus of her family.

Noble Qur'an says:

"And your Lord has commanded that you shall not serve (any) but Him, and goodness to your parents. If either or both of them reach old age with you, say not to them (so much as) "Ugh" nor chide them, and speak to them a generous word. And make yourself submissively gentle to them with compassion, and say: O my Lord, Have compassion on them, as they brought me up (when I was) little." Noble Qur'an (17:23-24)

Again Noble Qur'an says:

And we have enjoined man in respect of his parents - his mother bears him with faintings upon faintings and his weaning takes two years - saying: Be grateful to Me and to both your parents; to Me is the eventual coming. And if they contend with you that you should associate with Me what you have no knowledge of, do not obey them, and keep company with them in this world kindly, and follow the way of him who turns to Me, then to Me is your return, then will I inform you of what you did. Noble Qur'an (31:14-15)

In Islam every day is Mother's Day (Status of Mother in Islam)

One day a man came to see Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. It seemed that he was trying to solve something but couldn't quite work it out. So he asked Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. "Tell me, O Prophet of Allah, I have many relatives and many friends whom I love, and whom I wish to care for and help. But I often find it difficult to decide which of them has the greatest claim upon me? Which of them should come first?" Prophet Muhammad S.A.W replied immediately, "Your mother should come first and before all others."

The man was very pleased to have this clear guidance from Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. But of course there were all his other relatives and his friends, so he asked again: "And after my mother, who has the greatest claim upon me?" Prophet Muhammad S.A.W’s, reply this second time surprised him. "Your mother" he said again.

The man wondered why Prophet Muhammad S.A.W, was repeating himself. Perhaps he had not spoken clearly, the man thought, so he asked the question again, "What I want to know is, after my mother, who has the greatest claim upon me? Again Prophet Muhammad S.A.W, said "your mother"

Your mother, your mother, your mother

Prophet Muhammad S.A.W had now said it three times. Slowly, the man realized why he had done so. Prophet Muhammad S.A.W means that my mother is extremely important, so much so that my duty to her must be stressed over and over again. Even so, the man's thoughts ran on, "what about all the others I love and wish to care for?" Still uncertain and wanting to know more, he once again turned to Prophet Muhammad S.A.W, and said, "and after my mother, who comes after her? Is there anyone besides her?" Prophet Muhammad S.A.W then replied "after your mother, your father." And then? asked the man. "Then people who are nearest to you," said Prophet Muhammad S.A.W.

In universal religion Islam, mother has three times more rights over her off springs than their father because of her significant and crucial role in their birth, brought-up and home education.

In another hadith Prophet Muhammad S.A.W, peace has said: "Paradise lies at the feet of mothers." In other words Paradise awaits those who cherish and respect their mothers.

The Muslim mother has consequently a great feeling of security about the type of care and consideration she can expect from her children when she reaches old age. As the verse of Noble Qur'an quoted above indicates, thankfulness to parents is linked with thankfulness to Allah, and a failure in either of these respects is indeed a major failure in one's religious duties.

The principles of Islam made explicit in Noble Qur'an and hadith are belief and good conduct, and good conduct begins at home with one's closest relatives. A Westerner who has had close contact with a Muslim society cannot fail to be struck by the love and respect given to parents and the honour shown to old people in general, both men and women, as a direct application of these principles of Islam.