THE GREAT MOTHERS

Ma'il Khairabadi - Mother of Hadrat Sulaiman (Upon him be peace and blessing)

GOOD ADVICE TO SON

The beloved Apostle of Allah (S.A.W.) said that the mother of prophet Sulaiman (upon him be peace) had tendered the following good advice to her son:
My dear son! Spend not your whole night in sleep, because, passing the major part of night sleep deprives a man of many good and virtuous deeds on the day of resurrection. (Tradition). Hadrat Sulaiman (upon him be peace and blessings) firmly bore in mind this piece of advice from his mother, and never thereafter he slept for full night. He used to spend a part of night in prayers and adoration unto Allah.
When he came of age Allah conferred Apostleship on Hadrat Sulaiman (P.B.U.H.), and He bestowed on him great kingdom too. Allah made the Jinn's subservient to him and made the violent winds to blow tamely for him. Allah also taught him the language of birds and ants. This was grace manifest from Allah. In whatever measure and on whomsoever He pleases, Allah showers His Bounties.

MOTHER OF HADRAT ZUBAIR (R.A) THE HARSHNESS OF THE MOTHER.

Hadrat Zubair (R.A.) was a beloved companion of the beloved Apostle of Allah (S.A.W.).
He was one amongst the ten blessed Companions to whom the Apostle of Allah gave good tidings, in their lifetime that they will be admitted to Paradise. Let us see how mother of this blessed and great Companion did bring him up. This account is immensely pleasing and palatable to read and draw lesson from that if our mother or some elderly person in the house treats us harshly with the motive of reforming and mending our character, we should not take it wrong.
Hadrat Zubair (R.A) was yet a small lad when his father died. The orphan child was then under the care and training of his mother, Hadrat Safia (R.A). She extracted from him very difficult and arduous tasks. When people observed this child doing too difficult tasks, they used to tell Hadrat Safia (R.A):
"What are you up to, are you going to kill the child?"
She used to reply: "I am making him wise, fearless and brave."
And it indeed did so happen. When Hadrat Zubair (R.A) came of age he really turned out to be extremely brave. When he was hardly sixteen or seventeen years old he plunged himself into the arena for a wrestling bout. People tried much to dissuade him from encountering the big and mighty wrestler of repute, but he remained first in his resolve. As soon as the bout started, Hadrat Zubair struck such a blow to his opponent that he fell down with a heavy bang and broke his hand people brought the wrestler on their backs. Hadrat Safia (R.A) narrated the whole story thereupon she said: "tell me the truth. How did you find my son, brave or coward?"
On other occasion, during the course of a battle between Muslims and the infields, in which the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) also had participated a famous as warrior climbed up the hillock and shouted: "Which Muslim can dare fight with me?" Infuriated at this challenge, Hadrat Zubair (R.A) leaped forward and grappled with him, fight ensued between them. Somehow both fell down the hillock. Hadrat Safia (R.A) was also present and was standing by the side of the Holy Prophet. Seeing the two rolling down she was frightened and exclaimed: "O Apostle of Allah! My Child?"
Quiet Composed, the Prophet replied: "Fear not, Zubair will kill this wrestler."And right enough it so happened. Hadrat Zubair (R.A) overpowered and killed him. This brave feat pleased the Muslims much.
Hadrat Saifa (R.A), herself, despite being a woman, was very brave and courageous. In the battle of Trench she killed a warrior and threw away his severed head into the enemy camp. Hadrat Saifa (R.A) was the real aunt of the beloved Prophet.

HADRAT ASMA (R.A.) THE MOTHER OF HADRAT ABDULLAH BIN ZUBAIR (R.A.)

