Community As Teacher

Can you imagine being a teenager and being woken up to go and tend to a neighbor? In my mother’s home, this was the norm.

Even if the neighbor turned up at night, my mother would wake us up to do whatever the neighbor needed help with.

I remember that on a couple of occasions, our neighbor’s son got sick at night, and my mother asked me to go with her to the hospital. It was pitch black outside! 

My mother’s subtle lessons were in the way she was available to others, especially in their times of need.

I was 15 years old when she appointed me as the caretaker of an elderly woman who lived alone.

She was childless and alone in a tiny little room which was provided by our local Imam [May Allah reward his effort].

My duties were to fetch water and clean the room twice a week.

The Prophet's Love For His Mother

I would go after school to perform my duties and have a little chat with her.

I knew that my mother had assigned me to do something important as it meant a great deal to the old woman; she would bless me with duas and duas when I finished my tasks.

I remember feeling rather accomplished. I felt honored.

And this is one lesson I am forever grateful to my mother, in addition to many of her most valuable lessons.

The Best Teacher (PBUH)

The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said:

“The ones who are merciful, The Most Merciful will be merciful to them. Be Merciful to those who are on the Earth, and the One who is in the Heavens will be merciful to you.” (Tirmidhi)

My mother’s keenness to teach us wasn’t limited to us learning how to read, or write, or recite the Qur’an, or fast or pray.

Her lessons transcended all these with her lessons in teaching us to care for others.

As narrated by Bukhari, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) once said to his wife:

“O’Aisha! Never turn away any needy man from your door empty-handed. O’ Aisha! Love the poor; bring them near to you and God will bring you near to Him on the Day of Resurrection.”

The Prophet also said:

“God is Kind and He likes kindness in all things.”

I am a great believer that kindness can be taught and should be taught in our daily engagement with each other and our children.

If practiced, it is contagious and will infect all those around you, thus bringing hearts close creating harmony and building humility.

As we strive to teach our children to strive for themselves; we mustn’t forget to teach them to strive for kindness to others.

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This article is from our archive, published on an earlier date, and highlighted here for its importance.