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Injunctions of the Qur'an
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Ahadith of the Holy Prophet
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Rights in the Light of Qur'an and Hadith
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Views of the Scholars
I ‑
INJUNCTIONS OF THE QUR'AN
Verses of
the Qur'an, the revealed book of Islam, pertaining to the rights of
woman as mother are:
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For
parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left
children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the
mother has a third; if the deceased left brothers (or sisters), the
mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases is) after the payment
of legacies and debts: Ye know not whether your parents or your children
are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by
Allah and Allah is All‑Knowing, All‑Wise. (4:11)
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And marry
not women whom your fathers married,‑except what is past: It was
shameful and odious,‑an abominable custom indeed. (4:22)
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Thy Lord
hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to
parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy 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 Thy mercy even as they cherished me in childhood." (17:23 ‑ 24)
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"(He) hath
made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable; (19:32)
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And We
have enjoined on man (to be good) to his parents: In travail upon
travail did his mother bear him, and in years twain was his weaning:(hear the command), "Show gratitude to Me and to thy parents: to
Me is (thy final) goal. (31:14)
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We have
enjoined on man Kindness to his parents: In pain did his mother bear
him, and in pain did she give him birth. The carrying of the (child) to
his weaning is (a period of) thirty months. At length, when he reaches
the age of full strength and attains forty years, he says, "O my Lord!
grant me that I may be grateful for Thy favour which Thou hast bestowed
upon me, and upon both my parents, and that I may work righteousness
such as Thou mayest approve; and be gracious to me in my issue. Truly
have I turned to Thee and truly do I bow (to Thee) in Islam." (46:15)
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II ‑
AHADITH OF THE PROPHET
Ahadith of
the Prophet (PBUH) of Islam on the rights of mother are stated as
under:‑
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Abu Hurairah reported that a man enquired: O Apostle of Allah! who is the
most proper person for my good association? "Thy mother", replied he.
Then he asked :Who is next? Thy mother", he replied. Then he asked: Who
is next? Thy mother", he replied. He enquired: Who is next? "Thy
father", he said. In another narration: he replied, 'Thy mother, and
then thy father and then thy nearest relatives and then thy nearer
relatives'. (Bukhari, Muslim)
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Mugirah
reported that the Messenger of Allah said: Allah made unlawful to you
disobedience to mothers, burying alive of daughters, and refusing help.
And he disliked for you frivolous gossips, frequent questions and
squandering property. (Bukhari, Muslim)
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Ibn Omar
reported that a man came to the Holy Prophet and said: O Apostle of
Allah! I have committed a great sin. Is there any repentance for me? He
enquired: Have you got mother? `No' replied he. He asked: Have you got
mother's sister? `Yes' said he. He said: Then accord her good treatment.
(Tirmizi)
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Muawiyah‑b‑Ja'hemah
reported that Ja'hemah came to the Messenger of Allah! I intend to join
a battle and have come to you for consultation. He enquired: Have you
got mother? `Yes' replied he. He said: Then keep near her, because
Paradise is at her feet. (Ahmad, Nisai, Baihaqi)
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Bahaj‑b‑Hakim
reported from his father who from his grandfather who had reported: I
asked: O Messenger of Allah! who is to be most obeyed? He said: Your
mother. I asked: Who is next? He said: Your mother. I asked: Who is
next? He said: Your mother. I asked: Who is next? He said: Your father;
and then your nearer relations and then your near relations. (Tirmizi,
Abu Daud)
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Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah said: May he be humbled!
May he be humbled! May he be humbled! It was questioned: Who, O Apostle
of Allah? He said: The one who finds parents in their old age ‑ one of
them or both of them, and yet does not enter Paradise. (Muslim)
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Asma‑bint‑Abu
Bakr reported: My mother, while she was a polytheist during the treaty
of the Quraish came to me, I asked: O Messenger of Allah! my mother has
come to me while she is ill‑disposed (to Isla'm). Should I show her
respect? "Yes", replied he, "show her respect." (Bukhari & Muslim)
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Abu Tufail reported: I saw the Messenger of Allah dividing meat at Jeerana
when a woman approached till she came to the Holy Prophet. He spread out
his sheet for her and then she took out her seat thereon. I enquired:
Who is she? They replied: She is his mother who suckled him. (Abu Daud)
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Amr‑b‑Shuaib
reported from his father who from his grandfather that a woman asked: O
Messenger of Allah, my womb was a resting place of this son of mine, my
breast a drinking place for him and my lap a soothing place for him, but
his father divorced me and wishes to snatch him away from me. The
Messenger of Allah said: You have got better right to take him till you
are not remarried. (Abu Daud, Ahmad)
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Abu Hurairah reported that a woman came to the Prophet and said: My husband
intends to go away with my son while he gave me water to drink and gave
me other benefit. The Prophet said: This is your father and this is your
mother. Take the hand of any of them you like. He took the hand of his
mother and she went away with him. (Abu Daud, Nisai)
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III ‑
RIGHTS IN THE LIGHT OF QUR'AN AND HADITH
Rights
bestowed upon the mother are discussed in the light of the Qur'an and
the Traditions of the Prophet (PBUH) in the following paragraphs:‑
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The
first and foremost duty of the human kind is to worship and serve Allah.
