Jaffari News

"As he lay lying on the ground, his mother was on the prayer mat, thanking her Lord for giving her the chance to see this day. Without looking back, she had sent her son into the battle ground, to fight, fully realizing and knowing that that would be the last she would see of him alive. She put her tired forehead on the turbah, thanking the MERCIFUL, praising Him and asking that her little sacrifice may be accepted."

 This was the scene in the tents of Imam Hussein (A.S.) on the day of Ashura. Some mothers had already sent their sons out into the battle field only to have them come back severed. Others were preparing their boys for what was to come. Telling them of how brave the others had been, in attempt to give them courage and not have them weaken at the last minute. Little did they know that for their sons "death was sweeter than honey”. The preparation for this tragic day began in the wombs of all the women when their son's were conceived and especially after they were born. They trained their little ones to be brave and courageous and ready to give their life for their Imam (a.s.)

 The great feat of Imam Hussein (A.S.) would not have been possible had it not been for the tireless sacrifices and training that all the mothers involved gave to their children. The Holy Qur’an also talks about the merits and high status of a mother. In Surah 46, verse 15, Allah says: “We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents; in pain did his mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth”

 Being a mother begins when the first though of wanting a child comes to mind and more so when the child is conceived. Every thought and action from the food the mother eats to the things she sees and the books she reads, affect the un-born child. In Islam, being a mother has high merits, but more so when the mother knows that the child she brings into this world is the Amanaat of Allah and that He has full right over the child. Her reward is raised when she starts the Islamic training of the child from day one.

 Train the child from the beginning? How is that possible when he/she is not even born yet?  Since everything affects the child, the mother has to be extra careful as to her nutrition, both physical and mental as well as spiritual. To begin, she needs to eat healthy food. She as well as her bread winner, has to ensure that the food is halal and comes from halal means.

 The necessity of having clean and obviously Halal food especially during pregnancy is that everything involved in the making of the food will affect the un-born child. This reminds me of a story about a great Alim whose son turned out to be a robber. The family was God-fearing and pious but it turns out that when the mother was pregnant with the boy, she craved for grapes. There were a few for her neighbours who some friends had dropped off. She just pricked a needle into one grape and sucked the needle. Little did she know that that would greatly affect the child. Thus giving into cravings in moderation and eating food from Halal means is of utmost necessity.

 According to our Aimmah’s certain foods like watermelon, Milk. Quince and Dates are beneficial to the mother and child during pregnancy.  All other foods are recommended to be eaten in moderation. The pregnant mother is also advised to give into her cravings in moderation because controlling herself too much may affect the child indirectly.

 The mother also needs to take adequate rest and relaxation in order to carry a healthy child as well as have a safe and healthy pregnancy. Research has shown that “Excessive fatigue in pregnant women gives rise to poisonous substances in the blood. Since this blood is the source of nutrition for the foetus, it can adversely affect the growth of the child.” (Rowan shinashi kudak, p. 222) In today’s life stress and fatigue has become a norm and thus we see the effects on the children in the society.

 Many times when a woman is expecting, she takes utmost care of herself physically, leaving little time for the spiritual part of the pregnancy. There comes a time later on that the parents cannot fathom what they did to make their children turn out the way they did. Training towards the Islamic path begins right from conception.

 The psychological conditions of the mother do affect the child when it is in the womb. Peace and stability in the mother’s environment will definitely have a pleasing effect on the child. To achieve this, constant listening and recitation of the Quran and Dua will have a calming effect on the mother and un-born child.

 The children of Ahlul Bait were given as a sacrifice from the moment they were born. Regardless of how much the mothers loved their children; they were ready to give them up in a blink of an eye.  Here I quote a little excerpt from Tears and Tributes by Zakir where Janabe Umme Farwa reminds her son Qasim the importance of repaying the debt of his uncle, Imam Hussein (a.s.). Although she knows that he is her only support in this physical world, she tells him of the importance of giving his life for the Ahlul Bait (a.s.)

 "My Qasim, since that day your father breathed his last, Hussein has looked after you as his own. Nay, he has treated better than his own sons. You know how he has fulfilled your every wish so that you may not miss the love and affection of your father. Now it is your turn to show that you can repay, to some extent, your debt of gratitude by laying down your life for him before any of his sons, brothers and kinsmen. Now is your chance to reciprocate his love and affection, by demonstrating to the enemies that you are a scion of the House of Ali and can wield the sword in defence of truth."

 How many of us can truly say that we would be as ready if not willing to give up our sons for the cause of Islam? How many of our sons would willingly go and fight for the truth? Often we hear parents refusing their children from standing up to the truth in fear of being castigated. Many parents worry that their children will be bullied in schools and may not “fit in the crowd” Many children fear the same. Why is it that? Why is it that we have lost the true purpose in life? And now are passing that on to our children? Where have we gone wrong? The answer lies in our hearts. As mothers, we have a duty to Allah and our children to bring them up well and on the right path. The prestige of a mother comes with TONNES (I put this in caps to emphasise the point) of responsibilities. It is about time that we step up to the plate before we are questioned by Janabe Fatemah Zahra (A.S.) as to why we “gave up Islam so easily.

More about what to recite and do during pregnancy can be attained from the little booklet “An exceptional mother” which is available at http://www.islamicentre.org/Tarbiyaat/articles/Exceptional%20Mother.pdf as well as in the book, A mothers prayer by Shafiq Bhimji and Arifa Hudda.