THE ROOTS BENEATH THE MOUNTAINS

Naazneen Ali





The Mother and the Beloved.

The vast desert encompassed him fully. For miles he travelled, not giving up on his
hearts mission. His destination was far but, for the first time, he had his dear mothers
permission with him. The three month trek from Qarn to Medina was long and difficult but his
will never left him. He was finally going to meet his beloved.

But upon arrival to his destination, his beloved wasnt home. He remembered his
mothers clear instructions to return back if no one was there. And that is exactly what he did.
His immense love for his beloved was unlike any in this world. But his respect for his mothers
words were part of his very being and he could never imagine disrespecting her instructions. He
would abide by his promise to her and serve her without waver even if it meant to never lay his
thirsty eyes on whom he loved for years. But his mother was his everything for the foundation
of his life was because of her.

So he left. Back to his home hundreds of miles away.
And never in his life was he able to meet his love.

This was the dedication of a son to his mother.
This was the story of the Sahaba, Hazrat Owais Qarni.






INTRODUCTION
Mountains arent destroyed by windstorms. Their solid foundations, withstanding years of
natural storms and disasters, are a blessing from the Almighty. The earth as we know it would be
a very different place if the foundations of these mountains werent in place. Allah (swt)
mentions in the Quran And We have set on earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake
with them. (An-Naba,78:7) . From the example from nature, mankind has implemented the
concept of strong foundations in the physical structures they have built. The ancient pyramids of
Egypt were constructed with such precision and accuracy that the foundation of these
monumental wonders enabled the entire structure to withstand the elements of time. Same can be
said about the accuracy of our highest skyscrapers or towers. The deeper and wider the
foundation of a skyscraper, the taller and wider the skyscraper can be when it is finished and
longer it will last. (Skyscraper Concrete and Founations, 2009). The foundations of these tallest
and biggest physical structures known to mankind are synonymous with the foundations needed
to sustain the oldest and biggest societies. The Islamic Society is such an example. The
foundation of the Islamic society, the very fabric of its lengthy existence, has been supported and
balanced by righteous mothers. The ultimate origin of society is the home and mothers are the
leaders of this domain. Since home is life and life is society, a strong home lead by a righteous
mother will result in strong communities that will implement the laws of Allah. Without these
mothers loving and leading the next generation, the Islamic society would suffer from the very
foundation that it stands on.
There simply is no more important role than mothers for they collectively shape the
future of the society. As the youth are the building blocks of a society, Mothers have served as
the foundation of guidance and forbearance. They have the incredible opportunity to influence
the next generation and that is a gift unlike any. The most prevailing influence anything can have
on the child is the influence of the mother. By influencing their families with positivity and
change, they can ultimately help create the future leaders of our Ummah. They are not only the
foundation of our communities, but they also are the rocks of our families. Mothers are the
teachers in the household, responsible for educating their children with a foundation of correct
Islamic principles. A mother offers her unconditional love in order to establish trust and a firm
foundation of emotional intimacy in her childs life. This results in emotionally balanced and
morally correct individuals who can be productive members of society. They also offer support
and encouragement to the husband so that he may take an active role in building the society in
which they live. But the most important responsibility they hold is of inspiring their young with
the desire to faithfully and lovingly serve their Creator. For an Islamic society to survive the test
of time, the members must practice Islam. Without a mothers correct guidance towards the path
of Islam and the implementation of the Islamic Principles in the home, the Islamic Society will
suffer drastically. Collectively, therefore, mothers are the foundation of an Islamic Society for
they firmly establish in place a rock-solid foundation of Islamic principles and core values both
inside their homes and in their communities.
THE POWER OF LEADERSHIP
There are over a billion Muslims in the world. Its easy to see that the Ummah is growing at a
fast rate. As of this year, it is predicted that the worlds Muslim population will grow twice as
fast as non-Muslims over the next 20 years. To balance this 1.1% population yearly increase, the
Islamic Society needs to have strong and upstanding leaders. (Religious Tolerance). We need
leaders in the scholastic, governmental and spiritual realm. These leaders of the next generation
would need to be well-grounded in their faith and have a fair and balanced viewpoint in order to
be effective at leading our Ummah. In order for these leaders to even come to the forefront,
foundational guidance and support of a strong, supportive mother would have taken place. These
mothers are responsible for igniting the passion of leadership in their child and for encouraging
them to take a compassionate and active role in the community in which they live. Throughout
history, we can always find leaders who have been blessed with the positive influence of their
loving mothers. The next generation of leaders depends on this generation of mothers.
Muslim woman have always understood their responsibility in raising their children, and they
have a brilliant record in producing and influencing great men, and instilling noble values in their
heart. There is no greater a proof of that than the fact that intelligent and brilliant women have
produced more noble sons than have intelligent and brilliant men, so much so that you can hardly
find any among the great men of our Ummah who have controlled the course of events in history
who is not indebted to his mother. (Al-Hashimi, chap 4)
Mahatama Gandhi remembered his deeply religious mother as a saint and to whom he
