Often, moms do virtually all of the giving and very little, if any, of the taking from their families. They may not say it, but most of them want to be appreciated in small ways. You don't have to buy them a car or a house (you could do that too), but it's the small things that count with mom.
Here are some ideas of how you can let mom know that all of her giving has and continues to be appreciated.
1. Give mom a vacation
Don't think Hawaii. Think of a day away from the kitchen. Or the home. Give her a vacation from the home where for her, most of the seemingly endless housework is done daily. Or, if she doesn't want that, start doing your share around the house. Maybe you could start giving her one day of the week off, when she does no cooking or household chores. Remember, fathers and husbands work hard at the office, but they get a two-day weekend in most cases. Moms usually don't even get a full day off. And if they are also working outside, it's like two full time jobs.
2. Let's hear her life story: a mom's circle
She may have read you bedtime stories when you were small, but now it's time for her to tell you a different story-about herself. Make a mom's circle at home in which you ask her to tell her life story. Mom's circle may actually turn into a project: one family member could write this up into a report, another could make a story book out of it and a third could video/audio record it. A mom's circle may become an ongoing family tradition.
3. Try beating mom's cooking
While most moms ask their kids what they want to eat, turn the tables around and do the same for her. Is there special food your mom likes? Buy or prepare that food for her (if you are not the best of cooks, maybe it's safer to just buy it).
4. Is your mom in a nursing home
If your mom is in a nursing home, why not plan to bring her home for a weekend visit to stay with you. Even better, why not make this a weekly, or twice a month set up, so you can spend more time with her and she can be around those who really love her more often? Of course the ultimate gift will be if you can liberate her from that nursing home so she can stay in her room in your own home.
5. Arrange a mammogram for her
Every three minutes, a woman in America is diagnosed with breast cancer. That woman could be your mom.
A woman's chances of developing breast cancer increases with age. The National Cancer Institute recommends women age 40 and over be screened with mammography every one to two years. It also advises that women at higher risk of breast cancer get medical advice before they are 40 about when to begin screening and about the frequency of their screening. Do this for your mom, so you can see her spend the rest of her life in good health, Insha Allah (if God wills).
6. Is your mom a bookworm?
If so, buy a small cabinet and buy all of the books you can afford. Then take it to her home and set it up for her.
7. If your mom is a non-Muslim
If your mom is a non-Muslim, try fasting for a day (Nafil or extra fasting), and keep thinking and praying for her. Ask Allah that He guides her and ask Him what you can do to help her understand her own Creator.
8. If your relationship has not been the best with your Mom
If your relationship with your mom has not been the best, sit down in front of a year-long calendar or planner and mark down dates and things which you can plan to improve this relationship. Start off by making a formal first appointment. Then pick dates on which you can keep contact with her and build your relationship on a regular basis.
9. If mom is not alive
If your mom is not alive, visit her relatives and friends and ask what you can do for them. Consider these two Hadiths (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him):
1. The Messenger of Allah said: When a person dies, his actions come to an end, except for three things: a continuing Sadaqa (charity), knowledge from which benefit is still being derived, and a righteous child who prays for her or him (translated meaning from Muslim).
2. Abu Usaid Saidi said: We were once sitting with Rasulullah when a man from the tribe of Salmah came and said to him: O Messenger of Allah! do my parents have rights over me even after they have died? And Rasulullah said:
Yes. You must pray to Allah to bless them with His Forgiveness and Mercy, fulfill the promises they made to anyone, and respect their relations and their friends (Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah).
10. Pick up her feet and spread the word
The Prophet Muhammad said: Your Heaven lies under the feet of your mother (Ahmad, Nasai). Ask your mom to lift her feet, so you can locate where Jannah is. Then tell others about your discovery by sharing what Islam has to say about moms and their importance in our lives.
Photo Attribution: Peter van der Sluijs - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Young_mother_with_a_group_of_girls_Indonesia.jpg
Comments
Assalam-o-Alaikum!I wish all of u good health n success in dis world n the world hereafter. This is really an interesting article. I liked it very much. Heaven lies under a mother's feet..... she does everything 4 us........we can't repay even a bit of it. Thank Allah 4 this great blessing.Allah-Hafiz!
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I left my home country almost 10 years ago saying goodbye and see you soon to my mum not knowing is the last time I ll see her again in this Duniyah. I pray Allah azza wa jall to forgive her mistakes and make the grave a peacefull place and grant her and all dead muslim women jannatul firdaos (ameen). I miss you mum, I ll see you in sha Allah in Firdaos (ameen)
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assalam alaikum..... its very valuable article ....and i ask every single indivsual to respect his/her mother because many people won't realize the mother great value till she die !!! think of it while she alive you do all the good deeds in her life but after that you do have only pray or give sadaqah on her behalf......so run now and kiss her feet...and follow those recommendations and do more than that.. may allah will accept your deeds.
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I like this artical very much and prey to God that keep giving an opportunity to do the best what we can do to our Mom and Dad. JazakAllah
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Assalamu Alaikum, your articles are always superb and awakening. Apart from Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala, my Mum means alot to me, she is virtually everything and anything to me. May Allah guide our Mums, forgive their sins, protects them from Iblis, shower HIS blessing upon them, give them good health and prosperity till the end of time. While on our part, their children, May Allah contue to give us the courage and capabilities to serve HIM (Allah) and do the right and appropriate things to our mothers according to the teachings of our noble Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Soundvision, please continue the good work. May Allah in HIS infinite ways rewards you with Aljanna
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Jazaakaullohu khairan katsiiran. Thanks to SoundVision and Author who never stop promoting the kindness among Muslim and non muslim all over the world. This article is great ! Wasssalaam - T
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We love and appreciate our parents every day in the year.We are as Muslims very grateful to our parents.. They have the key of Janna.Please, note that the mother's day is a western style. They disregard their parents all the year and just remembering them once a year by a silly gift or a bunch of flowers.We don't need mother or father's days to remember our parents.
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As muslims the kind of treatment to be meted out to our mothers both living and dead are already enumerated in the Ahadiths and the quran mojeed.All we need to do is to keep refreshing our memories with them and act by them.May Allah make it possible for us to continue treating our mums with passion so that we keep enjoying his rahama.
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After reading through your article all i will say is JAZAKALAHU KHAIRA.The importance of parent can not be over emphasise,it is glairing that they love their children.For meboth are still alive i still wish them many years ahead and bless with Aljana ameen.
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Assalaamualaikum, this is an excellent artical, this whole site in general...most of tend to forget how to treat our mothers in this modern sociaty. readin this artical it brought me to tears because of how iam with my mother, but inshallah ill pray to Allah(swt) to build better and stronger relationship with my mother...Jazzakillah*
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