Imam Abu Hanifah always obeyed his mother

Category: Faith & Spirituality, Featured, Life & Society Topics: Imam Abu Hanifah, Mothers Views: 16281
16281

The tradition of honoring mothers has been in effect in these United States for the last several decades and might continue forever. Mother's Day is observed every year on the second Sunday in the month of May.

In the Islamic tradition honoring parents and specially mothers is greatly emphasized. Many verses in the Holy Quran say that believers should worship only God and should not associate any partners with him. Along with this, God says in the Quran "Show gratitude to Me and to your parents". A famous saying of Prophet Muhammad is "Paradise lies under the feet of mothers."

One of the examples of displaying the utmost respect and kindness to one's mother was shown by Imam Abu Hanifah, one of the great Faqih (Jurisprudent) of Islamic law. Imam Abu Hanifah and his mother lived in the city of Kufah (A city near Najaf in Iraq). His father died when he was a young boy, and his mother lived until she was in her eighties. The Imam took care of her with immense affection and regard. The Imam's mother had a great reverence for some of the religious preachers of that time, and one of them was Amr bin Dharr, a well-known preacher of Kufah.

Her inquisitive and unduly curious mind had many religious questions. Even though her son was a great Islamic scholar, when she had a question, she would command Imam Abu Hanifah to go to Amr bin Dharr, and get an answer for her. This would always embarrass Amr bin Dharr. " How dare I open my mouth before you", Amr would say. The imam would comfort him by saying " Such is my mother's command." Then, the imam would get Amr bin Dharr's answer and return to his mother.

Once it so happened that Amr bin Dharr did not know the answer. He asked the Imam to repeat the question. Instead of providing an answer after hearing the question, Amr bin Dharr posed a question to the imam and said " would you mind, if I ask you a question." The imam said that he had no objection to Amr asking him a question. Then, Amr bin Dharr repeated Abu Hanifah's mother's question and said " If I ask you this question, then what would your answer be?" The imam looked at Amr bin Dharr with a smile, thought for a moment and gave him the answer.

Amr bin Dharr turned around and repeated the answer given by the imam moments ago and said, " Please tell your mother that this is Amr bin Dharr's answer." The Imam returned home and uttered the answer, and his mother was happy and satisfied with the answer.

Mohammad Yacoob is the former Vice Chairman of Islamic Center of Southern California and former President, Masjid Ul Islam, Inglewood, California


  Category: Faith & Spirituality, Featured, Life & Society
  Topics: Imam Abu Hanifah, Mothers
Views: 16281

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Older Comments:
MAHA FROM UNITED KINGDOM said:
salamu alikum to you all
i dont know how to put this in words, After reading what imam Abu Hanifah has done for his mother was very emontional for me to read sametimes so beautiful that touch my hear so badly that i burst in to tears which i had no control over it.
All i ask is dont let this chance go without doing anything while you have your parents alive and for those whos parents who are no longer with them all you can do is make dua for them.

please every one pray for me and my parents and i hope it will bring unity, love and transqulities in ours hearts and grow even more to love them even deeper ameen. may Allah (swt)bring this blessing in our heart to love and cherish our loving parent for what their have done in our lives which we can never repay them even if we could. May Allah grant our dua's and may He grant them the highest heaven and protect them from the punishment of grave and hell fire ameen. May Allah grant me this blessing to take care of my lovely, intellegent and most beautiful parents on earth and that i love them.anyone who reads this please make a small dua for them and the rest of the ummah to be united as One inshallah and ameen. love you all for the sake of Allah who has created you and I. MA'SALAMA
2005-12-11

ZAINAB IBUNI FROM TANZANIA said:
Allahu Akbar! This is a beautiful article, and, it is a lesson to us all, it is not only a lesson to our kids but to us mothers too, to show them how we obey and take care of our mothers as Imam Abu Hanifah did.
2005-06-07

HUSNA AJMY FROM CANADA said:
Jazakal Llahu Khairukum
I forwarded the useful message to my Sons,cousins,nephews,Nieces and friends.
Thank you.
2004-09-10

IMRAN SHAH FROM PAKISTAN said:
There is lot of person in the universe which loves us but no one can compare with the affection of mother.The person whoes knows that truth they always thankful for this. there is a lot of examples of obeyedence. In the moderen era of science, what is the meaning of obeyed.In the light of Islam,obeydence is sort of love and mould yourself according to other.Obedience is respectively different for each aspect. Like obedience of Allah and other etc.But obedience of parent is essential as well as obedience of Allah because there is lot verses of Quran in which Allah said to us to obey your parents. so thats are responsibility to obey the ALLAH command.
2004-06-05

SHAHEEN JATOI FROM USA said:
I have nothing to add to this wonderful article except that Imam Abu Hanifa's ancestors were from Sind (or as we natives of Sind write it "Sindh"). They migrated to Baghdad. So to the poeple who follow nationalism (Arab or other kind) I would like to say how silly it is. We are all intermixed throughout Islamic history and no one can claim that they are pure Arab or Turk.
2003-08-08

MALLAM ABBA ABANA FROM NIGERIA said:
Imam Abu Hanifah always obeyed his mother
5/6/2003 - Religious Family Social - Article Ref: IC0305-1961
By: Mohammad Yacoob IslamiCity* -
''The tradition of honoring mothers has been in effect in these United States for the last several decades and might continue forever. Mother's Day is observed every year on the second Sunday in the month of May. This year the Mother's Day will be celebrated on May 11, 2003.''

CONTRIBUTION AND COMMENTS FROM READERS ON Mother's Day:
Your introduction could be taken as an bringing idea of innovation which a nominal Muslim in a christain country could consider as Sharia on MOTHERS.
I believe Islam has no need of things that are innovated by others, be it Mother's Day of anything else. Its teachings on the honouring of mothers mean that it has no need for an innovated Mother's Day which could be sighted as Eid which combines a number of things: a day which recurs, such as Eid al-Fitr and Friday (Jumu'ah); gathering on that day; acts or worship and customs which are done on that day.
Whatever is done on that day as a ritual, act of worship or act of veneration that is done in order to seek reward, or that involves imitating the people of the Jaahiliyyah or similar kaafir groups is a forbidden act of innovation (bid'ah) and is included in the general meaning of the hadeeth in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours (Islam) that is not part of it will have it rejected." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim).
You may correct me if I am wrong in your introduction.
2003-06-19

IMRAN RASHID FROM PAKISTAN said:
The example reflects the supreme character of Imam Abu Hanifa. The Imam could have said to his mother that I can answer your question but that is a common mans phenomenon. What actaully Imam did, he fulfilled the commandment of Almighty Allah. Great lesson for all who follow.
2003-05-09