Next to this is the duty of showing kindness and obedience to one's
parents. (AI‑Qur'an 17:23)
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2. It is to
be noticed that while enjoining upon man the kindness towards parents,
the Qur'an has specially made mention of the services of mother in
bearing and bringing up of the child (Al‑Qur'an 31:14; 46:15) It shows
the importance of the role played by the mother and thus makes her
deserve the higher degree of one's obedience as compared to the father.
No doubt the Holy Prophet, according to an authentic tradition narrated
at serial no. 1 above, told a questioner that the best person for his
good treatment was his mother and he repeated it thrice. It is taken
from .this Hadith that the status attached to the mother in respect of
the obedience by the children is at least three times higher than that
of the father.
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The Prophet
of Islam (may Allah's peace be upon him) has declared it in unambiguous
terms that the paradise lies at the feet of the mother. He, therefore,
commanded a companion of him not to participate in Jihad which is
incumbent on every able‑bodied adult male Muslim, and instead serve his
mother. According to another tradition, the Prophet ordained good
treatment to the mother and in case of mother's death to the mother's
sister as an expiation of a major sin. Yet another Hadith declares
disobedience to mother unlawful. Good treatment even to a polytheist
mother has been ordered. Foster mother also deserves one's good
treatment and respect.
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The Holy
Qur'an has made the mothers shareholders in the inheritance of children.
In case the deceased leaves a son, the share of the mother would be one
sixth and in case he leaves no son and his parents are his heirs, the
share of the mother would be one third. (Al‑Qur'an 4:11)
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In the
pre‑Islamic `times of Ignorance', there was a custom among the Arabs
that after the death of the father, his wives passed on to his sons as
property in inheritance who used to marry them. This cruel custom was
abolished by the Qur'an and marriage with mothers was declared unlawful.
(Al‑Qur'an 4:22)
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On
account of the importance attached by the Qur'an and Sunnah to the
parents for one's respect and obedience, it has been deduced by the
Muslim jurists that the parents are entitled to maintenance from their
children. Under Sunni Law the parents are entitled to maintenance even
if they are capable of earning. Shia Law, however, relieves the children
of their duty, if the parents are capable of earning.
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The
mother is entitled to the custody (Hizanat) of her male child until he
has completed the age of seven years and of her female child until she
has attained puberty. The right continues even if she has been divorced
by the father of the child unless she marries a second husband ‑ (Mulla).
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IV ‑ VIEWS
OF THE SCHOLARS
Now we
ascertain how the famous scholars of Islam view the position of mother
in Islamic Society.
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Encyclopaedia of Seerah Writes: "Woman's position as mother is unique in
a Muslim society. She is focus for all the members of the family. She
enjoys great esteem and respect from everyone and all come to her to pay
their respects on important occasions and her opinions and suggestions
carry great weight in all family matters."
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Maulana Fazlul Karim writes: "Thus it is seen that a great stress has
been laid by the Qur'an regarding obedience to parents. In Islam, next
to the duty to God comes the duty towards parents. Parents are the
immediate cause of our birth and without them, we could not have seen
the light of the world. Where were we in our infancy, and where would we
have been now had the parents not taken sincere care of us? We would
have been in their absence left to the mercy of the wind, sun and rain.
How patiently parents bear all sorts of hardships, and how joyfully do
they sacrifice their comforts in improving children. They spare no pains
is procuring food for them, and they acquire the vices of hoarding
wealth only for their subsequent use and comforts? For all these
reasons, the duty to parents has been placed by the Qur'an and Hadith
next to the supreme duty towards Allah. Among parents, mother's place in
respect of obedience has been placed much above father as mother shares
the major portion of privation for the infant child." (Al‑Hadith)
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