Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was once asked by a man, "Who is most deserving of my good company?". The Prophet said, "Your mother." The man asked, "Who is next?" The Prophet said, "Your mother." The man asked further, "Who is next?" The Prophet said, "Your mother." The man asked for the fourth time, "Who is next?" The Prophet replied, "Your father."
This shows how great the status of mothers is in Islam. And of course, we should be so grateful to our mothers because of all the hardships they’ve faced, carrying us in their womb for months, going through pain to give birth to us, fighting death to bring us into this world, not to mention all the hard work they put in to raise us.
However, my story is a little bit different. It wasn’t just my mother taking on all the responsibilities and work. I am truly blessed that I don’t just have a father who we greet at the front door every time he comes home from work, speaks a few words throughout the day, and is invisible anytime else. No, Mr Dad shares the same responsibilities as Mrs Mom, and has always played a big role in the house - cooking, cleaning, bathing us and caring for all of us. In fact, not only has he been an amazing father, but when Mrs Mom was ill, he filled in the role of a mother as well, which he’s been doing for the past 7 years.
For as long as I can remember, he has treated Mrs Mom like a queen and me, Fatimah and Ali like princes and princesses! So I pray to Allah that He treats Mr Dad just like a king, and that he is rewarded for all the care he has given his family - his immeasurable love would be impossible to repay! And of course, I pray that Mrs Mom is showered with blessings for everything she has done for us. Mrs Mom always says that she feels guilty that Mr Dad has had to do more than she does. But to me, that guilt is unnecessary, because even though she has been ill, she has done more than enough, not just for me, but for all of us!
Today, I’m officially 14 years old. For me, birthdays aren’t a day to celebrate yourself or claim gifts from your parents. It’s a day to give thanks to Allah for the life He has blessed us with, and above all, to celebrate our parents. So today, I’m not asking for anything for myself. But I want to thank Allah for blessing me with 14 beautiful years - Alhamdulillah. I thank Him for giving me two irreplaceable parents, who not only treat me as a son, but as a friend too. And I pray that He gifts both of them many more happy, healthy years of life…Aameen 🤍
Happy Birthday To Me,
Omar Mukhtar
#thepawsomelion