owed much of his vast knowledge of the Hindu religion. (Gandhis Life, part one). George
Washington once said All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the
moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her. (Mothers Day Quotes). Hazrat
Muawiyah (RA), one of our beloved Sahabah, was greatly influenced by his mother Hindah
(RA). When she observed his [Hazrat Muawiyah (RA)] intellectual capabilities during his
childhood and someone said to her that this child will become a leader of his people, she
confidently replied: May I cry over him (in other words, may he die) if he fails to become a
leader. (The Mothers Influence on the Children). Likewise, Imam Malik, one of the greatest
scholars who ever lived, was blessed with a mother who told him to go seek knowledge. My
mother used to wrap my turban and before I left to see my teacher she would say: Go to your
teacher Rabiah and learn from his good manners before learning from his knowledge. (New to
Islam- Imam Malik, 2011). Without this sort of direct support from his mother, Imam Malik may
have never pursued the path of knowledge. The Islamic Society is extremely dependent on
strong leadership and directional guidance of our spiritual and political leaders. In turn, these
leaders have required the unconditional support of their mothers so that they were able to
succeed to their fullest abilities.
ATTAINING DIVINE CHARACTER
Another integral part of the Islamic Society that a mother takes a lead role in is the
morality and good character of the people of that society. The mother is a school: if you
prepare her properly, you will prepare an entire people of good character. (Al-Hashimi, pg 282).
The stability of a functioning society highly depends on the morality of its people. The more
virtuous the people, the more likely they will have a strong, lasting society. History has shown
that amazing societies have crumbled when their internal standards of morality dropped. Muslim
communities are not immune to this. In fact, the Islamic society at large benefits from the moral
consciousness and development of its members at a foundational level. The mother is the tool in
which this concept is executed for she is the teacher in the household and therefore spearheads
the teachings of morality and good character. That is why it is crucial that mothers develop good
character and virtuous morals. When she teaches her child the basic sense of right and wrong,
she is helping them interact with others in a positive way. This will enable the child to effectively
contribute to the stability of the community in the near future. By her exhibiting a good
character, she will influence her child to pick up on this quality. The child in the decisive first
years of his life, has the experience of his mother, as an all-enveloping, protective, nourishing
power. Mother is food; she is love; she is warmth; she is earth. To be loved by her means to be
alive, to be rooted, to be at home. (Fromm, pg 36) Even our beloved Sahabah, who were
beacons of great virtues, inherited these qualities from their mothers. Hazrat Abdullah bin-J afar
(RA) the most charitable soul of the Arabs and the most moralistic of the youth was also brought
up by his mother Asma bintu Umais (RA). She shaped him on the outstanding morals and
character she herself possessed. (Al-Hashmi, 2005). In addition to morality and good character,
a mother also takes a lead role in the emotional development of the child. This action will result
in an Islamic Society that has a foundation of balanced and stable Muslims who can contribute to
it effectively.
THE STRENGTH THAT UNITES US
Many studies have shown that the emotional development of a child, specifically the
capacity to love and to form attachments to other humans, is the greatest from conception to age
three. (Gale Encyclopedia of Education, 2005). A strong emotional foundation upon which a
child can adequately develop good social skills is needed for any good society to thrive. The
Family home is a microcosm of society in which the childrens mentality, intellect, attitudes and
inclinations are formed when they are still very small and are ready to receive sound words of
guidance. (Al-Hashimi, Pg 129) When a child receives the emotional support of their mother,
they are far likelier to stay away from things that will harm them or their society. At a young age,
they would have developed the ability to be rational and sound. If you examine mother-child
relationship in full detail, you will see that the attachment between mother and child is critical
for a childs healthy social-emotional development, and that mother and child are biologically
designed to form this essential bond. (Bowlby). Another important study on Early Child Care
conducted by The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development concluded that
not only as maternal sensitivity and bonding important, it is the strongest, most consistent
predictor of a childs cognitive, social, and emotional development. (NICHD, 2003). In fact,
when mothers give cognitive stimulation and emotional support to their child, they ultimately lay
down the foundation for intellectual and linguistic functioning throughout development. This
concept is critical to any functioning society. As Muslims we must realize that Islam is not just a
worship program, but a comprehensive intelligent and practical life system. In Islam, the various
components of the human being are respected equally and it efficiently regulates these
components to their full potential. That way it is not causing damage to the self or to the
community at large. However, without the mothers active contribution in this arena, this could
never be attained and the society at large could suffer. Along with her involvement in the
emotional development of her child, a mother is also actively responsible for the support and
help she offers her husband so that he may take a bigger role in the development of the Islamic
Society.
A HAND OF SUPPORT
So often men who have accomplished great things have had the benefit of a mother who
sacrificed herself in the training of their children. With the mother taking more of the work load
in child rearing, the fathers time is more flexible and he can participate in activities outside of
the home that will help his community become stronger. Men are steering the direction of the
society while mothers are giving them and the society the solid foundation it needs. By