Hadrat Abdullah bin Zubair (R.A) was among the bravest persons of his times. He had pledged allegiance to our beloved Prophet (S.A.W.) when he was only seven years old. The name of his revered mother was Hadrat Asma (R.A) who was the daughter of Hadrat Abu Bakr (R.A.) and wife of Hadrat Zubair (R.A.). She was exceeding prudent and brave. She was so intelligent that the Prophet (S.A.W.) used to consult her. When the Prophet migrated from Makka to Madina, it was she who prepared the provisions for his journey. And when the beloved Prophet (S.A.W.) took shelter in the cave of Thaur for three days, it was again she who supplied him food for all the three days, without the Makkans ever coming to know of it.
How did this great lady train and bring up her child?To have an idea about it we narrate below, in brief, some incidents from her life.
After the beloved Prophet (S.A.W.) had made Hijra to Madina, Hadrat Asma (R.A.) also went there after some time.
When the Muslims migrated to Madina, the climate there did not suit them in the beginning. Quite some time passed and no child was born in the migrant Muslim families. The mischief-mongering infidels made it out that there will be no issues born to Muslims, because the deities were annoyed with them, and had laid curse on them. Muslims had no belief in such concoctions, but in their inmost heart they were offering benediction unto Allah: O Allah! Put an end to the falsehood of these infidels.
When Hadrat Asma (R.A.) reached Madina, a child was born to her. It was the first baby to be born to a migrant woman. The new-born was named Abdullah. On the birth of Abdullah bin Zubair (R.A.) there was lot of rejoicing among the Muslims and the baby gave a lie to the canard that had been spread by the enemies of Islam. Hadrat Asma (R.A.) presented herself before the beloved Prophet (S.A.W.) with the new-born baby. He too was much pleased at the sight of the beautiful handsome baby. He took Hadrat Abdullah (R.A.) in his arms, gave the infant some medicine (to clear the meconium), caressed him fondly and prayed for his well being.
Hadrat Asma (R.A.) trained Hadrat Abdullah (R.A.) right from his childhood to be bold and intrepid. When he was four or five years old, the battle of the Trench was fought between the Muslims and the infidels. Hadrat Asma (R.A.) used to make her four or five year old child watch the action and how the battle proceeded. Thus even as a child, Hadrat Abdullah bin Zubair (R.A.) had the occasion to watch the proceedings of an actual battle. In his youth Abdullah bin Zubair (R.A.) turned out to be so brave that it was difficult to find his peer amongst his contemporaries. Hadrat Asma (R.A.) also used to continuously inspire him to rise to heights of glory. Hadrat Abdullah bin Zubair (R.A.) had to fight against the powerful Caliph Abdul Malik bin Marwan. In this battle, the army of Hadrat Abdullah (R.A.) was very small in size, yet he clashed boldly against a much larger army. On the occasion of this battle, when he consulted his mother, she advised him in the following morale-boosting words:
My dear son! Understand this fact very well that if you are fighting for the cause of Allah and are siding with truth, then you must put a bold front. Go and fight as befits a brave man. Fear not for your life. Receive the wounds of the sword with dignified valour. It would be thousand times better than life of ease in ignominy. If you are martyred, it shall be my highest pleasure. And if you aspire for mundane wealth and power, and all your striving is to achieve it, then who could be a more wicked man than yourself? How long will you life on this earth? One day death will, of a certainty, come to you, so better it is that you breathe your last while you are on the path of virtue and piety.
Hadrat Asma (R.A.) lived for pretty long time. Even in her old age she had retained much of her vigour and vitality. She was not afraid of even Hujjaj, who was the tyrant ruler of her time. People used to be amazed at the retorts she used to give to Hujjaj, the governor. Once when she was angry with him, she told him on his face:
I have heard from the mouth of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) that two persons would be born in the clan of Thaqeef. Of the twain, the first would be worse than the second. So, already I have come across one liar (Mukhtar Thaqfee), and the other tyrant is yourself whom I am seeing now.

HADRAT UMM SALEEM (R.A) THE MOTHER OF HADRAT ANAS BIN MALIK (R.A.)

Hadrat Anas (R.A.) was the renowned Companion of the beloved Prophet (S.A.W.). Right from his childhood he was in the service of the beloved Prophet. He was exceeding faithful and obedient. He was ever willing and enthusiastic to do any work assigned to his by the beloved Prophet. He used to listen to the talks by the Prophet very attentively and with keen interest. It was with Hadrat Anas only that the beloved Prophet had cut that palatable joke which is well known as Do Kan Wale (man with two ears). The beloved Prophet had addressed him once as O! Do Kan Wale, which in Arabic idiom means obedient. The delicacy about this joke is that it is a statement of fact that every man has to ears.
He is the same Anas (R.A.) whose mothers name is Umm Saleem (R.A.), the renowned lady Companion of the Holy Prophet. To her credit she performed many good deeds in her life-time and rendered great services for the cause of Islam. Hadrat Anas (R.A.) used to say that he was deeply indebted to his mother because she gave him over to the service of the beloved Prophet. This act of hers provided him the grand opportunity to build up his character emulating the beloved Prophet. We give below some salient events relating to the bringing up and training of Hadrat Anas by his mother, Hadrat Umm Saleem.
Hadrat Umm Saleem was the resident of Madina. The name of her husband was Malik. Hadrat Umm Saleem had accepted Islam, but her husband, Malik, had not.
Hadrat Anas was yet a child when Hadrat Umm Saleem started teaching him the Kalima e Shahadat (the Muslim confession of Faith). When her husband, Malik, noticed that their child was being taught the Kalima, he was much annoyed and said:
First you have forsaken the religion of your ancestors, and now you wish to make this child also irreligious!
Hadrat Umm Saleem (R.A.) replied: He is of course an innocent and ignorant child, but what I really want is that you should convert yourself to Islam.Malik did not convert himself to Islam, and in this state he once went on a journey and was killed on the way. Now Umm Saleem (R.A.) was a widow. But since she was very prudent, brave and enjoyed radiant health, many people sent her proposals for marriage, but every proposal she declined saying that her child was still too young. When the beloved Prophet (S.A.W.) migrated from Makka to Madina, Hadrat Anas was ten years old. Umm Saleem (R.A.) was anxious to make Hadrat Anas a man of supreme moral excellence. She conceived the ideal than that she place her son at the exclusive service of the beloved Prophet. Accordingly she presented herself with Hadrat Anas before the Prophet and entreated him:
O Apostle of Allah! I have brought up this child in great hardship. Now I wish you should take him under your care.
The beloved Prophet acceded to her request. Hadrat Anas thus started living in the service of the beloved Prophet. He started acquiring knowledge of Deen (Religion). He keenly observed and remembered every act or saying of the beloved Prophet and meticulously followed in his foot-steps. With the result that Allah was so bountiful unto him that he was being reckoned amongst the great Companions of the Prophet. Many Traditions (sayings of the Prophet) are reported by him, which Muslims read and there from learn knowledge about Islam.
Hadrat Anas admits that if his mother, Umm Saleem (R.A.) had not made this arrangement for him, it would have been a great loss for him.

