Friday, 9 March 2018

Mother’s Day

How many times have you been reminded of the above verse? But time and again we forget ourselves and overstep the limits. Yet, parents are parents, and at the end of the day, you’ll always be their darling child. Parenting is a ginormous responsibility which Allah has blessed some people with; the number of sacrifice parents goes through to ensure their child gets the best start in life is unparalleled. Sleepless nights, tiresome days, coupled with continuous forbearance and patience is just a small part of parenthood.


Mother’s Day


Now it’s our turn to give back. Though we can never ever repay our parents for the time and effort they dedicated to us; we can show them gratitude.

It’s Mother’s Day, and many children will be encouraged to draw cards, write cute messages and purchase gifts for their beloved mothers, who will welcome them with open arms and a heart-warming smile. It seems harmless, giving your mother a gift, making her happy; right?

It’s true there is no harm in buying gifts for your mother, treating her, and bringing a smile to her face, but the issue is when we assign a particular day and turn it into a celebration.

By incorporating Mother’s Day into our lifestyle, we are only imitating the disbelievers. For Mother’s Day was originated by a certain Anna Jarvis who held a memorial day for her mother who had died, the event soon becomes a celebration and in 1914 Woodrow Wilson took it to the Calendar’s an official “day”. Later in her life, Anna Jarvis regretted that it had become a commercialized celebration.

But Mother’s Day also has more sinister origins than Anna Jarvis’ commemorations. It is in fact linked to the Christian 40 days of Lent in which they remember the events leading up to the supposedly ‘crucifixion’ of whom they call Christ the son of god, and is more correctly called ‘Mothering Sunday’. It falls on the fourth Sunday of the season of Lent, also called Laetare Sunday, on which Catholics and Anglicans would visit their ‘Mother Church.’ It was later adapted for all; Protestants and Catholics alike by Constance Smith. Today it is commercialized for all, no matter their religion.

Other origins of Mother’s Day are found in Roman and Greek tradition, mothering festivals were held in honor of their mother gods Rhea and Cybele.

Hadith about Mother


Hence to engage in the celebration of Mother’s Day even with just a small card, is to participate in these Christo-pagan practices, which are in reality celebrations of associating partners with Allah. As Muslims, we do not believe Jesus to be the son of God, nor do we believe in Cybele or Rhea, so why would we participate in their celebrations?

In addition, by merging such festivals into the Muslim calendar is to blur the lines between the different religions. As Muslims, it is our duty to preserve our identity, and maintain the uniqueness and purity of Islam. Muslims have their own holidays and festivals to joyously celebrate, Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha.

To us Muslims, every day is Mother’s Day, in the sense that every day we should strive to make our mothers happy. And every day we should honor, respect, and serve our mothers.

Abu Hurayrah reported that a person said, “Allah’s Messenger, who amongst the people is most deserving of my good treatment?” He (peace be upon him) said, “Your mother, again your mother, again your mother, then your father, then your nearest relatives according to the order (of nearness).” (Sahih Muslim)

source: saudigazette.com.sa

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