Islam Cares For The Woman As A Mother (2/3)

Parents must be respected, obeyed and offered financial assistance by their children, even if they have different religion or faith, other than Islam, as long as they do not demand that their son/daughter do any act of disobedience to Allah. Asma, the daughter of Abu-Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), said: My mother, who was still a pagan, came to visit with me. I went to Allah's Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), seeking his advice on what I should do regarding her visit, despite the fact that my mother was expressing an interest in Islam, 'Should I be kind and good and take financial care of her?' Allah's Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), responded: “Yes, indeed. You should be kind and good and take care financially of your mother even if the mother was a pagan.”[1]

A son/daughter must help and give every possible assistance to parents in their various daily household chores. One must not be aloof and refuse to physically help his parents in their daily regular house activities. Allah's Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), himself, used to mend his own clothes, mend his own shoes and help his family with their daily chores. In fact, 'Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) once was asked: 'What did Allah's Apostle used to do while at home?' 'Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), said: "Allah's Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), used to serve and assist his household; however, when he would hear the call to prayer, he would immediately leave the house."[2]

Goodness, kindness, obedience and caring for parent's needs must, in fact, be given higher priority over all other voluntary acts of prayer and worship. This is based on a Hadith where Abu-Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), reported the Prophet as saying:

“None, except three infants spoke while still in the cradle. These were:

Jesus son of Mary (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

The second is an Israelite at the time of Juraij. Juraij was a monk isolated himself in a cell and devoting his time for prayer and worship of Allah. One day, Juraij's mother sought him out asking help while he was indulged with his prayers. He said: 'O Allah! I am confused, to whom should I give priority; my prayers or my mother?' He preferred to continue his prayers, and neglected his mother's request for help. Upon seeing that, Juraij's mother left. On the following morning the mother did the same, and Juraij also continued his prayers and neglected his mother's call for help. On the following day, Juraij's mother came again to him and called him to help her, as she had done in the past two days; Juraij did not respond. Upon seeing that, the mother said: 'O Allah! Have Juraij look at the faces of prostitutes before he dies.' Israelites at the time used to highly admire the amount and manner of Juraij's worship, prayers and seclusion to which he devoted himself. A very beautiful and attractive prostitute that was popular at that time proposed to Israelites, 'If you wish, I can tempt Juraij and cause him to fall in love and commit illegal sexual activities with me.' The prostitute set out to execute what she proposed. She tried her best to lure Juraij into illegal sex with her; but to her surprise and dismay, her efforts were a failure. Hence, she approached a shepherd who used to stay close to Juraij's cell and offered herself to the shepherd who showed no objection. The prostitute got pregnant. Upon delivery, the prostitute accused Juraij of being the father of the child. The Israelites went to Juraij in his cell, drove him out, destroyed the cell and started beating him. He asked: "What is the matter? Why are you doing so?" They said: "You have fornicated with this prostitute and she delivered a baby from you, while you pretend to be a pious man." Juraij said: "Would you bring the baby here and let me offer my prayers, in an attempt to prove to you that I am not the father of that child." The Israelites permitted Juraij to offer his prayers, and brought the baby. When Juraij finished his prayers, he went to the baby and pointed to his belly with his hand asking: "Who is your real father, baby?" The baby, who was still in the cradle, said: "My father is the shepherd." Upon hearing the baby's statement and confession, the Israelites started kissing Juraij, seeking his blessings and said: "Should we reconstruct a cell out of gold for you?" He said: "No. But just rebuild it of clay and mud as it was built before." And so they did.

The third was an infant who was nursing at his mother's breast when a knight wearing very fancy clothes, passed by on a beautiful horse. The nursing mother said: 'O Allah! Let my son become in the future like this knight.' Upon hearing this supplication, the nursing infant left his mother's breast and said, while looking at the knight himself: 'O Allah! Do not make me in the future like this knight'. Then, the infant went back to sucking. (The narrator of the Hadith, Abu-Horairah (may Allah be pleased with him), said: 'I can remember the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) imitating the infant's nursing his mother's breast by placing his index in his mouth and sucking it.') Then the mother and her nursing infant passed by a maid who was beaten by her master and others accusing her with fornication and theft. The maid continued to say: 'Allah suffices me and He is My Guardian!' The mother said: 'O Allah! Do not let my child be like this woman in the future.' Upon hearing his mother's statement, the infant left his mother's breast and said: 'O Allah! Let me be like this woman in the future!' The mother upon hearing her infant's statement addressed him saying: 'Son! What is the matter with you? A nicely dressed knight passed by on a very nice horse, with a high status and power and I wished that you will be like him in the future; you refused to be like him. When we passed by that maid who was beaten and disciplined for an accusation of fornication and theft, and I prayed Allah for you not to be tortured and accused like her; you rejected my supplication also.' The infant said: 'Mother, As for the knight, he was a tyrant, and therefore I asked Allah not to make me like him. As for the beaten and accused maid, she has neither fornicated nor stolen. Thus, I asked Allah to make me innocent and pure like her!”[3]

(Continued)