THE MOTHER OF IMAM RABIYA (R.A.)

Imam Rabiya (R.A.) was great spiritual leader. He was the most erudite person amongst his contemporaries. He used to give religious lessons in the Masjid-e-Nabwi (the Prophets Mosque in Madina). Many men of high learning used to attend his lectures. The young and old all respected him. How did he become such a great religious leader? The secret lies in that Allah had blessed him with a noble mother who ardently desired and also worked hard to see that her son should become proficient in not only learning but also in disseminating the knowledge of Deen (Religion). She spent thirty thousand Ashrafis (gold coins) on the education and training of her son. The second contributory factor was the remarkable power of comprehension, which Allah had bestowed on him. Imam Rabiya, on his part too had taken great pains to acquire knowledge.
The story of his childhood is very interesting. The name of the father of Imam Rabiya was Farrukh. He served in the army during the reign of Bani Umayyah. On one occasion Farrukh was sent on the warfront for a big battle. At that time Imam Rabiya was in the womb of his mother. Twenty seven years passed by and Farrukh could get no respite from the series of battles. During this period he could not even return home. Imam Rabiya was born during his long absence and grew up to be a highly learned man during this period.
Prior to going on the war front, Farrukh had given his wife thirty thousand Ashrafis (gold coins). That prudent and virtuous lady spent all those Ashrafis on her sons education and training till he gained proficiency in knowledge of Deen (Religion). After twenty seven years when Imam Rabiyas father, Farrukh returned from war front he asked his wife about the Ashrafis, as to what use those had been put to. Thereupon, his wife replied: They are all kept in safe custody.
In the meanwhile, Imam Rabiya went to the mosque to deliver lecture on Hadith (Traditions). Farrukhs wife requested him: Please pay a visit to the mosque. When Farrukh entered the mosque, he found, to his great surprise, his own son giving lecture on Traditions, and many scholars, much older in age, listening attentively along with a number of others. His joy knew no bounds. After returning home, in an outburst of joy and pride, he praised his son before his wife, and incessantly expressed his deep gratitude unto Allah for it.
His wife then asked: Tell me now, whether thirty thousand Ashrafis are better or this bounty! Farrukh promptly replied: What is the worth of Ashrafis when compared with this blessing of Allah. Then the lady revealed: Those Ashrafis which you had left with me I have spent in the acquisition of this bounty.
Pleased at her reply, he said: By Allah! You have not wasted those Ashrafis. On the contrary you have utilized them for the most excellent purpose.

THE MOTHER OF HADRAT SHAIKH ABDUL QADIR JEELANI (R.A.)

