In the Holy Qur’an, Almighty Allah highlights the countless and sometimes extraordinary labors of a mother, stating: «وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَى وَهْنٍ» Translation: (“We commanded man about his parents. His mother carried him with difficulty.”) During the nine months of difficult and exhausting pregnancy, mothers experience both physical and mental strains, as the fetus grows from the nourishment of her body. This often results in mothers suffering from a lack of vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients during pregnancy.
Allah says in another place: «وَالْوَالِدَاتُ يُرْضِعْنَ أَوْلَادَهُنَّ حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ» (“Mothers breastfeed their children for two whole years.”) The right to breastfeed during the two-year period of infancy is dedicated solely to the mother, who also takes care of her child during this time. This nurturing—through milk and maternal emotions—creates a strong and unbreakable bond with the newborn, which has lasting effects, even into adulthood.
The Holy Qur’an mentions the suffering and hardship of the mother in Surah Ahqaf, saying: «وَوَصَّيْنَا الإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ إِحْسَانًا حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ كُرْهًا وَوَضَعَتْهُ كُرْهًا وَحَمْلُهُ وَفِصَالُهُ ثَلاثُونَ شَهْرًا حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَبَلَغَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً قَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَى وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَصْلِحْ لِي فِي ذُرِّيَّتِي إِنِّي تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَإِنِّي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ» Translation: (“And We enjoined man to be kind to his parents. His mother carried him with pain and labor, and gave birth with pain and hardship, and thirty months was the whole period of her pregnancy and breastfeeding until the child grew up. When he reached the age of 40 (and gained wisdom and perfection), he should say: ‘O Allah, teach me to be grateful for the blessings You have bestowed on me and my parents, and for the meritorious work in which You are pleased. May You make me and my children successful and righteous; I return to Your door and submit myself to You.’”)
In the above verse, Almighty Allah first mentions kindness and goodness to parents, highlighting the labors and pains endured by the mother. This acknowledgment of the mother’s sacrifices is a testament to the importance of her role. The mother is depicted as the main factor in the child’s obligation to treat parents with kindness, signifying that her contributions are so valuable they make kindness towards parents obligatory for the child. The patience and perseverance of the mother during pregnancy, as well as the exhausting burdens of breastfeeding and child-rearing, make the duty to honor parents paramount. In the Holy Qur’an, treating parents kindly is equated with the worship of Almighty Allah.
Moreover, Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) prayed for his parents, asking Allah for their forgiveness, as mentioned in the Holy Qur’an: «رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ» (“Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers on the day when the reckoning will be established.”). This verse highlights the honorable status of the mother, emphasizing the importance of praying for parents as taught by Prophet Ibrahim.
At the beginning of his life, Jesus (peace be upon him) expressed gratitude to Allah for making him benevolent towards his mother, recognizing the immense value of kindness towards parents. Allah Almighty states in the Holy Qur’an: «وَبَرًّا بِوَالِدَتِي وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْنِي جَبَّارًا شَقِيًّا» (“And He has made me kind towards my mother and has not made me oppressive and disobedient.”)
The rights that Islam has defined for mothers significantly surpass those given to others, even fathers. The mother is the primary educator and nurturer of individuals and society. She is the one who can lead an individual and community to happiness or misery.
The mother is a continuous source of love and kindness. For instance, when Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) held Hazrat Harun (peace be upon him) by the head in anger, Hazrat Harun reminded him of his mother. Allah describes this event in the Holy Qur’an: «لَمَّا رَجَعَ مُوسَى إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ غَضْبَانَ أَسِفًا قَالَ بِئْسَمَا خَلَفْتُمُونِي مِن بَعْدِي أَعَجَّلْتُمْ أَمْرَ رَبِّكُمْ وَأَلْقَى الْأَلْوَاحَ وَأَخَذَ بِرَأْسِ أَخِيهِ يَجُرُّهُ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ ابْنَ أُمَّ إِنَّ الْقَوْمَ اسْتَضْعَفُونِي» (“When Musa returned to his people angry and sad, he said: What a bad substitute you were for me after me! Did you act hastily in the command of your Lord?” He threw down the tablets and seized [the hair] of his brother’s head, pulling him toward him. Harun said: ‘O child of my mother! These people found me weak.’”)
In another instance, Hazrat Harun said: «قَالَ يَا ابْنَ أُمَّ لَا تَأْخُذْ بِلِحْيَتِي وَلَا بِرَأَسِي» (“He said: O son of my mother! Do not seize my beard or my hair.”). Here, Hazrat Harun mentions his mother solely because the reference to her name evokes love, affection, mercy, and compassion, which he hopes will elicit the mercy and compassion of Hazrat Musa.
Furthermore, Allah Almighty has designated the wives of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as the “Mothers of the Believers” (Ummahat al-Mu’minin), establishing a framework for goodness, respect, gratitude, and prohibiting marriage with them. Allah says: «النَّبِيُّ أَوْلَى بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَأَزْوَاجُهُ أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ» (“The Prophet is more deserving of the believers than they themselves (they must prioritize his ruling and will) and his wives are their mothers.”)
Maryam, the mother of Jesus (Hazrat Esa) “peace be upon him”, and the mother of Musa (peace be upon him) are among the noble women that Allah has presented as exemplars for Muslims.
In the next section, Allah willing, the position of the mother will be explained in the light of prophetic hadiths.
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