Inspiration and Spirituality

Amid the Tents of Mina; the Dua of a Mother

Published

February 5, 2010

Mariam E.

By Mariam E.

She repeatedly tossed and turned in her sleep. After all, it wasn’t her comfortable bed at home. Her mattress was very close to mine, so close that I could hear her mumble while she lay trying to get some sleep. It was the nights of al-Tashreeq (3 days after the day of Eid) in the tent city of Mina. This elderly lady was performing Hajj with her son and his wife. As she was falling asleep on her mattress that beautiful night, I heard her continuously mumble something. I tried to hear what she was saying; perhaps there was something bothering her, or she needed something. As I drew closer, my ears understood and my heart softened. What previously seemed like the mumbling of sleep-talk, was instead beautiful words; words that would send feelings of happiness to the heart of any son or daughter. She was making du’aa. Her du’aa was not one of eloquence and rhythm, that would amaze the listener. They were simple words, for she was a simple woman. But their meaning and humble nature made them heavier than the weight of gold bars. This du’aa was not for herself. No, there was something that was pleasing her beyond that. Her du’aa was for her son, whose name I recognized due to the conversations between the woman and her daughter-in-law.

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Hajj is an arduous journey, a journey of jihad for the females of this Ummah, that takes us far from home, with only a ceiling of cloth separating us from the sky, and a bed that is not the most comfortable. Considering all of these hardships, you would have thought that this elderly lady would put aside all worries or thoughts and try to fit in some rest. But her pleasure with her dear son had filled her heart until the only concern of this half-sleeping, exhausted woman on that night was that Allah would bless him and grant him all good.

As I turned to lay my head on my own pillow, humbled by what I had just heard, many thoughts began to run through my head. What a fortunate son, who had pleased his mother to such an extent that he received her du’aa while she tossed and turned in her sleep. The days were blessed, the city–holy, and the journey–great. Added to all of this was the honor of the du’aa of a mother for her child.

I don’t think this woman knew that I had heard her du’aa. She did not know that she had touched a stranger with such a simple action.

My thoughts turned inward: are my parents pleased with me? Are they pleased with me enough that one of them would make du’aa for me on a night far from home, on a strange bed? On a night when sleep is most needed and desired?

This humble woman inspired me. Her du’aa that night was a source of inspiration. Even now, her words often come to mind when I feel that I have fallen short in my duties towards my parents. Perhaps one day I will reach the level of having my parents pleased with me at such a beautiful level.

May Allah reward her and accept that Hajj from her, and may He answer her du’aa. Ameen.

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Mariam E.

Mariam is of Middle Eastern origin, raised in North America, not quite settling in one specific place. After living up in the North of North America, she has shifted continents and currently residing in a rapidly flourishing, historical city located in the desert of Arabia. She is a recent graduate of the American Open University, with a Bachelors in Islamic Studies. She believes that regardless of where a person is, writing is a tool to reach out and express that which inspires, touches and affects them. So she writes; perhaps that which inspires her will be a source of good for at least one other person.

14 Comments

Ameera

February 5, 2010 at 7:22 AM

That’s beautiful. Jazakillah for sharing your experience! As children, in fits of anger, we do not realize what we are saying to our parents and later on, the very thought haunts us. Seeing it from the parents’ perspective, you realize how great a thing that is. Just as this woman was pleased with her son, so much so that she kept praying for him when it was time for her to rest, we need to be the children who please our parents to that extent.

Reply
Amatullah

February 5, 2010 at 7:39 AM

Ameen! Jazaaki Allahu khayran ukhti. I absolutely love your posts.

I remember hearing a story recently from an interview with Imam Sudais. He said that when he would get in trouble as a child, his mom – instead of cursing him or yelling at him – she would say: “May Allah make you Imam of the haram!”

subhanAllah. may Allah bless our parents and may Allah grant them a beautiful end.

Reply
- Ameera
  
  February 5, 2010 at 11:37 AM
  
  *speechless* How powerful a mother’s Dua can be! Imam Sudais?! Masha’Allah!
  
  Reply
shams

February 5, 2010 at 10:54 AM

JazakAllah khair for sharing this beautiful experience you had on your hajj.
May Allah accept your hajj and duas and those of evey haji-ameen

Reply
Ayesha

February 5, 2010 at 10:58 AM

having a mother is a blessing…and having a religious mother is a BIG blessing!!..

Rabb-ir hamhuma kama rabbayani sageera..

