Your mother, again your        mother, again your mother, then your father 
       But its the mother who        always suffers silently at our hands....
        
              Abu Huraira reported that a person said: Allah's        Messenger (peace be upon him) who amongst the people is most deserving of        my good treatment? He said: Your mother, again your mother, again your        mother, then your father, then your nearest relatives according to the        order (of nearness)
       (Muslim Book 32, Number 6181) 
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       A man once consulted the Prophet Muhammad about        taking part in a military campaign (Jihaad). The Prophet asked the man if        his mother was still living. When told that she was alive, the Prophet        said: "(Then) stay with her, for Paradise        is at her feet." (Al-Tirmidhi) Musnad Ahmad, Sunan An-Nasâ'i,        Sunan Ibn Mâjah) 
       ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 
       Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (A.S.), the        great-great-grandson of the Prophet Muhammad is reported to have quoted        Imam 'Ali (A.S.) that, "disobedience to parents is a major sin." He also        stated that, "if a person looks at the face of his or her parents with        wrathful eyes, despite the fact that injustice was done to him or her by        the parents, his or her salah (prayer) will not be accepted by        God." 
       According to one of the Hadith-e-Qudsi, the        following is reported about the status of parents: 
       "God has commanded that if anybody prays equal to        the invocations performed by the prophets, such        prayers will do no good if that person has been cursed by his or her        parents."' 
       It has also been related that the very first words        which have been written on the Lauh-e-Mahfuz (The Heavenly Preserved        Tablet) are: 
       "I am God, and there is no deity except Me. I am        pleased with those with whom their parents are pleased, and I am        displeased with those with whom their parents are displeased." 
       Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said: "On the        Day of Judgment, my person will not be seen by those who drank liquor,        those who on hearing my name did not invoke the blessings of God on me, or        those who were cursed and disowned by their parents." 
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       References: 
       - Holy Qur'an, Abdullah Yusuf 'Ali's        Translation 
       - Bedtime Stories, by Peermohammed Ebrahim        Trust 
       This article appears courtesy of the Islamic        Research Foundation International, Inc. 7102 W. Shefford Lane Louisville,        KY 40242 
       http://www.irfiweb.orgYou may email the author at        syedhasan14@hotmail.com 
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       The command to be good to one's parents begins        right from the Qur'an. Allah says: 
       "Worship God and join not any partners with Him;        and be kind to your parents..." [Noble Quran 4:36] 
       The mention of        servitude to parents follows immediately after servitude to        God. This is repeated throughout the Qur'an. 
       "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 honor. 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." [Noble Quran 17:23-24]
        The great scholar, Abu        al-Faraj Ibn Al-Jawzî (d. 1201CE) explained: 
       To be kind to one's parents        is: to obey them when they order you to do something, unless it is        something which Allah has forbidden; to give priority to their orders over        voluntary acts of worship; to abstain from that which they forbid you to        do; to provide for them; to serve them; to approach them with gentle        humility and mercy; not to raise your voice in front of them; nor to fix        your glance on them; nor to call them by their names; and to be patient        with them. (Ibn al-Jawzî, Birr al-Wâlidayn) 
       The Qur'an emphasizes the great struggles the        mother goes through for her child, to highlight the need for one to        reciprocate their parents sacrifice for them: 
       "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."[Noble Quran 31:14] 
       The renowned exegete, Shaykh Abdur-Rahman As-Sa'di        (d. 1956), says about this verse: 
       {And to your parents} meaning, be kind to your        parents, shower on them love, affection and piety, both in words and        deeds, treat them with tender humility, provide for them and never harm        them verbally nor physically. [...] Then, Allah mentions the reason why we        should be kind to our parents, when He says {His mother bore him in        travail upon travail}, that is, the mother bore constant suffering; in        pain and hardship from the first moment she felt the child moving in her        womb to the worst pangs during the time of delivery. And {his weaning is        for two years}, that is, during these two years the mother breast-feeds        her child and looks after him/her. So after all the years of suffering,        hardship, love and care, could we not, at least, compensate our mothers        for what they have done for us and pay them back their rights? (Taysîr        al-Karîm ar-Rahmân fî Tafsîr al-Kalâm al-Manân)
        The Qur'an repeats its mention of the        struggles of the mother in yet another passage: 
       "And We have enjoined upon man, to his parents,        good treatment. His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him        with hardship, and his gestation and weaning [period] is thirty months.        [He grows] until, when he reaches maturity and reaches [the age of] forty        years, he says, "My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which        You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to work righteousness of        which You will approve and make righteous for me my offspring. Indeed, I        have repented to You, and indeed, I am of the Muslims." [Noble Quran        46:15] 
