The Power of Motherhood in Islam

Motherhood in Islam is not simply a biological function but it is a divine trust, a sacred mission, and a glorious position. A mother is not only the one who gives birth and feeds but also the first educator, the quiet nurturer, and the spiritual architect of generations.

It is from her womb that humanity emerges, and it is through her values, wisdom, and care that hearts and minds are shaped. Her presence is the foundation of the home, and her prayers often reach Heaven before her voice is even heard on earth. In essence, she is an inexhaustible source of education-an institution that shapes our morality, character, and personality.

The Qur'an places immense emphasis on honouring mothers and recognizing their sacrifices. In one of the most powerful verses, Allah says: "And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship, and his gestation and weaning [period] is thirty months. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination" (Luqman: 14). In this verse, Allah draws attention to the pain, struggle, and love embedded in the experience of motherhood and elevates gratitude to one's parents especially the mother alongside gratitude to the Creator Himself.

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) further affirmed the special place of mothers in his teachings. When a companion asked, "Who is most deserving of my good company?" the Prophet replied, "Your mother." When the man repeated the question, the Prophet answered again, "Your mother." And when he asked a third time, the Prophet still replied, "Your mother." Only after the fourth time did he say, "Then your father." This repetition reveals the unmatched status of the mother in Islam and the layers of sacrifice she makes in silence.

The history of Islam is filled with luminous examples of mothers whose strength, patience, and devotion laid the foundations for greatness. One of the earliest and most inspiring of these is Hajar, the mother of Prophet Ismail (PBUH). Left in the barren desert of Makkah with her infant son, she placed her trust in Allah, saying with certainty, "If Allah commanded this, He will not abandon us." Her tireless search for water between the hills of Safa and Marwah became so beloved to Allah that He made it part of the rites of pilgrimage. Through her came the blessed spring of Zamzam, and through her lineage came the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad (PBUH). Another revered mother is Amina bint Wahb, who carried the Light of Prophethood in her womb. Although she passed away when the Prophet (PBUH) was only six years old, her spiritual nurturing left a lasting imprint on his heart. Later in his life, the Prophet visited her grave and wept, moved by her memory, proving that a mother's influence transcends her physical presence. Also among the noble mothers was Fatimah bint Asad, the mother of Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him). After the death of the Prophet's grandfather, she welcomed the young orphan Muhammad (PBUH) into her home and raised him as one of her own. In deep gratitude, the Prophet (PBUH) wrapped her body in his own cloak upon her death and offered a heartfelt prayer for her, treating her as if she were his own mother. The influence of righteous mothers was not limited to early Islamic history. The mother of Imam Malik prepared her son for scholarship with not just words but vision. Dressing him in the attire of the learned, she said to him, "Go to Rabi'ah and learn from his manners before his knowledge." Her wisdom highlights the essence of Islamic education-character before information. Likewise, the mother of Imam Al-Shafi'i was a widow who carried her son to Makkah to study, despite her poverty. She supported him with her tireless efforts and deep faith until he grew into one of the greatest scholars in Islamic history.

In every era, the role of the mother has remained vital. Today, even amid the noise of modern distractions and the challenges of contemporary life, the Muslim mother continues to be the first guardian of faith. It is she who teaches her children to recite the Qur'an, to pray, to speak the truth, and to love Allah and His Messenger. Whether she works outside the home or stays within it, whether she is educated or self-taught, her mission remains noble and transformative: to raise human beings who reflect the light of Islamic values in the world. Islam not only honours mothers with words but promises them immense spiritual reward. The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Paradise lies beneath the feet of mothers." This isn't a metaphor to be taken lightly, it is a clear and profound declaration that serving, honouring, and loving one's mother is among the highest paths to Jannah.

From these stories and teachings, it becomes clear that a mother is not just the one who gives birth, but the one who gives love, guidance, values, and strength. She is the first school, the first emotional refuge, the first spiritual guide. Behind every righteous child, every scholar, every leader-there is often a mother whose name may not appear in books, but whose impact is recorded in the heavens. Her efforts, her tears, and her silent prayers shape futures in ways the world may never fully recognize.

In a world today that often measures success by external achievements, we must return to the roots of true influence; the mothers who build hearts, minds, and characters. If we seek revival and reform in the Muslim world, we must start by empowering mothers with faith, education, and support, for in their hands lies the future of the Ummah. Last but not least, I would like to conclude by affirming that truly, from the wombs of mothers, nations are born and through their hands, civilizations rise. May Allah bless the mothers of Today's Ummah, grant them ease and patience, raise their status in this world and the next, and enable us to honour them with love and obedience.

Hamoud Yahya Ahmed Mohsen Assistant Professor of Literature at the Department of English Language and Literature, AbdulHamid AbuSulayman Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). Malaysia