Embracing Motherhood

My fellow Mama and comrade, my dear sister, we have been given one of the greatest tasks; to raise and nurture our children to know and act upon the purpose for which we were all created. And there is no escaping this obligation, no matter how we choose to educate our family; whether we homeschool or not. 

This responsibility is more than merely the upbringing of our own family. Rather, this upbringing will have an effect on the greater society in which we live, for generations to come. 

Shiekh Saalih al-Fawzan, in the book "The Status of Women in Islam" [1] states:

Indeed the woman, as you know, is the counterpart of the man and she is half of the society and she is the cultivator within the home.

She is as the poet has described:

 

الأم مدرسة إذا أعدتها    أعددت شعبا طيب الأعراق

The mother is a school; if you prepare her, then you have prepared generations of good. 

You have a high status as a Muslim Mother

We have a great role to play as mothers, and Islam gives us a high station in fulfilling it.
Embrace this role with open arms!

Being a mother is one of the roles we were designed for, and we do it well....even when we're tired or just want to be alone, because no matter how difficult something seems to be, something inside of us won't let us give up, alhamdulillah.

When we lay our new born baby in her crib, we have an automatic, innate inclination to watch and be sure that her chest is raising up and down to tell us she is still breathing in the middle of the night.

We can't help it.

This desire for nurturing and protection of our children is deep rooted within us.

Don't let modern society have you believe motherhood is an unworthy or lowly position.

We're living in a time where society looks down at motherhood and stay at home mothers regarded as lazy or un-contributing, whereas those who go outside the home to earn a wage are held as esteemed and benefiting society.

Don't let the distractions of this Dunyah delude you into believing this and deny you the great regard of the task you are doing.

We're not only teaching our children, but together we're cultivating our whole society.

If we find a string of loving, righteous mothers, then we find families who are righteious and upon good.

If we find a string of unrighteous mothers, then we find families who are unrighteous, no matter how loving she may well be.

And it is these families, both the good and the bad, who follow generation upon generation, and make our communities what they are.

So embrace motherhood my sister.
You are the captain of your ship.
You are the Queen of your humble little kingdom.

You are more important than you realise as a Muslim mother

Your role as a Muslim mother is one of huge importance. So see your value, see your worth and see your lofty position.

Remember the women who came before you, and their role in aiding the success of their family's and indeed their role towards the sucess of Islam for all Muslims to this day.

Khadeeja رضي الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰعنها gave her immediate support for her husband when he returned afraid after the first revelation at the cave of Hiraa. [2]

'Aisha رضي الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰعنها narrated much of what we know of the Sunnah and our understanding of Islam's rulings.  [2]

The wife of Imaam Muhammad Ibn Sa'ud, advised her husband to accept and endorse the call of Imam Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahaab to return the people of the Peninsula back to Tawheed. [2]

The mother of Shiekh Abdul-'Azeen ibn 'Abdullah ibn Abdur-Rahman ibn Baaz, would constantly encourage and direct him towards acquiring knowledge. [3]

These women, and countless others throughout history, supported, learnt, taught, advised and guided towards righteousness those around them.

Your perception of yourself as a Muslim mother, will effect how you feel

I say this, as a reminder to both of us, because I know motherhood is filled with challenges, and I don't say that lightly.

But even with those challenges, we are absolutely able to get through them inshaAllah.

Your own perception of yourself, and your role as a mother will greatly influence your feelings and behaviour in this position.

Give yourself the permission to acknowledge the high status we have and the great contribution women put fourth in raising their children.

I don't say this to tell you this is all we have to offer as a Muslim women. Not at all. On the contrary, motherhood is one part of ourselves, not the only part.

But the whole point to this article, is to help us realise our value as a mother, to help us embrace this part of ourselves in all its glory, and not to believe that motherhood is the lesser part of us...rather it is one of the highest and most noble roles.

Give yourself and those around you, the gift of seeing your worth as a Muslim mother.

Its paydays are worth more than gold.

References:

[1]  The Status of women in Islam page 31, translated by Raha bin Donald Batts published by Authentic Statements
[2] My Home My Path, page 31 compiled by Umm Mujaahid Khadijah bint Lacina al-Amreekeeyah published by Taalib al-Ilm Educational Resources, [3]  Jewels of Guidance Volume 1, page 198 translated by Abu ‘Abdullah Mohmmad Akhtar Chaudhry, Published by Darussalam,