I remember hearing a lecture in which the sheikh said
“whatever the children do for their parents is only coz their parents have done a lot for them and they are jus returning the favour they did ” but what the parents do for a child is simply to see him happy and they don’t expect anything in return..subhanAllah!!…

in most of the places in the Quran after preventing his slaves from shirk…Allah(azzawajal) says “wa bil walidaini ihsana”..May Allah help us all with this…

Reply
Mama Adam

February 5, 2010 at 12:07 PM

MashaAllah, brought tears to my eyes.
Ameen Ya Rabb ameen, May Allah accept her duas and hajj and yours too,ameen.
JazakAllahu Khaira for sharing this.

Reply
Mariam E

February 5, 2010 at 12:44 PM

Asalamu Alikum

Jazakum Allah khair for your comments and encouraging words.

While duâ€™aa of a parent for their child may be part of the reward in this life, the example of one Sahabi shows the great reward in the Hereafter:

The Prophet sallaAllahu alayhe wasallam said: “I entered Paradise and heard a recitation. I asked: â€˜What is this?â€™ It was said: â€˜This is Harithah bin Al-Nu’man.â€™

The Prophet sallaAllahu â€˜alaihi wasallam said:

( ÙƒÙŽØ°ÙŽÙ„ÙÙƒÙÙ…Ù Ø§Ù„Ø¨ÙØ±Ù‘Ù ØŒ ÙƒÙŽØ°ÙŽÙ„ÙÙƒÙÙ…Ù Ø§Ù„Ø¨ÙØ±Ù‘Ù )

â€œThat is because of Birr (kindness to parents), that is because of Birr. “

Sufyan added; â€˜And Harithah was the most kind to his mother.â€™ (classes as saheeh by al-Albani).

Reply
ummahmed

February 6, 2010 at 4:51 AM

Assalamualykum,

Mashaallah..Jazakallahu khairaan for sharing.I learned this in the past ramadan that whenever you are angry or when ever you are disappointed do the dua Yah Allah make my grand children more righteous and more obedient to their parents. I also do dua that yah Allah make my parents proud of me and content with me on the day of judgement..Raise their status high above ..I may not please them completely in this world but make them pleased with me in the here after.Aameen.

Reply
- Ayesha
  
  February 7, 2010 at 12:02 AM
  
  sister barakAllahufeeki for your intentions in your duas “”yah Allah make my parents proud of me…
  
  I know by this you mean they should be really pleased with you, but I think using the word proud isn’t really suitable coz…they aren’t the reason that we are obedient….everything good is from Allah…if the children are obedient it’s because Allah willed it that way…yea… ofcourse they can be and should be thankful to Allah for having obedient children but they can’t be “proud”…(I understand you probably didn’t really mean it in that sense…but i think we need to be a lil careful with the words that we use)…coz we plead Allah to remove this evil off us….yea??…as in the azkar of al- subah wal masaa’ “rabbi aoozobika min sou’-il- kibr(the evil of being proud)” …
  
  May be we could use the Quranic terms by saying…((Yah Allah make me the Ù‚ÙØ±Ù‘ÙŽØ©ÙŽ Ø£ÙŽØ¹Ù’ÙŠÙÙ†Ù of my parents..))
  
  May Allah make you from his beloved and sincere slaves…
  JazakAllahukhairan
  
  Reply
  - ummahmed
    
    February 7, 2010 at 5:24 AM
    
    Jazakillahu khairaan for correcting my mistake sr.Ayesha.
    
    Reply
    - Ayesha
      
      February 8, 2010 at 4:30 AM
      
      wa iyyaki ummahmed…May Allah accept it from you and from me
      
      Reply
Hafiz SP

February 6, 2010 at 10:17 AM

Jazakallah for the consise yet powerful post. I recomend all the brothers and sisters to listen a kutbah on parents (cant remember the precise title but it was on pleasing your parent) by Sheikh Yasir Qadhi. If anybody cant find the lecture I could email it to you as I have in on my pc.

Jazakallah

Reply
Sadaf Farooqi

February 7, 2010 at 11:43 PM

This is a beautiful practical example of a son’s special place in his mother’s heart. I know of a lady whose son gave a piece of his own liver to be transplanted in her (she was suffering from a disease that caused liver degenration) a few days before she succumbed to it and died. For his scribes (angels recording his deeds), he recorded the ultimate deed he could do for his mother, didn’t he? Gave her a part of his own organ; though even that will probably not fulfill a mother’s rights.
May Allah make our parents pleased with us. Ameen.
Jazaki Allahu khairan for the lovely reminder, Mariam. May Allah bless your efforts.

Reply
- Hafiz SP
  
  February 8, 2010 at 9:43 AM
  
  I dont think there is an ultimate deed you can do for your mother. I base my belief on the story of one pious predecesor who took his mom to hajj by carrying her on his back and whilst he was doing Tawaf he saw an imam (i think it it Ali ibn abu talib, i maybe wrong though) whom he asked have I fulfilld my duty for my mother and the Iman replied No.
  
  Reply