       In connection to this passage, the late Grand Mufti        of Pakistan, Shaykh Muhammad Shafy (d. 1976) wrote: 
       Mother has more rights than father
       Although the first part of this verse is a command        to do good to both the parents, the second sentence refers only to the        hardships suffered by the mother, because they are unavoidable, and no        child can be born without them. Every mother has to go through the        problems of pregnancy and severe pains of delivery. As against this, it is        not necessary for a father that he suffers any hardship in bringing up and        educating the child, if he can afford to pay somebody else for these        services. This is why the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has        given more rights to the mother than anybody else. According to a hadîth        he has said, 
       "Do good to and serve your        mother, then your mother, then your mother, then your father, then the        near relatives and then those who come after        them."[Mazhari] 
       "And his carrying and his weaning is in thirty        months"[Noble Quran 46:15] 
       This sentence too describes the hardships suffered        by the mother for her baby. It points out that even after suffering        hardships during pregnancy and the severe labor pains, the mother does not        get respite from toils, because the natural food of the infants is in her        breasts, and she has to suckle them. (Shafy, Ma'âriful Qur'ân [Eng.        trans.], vol. 7, pp. 795-796) 
       The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon        him) continually used to remind his followers of the status of the mother        and the obligation of being good to one's parents. The following narration        is a beautiful example of the noble position of the mother: 
       A man came to the Prophet 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) 
       Commenting on this hadith, Shaykh Muhammad Ali        Al-Hashimi notes: 
       This hadith confirms that the Prophet (peace and        blessings be upon him) gave precedence to kind treatment of one's mother        over kind treatment of one's father (Al-Hashimi, The Ideal Muslimah, IIPH        2005, p. 165) 
       Likewise, the late Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia,        Shaykh Abdul-Azîz Ibn Bâz (d. 1999) comments on this hadith        saying: 
       So this necessitates that the mother is given three        times the like of kindness and good treatment than the father. (Majmoo'        Fataawaa wa Maqalat Mutanawwi'ah) 
       He also writes: 
       The secret of her importance lies in the tremendous        burden and responsibility that is placed upon her, and the difficulties        that she has to shoulder - responsibilities and difficulties some of which        not even a man bears. This is why from the most important obligations upon        a person is to show gratitude to the mother, and kindness and good        companionship with her. And in this matter, she is to be given precedence        over and above the father.[...] And I have no doubt that my mother - may        Allah shower His mercy upon her - had a tremendous effect upon me, in        encouraging me to study; and she assisted me in it. May Allah greatly        increase her reward and reward her with the best of rewards for what she        did for me. (Majmoo' Fatawa wa Maqalat Mutanawwi'ah) 
       The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon        him) also said in a famous narration:
        'Paradise lies at the feet of your mother'        [Musnad Ahmad, Sunan An-Nasâ'i, Sunan Ibn Mâjah] 
       What can be greater evidence of honoring women than        this? Islam has effectively placed the ultimate reward for human beings in        their devotion to their mothers. 
       Shaykh Ibrahîm Ibn Sâlih Al-Mahmud  writes: 
       Treat your mother with the best companionship, then        your father; because paradise is under the mother's feet. Never disobey        your parents, nor make them angry, otherwise you will live a miserable        life in this world and the hereafter, and your children will treat you        likewise. Ask your parents gently if you need something. Always thank them        if they give it to you, and excuse them if they do not, and never insist        on a matter if they refuse to give you something. (Al-Mahmoud, How to be        kind to your Parents, p.40) 
       It is related from Talhah ibn Mu'âwiyah as-Salamî        who said: 
       I came to the Prophet 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 
       Shaykh Nidhaam Sakkijihaa comments: 
       Cling to her feet means to submit yourself to her,        be close to her, protect her, serve her because in this is Paradise and        with her satisfaction you will enjoy the good blessings of Allah.        (Sakkijihaa, Honoring the Parents, p. 52) 
       The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon        him) showed us the importance of serving one's parents in the following        narration reported by Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud: 
       I asked the Prophet, '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]
        Even after the Prophet Muhammad (peace and        blessings be upon him), the Muslim scholars continued to stress the        importance of being dutiful to one's mother. By examining the conduct and        teachings of the early Muslim scholars, one may see how the direct        recipients of the Islamic message understood the command to be dutiful to        one's parents. Their behavior towards their parents shows Muslims how one        is to implement the teachings of the Prophet on honoring  parents. 