supporting their men, they allow the Islamic Society to have active participants building it and
sustaining it. One clear example is when men go on the Tabligh J amaat for several days in an
attempt at dawah and the revitalization of their faith. While gone, the mother of the household is
responsible for fulfilling both her duties as a mother but also takes on some male duties, such as
the protector of the home. By doing so, she enables the man to take an active role of inviting
others to the path of Allah and thus, increasing the Muslim Ummah. The biggest example of a
womans support of her husband is seen in the case of our beloved Prophet Muhammed (saw)
and Khadija (RA). It was Khadija (RA) who offered the unconditional love and support to the
Prophet through his time of need, even sacrificing all of her wealth to support the cause of Islam.
Even though she bore six children, and managed a large scale business, she never left the side of
our Nabi (saw). In fact, once the Prophet and his family were banished to the hills outside of
Makkah, she went there with him. The three years of hardship and deprivation there eventually
led to her death. The Prophet (saw) said I do not have a wife more excellent than Khadija. She
was the person who believed in me, had faith and gave me her wealth when people made me to
be a liar and madman, and wouldnt give me anything. Khadija was also the mother of my
children. (Sayyidah Khadija, 2010). Although offering continuous support to the husband so
that he can be an important team player in the Islamic society may be an important undertaking,
nothing is as crucial as the responsibility of raising children who love and fear Allah (swt) and
who stay on the path of Islam.
PATH TO ILLUMINATION
It is quite apparent that only that society which is firmly established on the basis of laws
initiated by Allah (swt) and which never goes against these laws could be called Islamic. In order
for this to take place, the society must comprise of individuals who adhere to and regularly
practice the tenets of the Islamic faith. To instill this adherence to Islam, mothers once again are
needed to give foundation to the spiritual side of the Islamic Society. In fact, the ultimate
responsibility of a mother is to lead her child lovingly towards Islam and instill the love for the
Divine. By doing so she is carrying on the work of the Prophets, who also guided people to Allah
(swt). Abu Huraira, narrated that the Prophet (saw) said Every child is born with a true faith (ie
to worship none but Allah alone) but his parents convert him to J udaism or to Christianity or to
Magainsim (Bukhari, 2.440). Teaching a child to have a firm faith in the Creator can result in
that child being more conscientious. Although beliefs are most important, parents must also
teach the practical aspects of the religion. Faith and action go hand in hand. Mothers have the
ability to encourage their children to pray, recite the Quran, perform wudu etc. A mother also
serves as the spiritual role model for that child. A child who grows up in a home where time of
prayer is maintained, where hypocrisy is avoided, and where gratitude prevails, will grow up to
do the same. The child who has been raised by spiritually conscientious and practicing mother
usually develop a moral conscience, a respect for society, a desire to contribute to the well-being
of humankind, and most important, a true admiration and love of Allah (swt) as well as a love for
the self that will bring everlasting joy and inner peace. They will then become the next
generation of practicing Muslims who will keep the spiritual banner of the Islamic Society raised
high. Thus, the children we train today will be the mothers of tomorrow and the cycle will
repeat.
A MOTHERS FLOCK
The Islamic Society can never underestimate the power of a mothers love and the significance
of her presence both in the home and in society. She is the means in which the solid foundation
of an Islamic society can stay strong. All aspects of the society are dependent on the mothers
role and influence. Ibn Umar reported that the Prophet (saw) said:,
Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock. The leader is a shepherd
and is responsible for his flock; a man is the shepherd of his family and is responsible for his
flock; a woman is the shepherd in the house of her husband and is responsible for her flock: a
servant is the shepherd of his masters wealth and is responsible for it. Each of you is a shepherd
and is responsible for his flock. (Bukhari, 212)
Islam gives mothers the major responsibility of providing their children with a solid upbringing
and sound Islamic education that is based on the noble example of our beloved Prophet (saw).
The peace and security offered by a stable mother is greatly valued and is essential in the
spiritual growth of its members. In fact, a harmonious social order is created with the existence
of a nurturing mother and this results in a society that is well grounded. The stronger the
mothers devotion to her home and children, the stronger the overall foundation of the Islamic
Society to which she contributes. Even the greatest of creation, our Nabi (saw), who lost his
mother at such a young age, was taken care of and emotionally nurtured by his nursemaid, Umm
Ayman. In fact, he thought of her like his second mother. Umm Aymans influence and
dedication to the Prophet (saw) was so strong and intense that Prophet Muhammad (saw) assured
her of a place in Paradise. (Umm Ayman, 2010). Umm Ayman, like so many righteous mothers
that have come after her, have shaped the foundation of the Islamic society as we know it. The
quality of an Islamic community depends on the kind of mothers that constitute the society.
Without a doubt, the Islamic society would crumble if not for the strength of its mothers and the
unwavering foundation they have created. J ust like the roots of a mountain can reach several
times their elevation above ground and keep the entire structure firmly in place, so too does the
foundation of the Islamic Society. Even when the strongest winds of life may roar, righteous
mothers will not be moved. They will not be shaken. They will establish the roots to the
mountain of Islamic society and be the means by which its members can strive towards the
conscious act of submission to the will of the Creator, and thus journey towards creating the
perfect righteous society for all.














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