Hadrat Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani was a great saint. People call him by the name of Bade Peer Saheb (great holy man) also. Only for earning the pleasure of Allah, Hadrat Abdul Qadir performed many great deeds. He eradicated many of the social evils which were rampant in his time. At that time many people had sprung up who were spreading various concoctions concerning and creating misunderstandings about Islam, and also about our beloved Prophet (S.A.W.) and his Companions. Hadrat Abdul Qadir put up a bold front against this avalanche of rumour-mongering until the mischief-makers were all silenced.
Hadrat Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani was a man of outstanding virtue and learning, a great saint and sage. He used to deliver religious lectures which were highly powerful and effective. How did he turn out to be such a great scholar in the knowledge of Deen (religion)?
The answer to this question is that Allah had blessed him with an excellent noble mother. Right from his infancy she used to tender him sound and righteous advice. She used to inculcate in him fear of Allah as well as longing for reading the Quran and learning the Traditions of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.). She herself was the Hafiz of Quran (one who commits the whole Quran to memory). She used to recite the verses of the Quran while doing the household work. Thus listening to the Quran regularly right from childhood helped Shaikh Abdul Qadir memorise a major portion of the Quran.
Shaikh Abdul Qadir (R.A.) was still a child when his father died. His revered mother then brought him up. At the time of his death, his father had left behind eighty Dinars (gold coins) for his two sons. Their mother divided the Dinars in equal parts and separated the share of each brother. She got Hadrat Abdul Qadir admitted to a school in the town of Jilan itself, which was his native place. When he finished his studies in the school of Jilan, he expressed to his mother his desire to go to Baghdad for higher studies. Baghdad in those days was famous as a seat of high class learning.
In those days traveling was hazardous and unsafe. Unlike today, in those days there was neither rail or motor, nor any other mode of conveyance except camels or horses. There were dense jungles on the ways in which dacoits used to ambush and plunder the caravan of travellers. This was the dread, which lurked in the mind of the travelers. But the mother of Hadrat Abdul Qadir summoned courage and prepared herself to send her dear son to the distant land, Baghdad, for pursuing further studies. She stitched the forty Dinars in his garment for safe keeping. This was his share in the inheritance of his father. While bidding farewell to him she in very strong words advised him never to tell a lie, even if speaking truth were to cost him dear.
Shaikh Abdul Qadir accompanied a caravan which was bound for Baghdad. On the way the caravan was waylaid by a gang of dacoits. Over powering the caravan the dacoits started looting those in the caravan. One dacoit asked him also if he had anything on his person. He replied Yes, I have. The dacoit took it as a joke and passed him over. But other dacoits too asked him and he frankly gave the same reply. This matter reached the ears of the leader of the dacoits. He made him to be brought before him and then himself asked him the question:
How much amount do you have on your person?He replied: I have forty Dinars with me. where are they?
They are stitched in my garment.
A search was promptly made and the money was recovered. Oh! Why did you show it to us? If you had not shown to us we would not have come to know of it at all, exclaimed the chief of the dacoits.
My mother has bade me not to tell lies at any cost. I have promised to abide by her advice. I have but to honour the promise made to her, was the reply from young Abdul Qudir.
When the leader of the dacoits heard this bold and truthful statement from the mouth of a young child, he was simply amazed and lowered his head in shame. He was absorbed in thought for quite some time. Then tears began to flow from his eyes, and wailing over his sorry state, he said: Woe upon us! We made that memorable covenant with Allah that we shall follow His Commands, do righteous deeds and refrain from the reprehensible, but alas! We have now turned grey yet we have forgotten the covenant which we had made with Allah. And this child, who had made a covenant with his mother, remembers and honours it even in the face of such adversity. What is my worth as compared to this child?
With these words he gave orders to return the looted property to the caravan men. Thereafter he vowed to give up robbery and lead a virtuous life. Seeing this all his gang men too were penitent and renounced their profession. In this way, on account of the noble advice of the mother, not only the property of scores of people was restored to them but a band of dacoits too got Divine Guidance for repentance and gave up the life of sin.

THE MOTHER OF SAYED AHMED SHAHEED

Hadrat Sayed Ahmed Shaheed was a renowned sage of our country. He was the native of Rae Bareily. His mother had given him excellent education and training. That is why, from childhood only he was very virtuous, brave and fearless. He had great love for Islam. Heart and soul, he was ever ready to hold aloft the banner of Islam.
On one occasion it so happened that when he was still a young lad, opportunity came his way to stake his life and all in the cause of Allah. He became anxious to go to the battle-front, but it was necessary to seek permission from his mother. Accordingly he approached his mother. His mother was then offering Namaz (Prayers). When the maid-servant came to know of his intention, she prevented him from meeting his mother, lest his life should be in danger. When the mother finished her prayers, she came to know that her maid-servant had obstructed her son to meet her. She felt bad and told her:
Dear lady! My son cannot be so dear to you as he is to me.Then she addressed her son and said:
My dear son! Go but listen, dont ever show cowardice. Fight valiantly. And if you run away from the battlefield, I shall never see your face.
It was the crowning result of his mothers training only that in later life he was victorious in many battles. He made ceaseless striving in holding aloft the commands of Allah and there never was any occasion when he fled from the battle field. Ultimately he was martyred in the cause of Allah.
See what fruits the striving of mother brought for the son? He adorned himself with glory in this world and made worthy provision for his life in the Hereafter. Today all Muslims praise him and hold him in high esteem and reverence.