       Abdullah Ibn Abbâs (d. 687CE), a companions of the        Prophet 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-Adab        al-Mufrad Bukhârî 1/45] 
       An even more powerful        example is found in the statement of another one of the Prophet's        companions, Abdullah Ibn 'Umar (d. 692CE), who was also a great scholar of        Islam. It has been related that:Abdullah        Ibn 'Umar saw a Yemeni man performing Tawâf (circumambulating the Ka'bah)        while carrying his mother on his back. This man said to Abdullah Ibn        'Umar, "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 replied, "No, not even one contraction!!" [Al-Adab al-Mufrad Bukhârî        1/62] 
       SubhânAllah (Glory be to        God)! The efforts of a man who carries his mother on his back while        performing tawâf cannot even repay his mother for a single contraction        that she went through for him. Wise indeed was Ibn 'Umar's reply to this        man to show him how massively indebted he was to his mother. This is the        tremendous value and prestigious position of mothers in        Islam! 
       Yet another example is found in the following        prophecy of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him):There will        come to you with reinforcements from Yemen a man called Uways ibn 'Âmir of        the clan of Murâd from the tribe of Qaran. He had leprosy but has been        cured of it except for a spot the size of a coin. He has a mother and he        has always treated her with kindness and respect. If he prays to Allah,        Allah will fulfill his wish. If you can ask him to pray for forgiveness        for you, then do so. [Sahîh Muslim 16/95] 
       Indeed, later on 'Umar ibn al-Khattâb met Uways who        was exactly as the Prophet described, and upon 'Umar's request Uways        prayed for him. Commenting on this narration, Shaykh Muhammad Ali        Al-Hashimî writes: 
       What a high status Uways reached by virtue of his        kindness and respect towards his mother, so that the Prophet recommended        his Sahabah [companions] to seek him out and ask him to pray for them!All        of this indicates the high status to which Islam has raised the position        of motherhood, and given the mother precedence over the father. At the        same time, Islam has given importance to both parents, and has enjoined        kindness and respect to both. (Al-Hashimi, The Ideal Muslimah, IIPH 2005,        p. 167)
        
       So great was the Islamic emphasis on parents, that        the Muslims considered a great opportunity to attain paradise in service        to one's mother. Iyâs Ibn Mu'âwiyah was a famous Islamic scholar from the        second generation of Muslims. When his        mother died, Iyâs Ibn Mu'âwiyah 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."
        
       Zayn al-'Abidîn (d. 713CE) was the great grandson        of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and also a        renowned scholar. He used to treat his mother with so much kindness and        love as seen in the following narration:Once he was asked, 'You are the        most kind person to his mother, yet we have never seen you eating with her        from a single dish.' He replied, 'I fear that my hand would take the what        her eyes have already seen in the dish, and then I would be disobeying        her'. [At-Tartushi, Birr al-Wâlidayn]In other words, he was so careful not        to disobey his mother that he would even avoid eating out of the same        plate as her; He thought that she would see a morsel and intend to take        it, but before she did he might unknowingly take that same morsel and eat        it. This is how careful he was to obey his mother in the most minute        details.Another early Islamic scholar, Sa'îd Ibn Al-Musayyib (d. 709CE),        was asked about the meaning of the verse "but address them in terms of        honor" (17:23). Sa'îd Ibn Al-Musayyib replied: 
       It means that you should address them as a servant        addresses his master. 
       Muhammad Ibn Sirîn (d. 729CE) used to speak to his        mother in a very soft voice, out of respect for her. He was also often        seen in the company of his mother and looking after her. (Ibn al-Jawzî,        Birr al-Wâlidayn)All that has preceded shows how the status of mothers -        and consequently that of women - is elevated to the highest position in        Islam. The honor 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:        http://www.islamswomen.com/articles/mothers_in_islam.php@@@