CORNERS

MARYAM SERIES : Chapter 13

Onerous is one of the apt words to describe parenting and that's why the status of parents in Islam holds such a high status  but with high status comes high responsibilities.Parenting is akin to pottery just as the potter gently  moulds the clay to shape it into a good pot ,parents are too required to gently mould children into good humans & believers so that when water of tests is filled, they don't collapse and break apart but hold on to their imaan & have taqwa and when water of tests gets mixed with their imaan and taqwa then the coolness and sweetness of that water also becomes a source of reviving and boosting  other's dried up imaan.

Thus Madiha had always believed  that gentleness was an important aspect of parenting but right now as she stood in hall listening to her daughter 's conversation with her friends and the sense of superiority reflected in her conversation as she talked about her wearing hijab & being a better Muslimah than her friends who didn't wore any,couldn't help but made Madiha feel the anger surge through her veins. Sense of superiority was what caused Iblis to become a disbeliever , Pharaoh a biggest loser of time and it was what Madiha's family had been plagued with  & despite her incessant efforts she had failed to make her family understand the treacherous effects of arrogance but when Madiha became a mother she was determined that she wouldn't let her  children to be infected by this hubristic flaw . But standing there listening to Maryam ,Madiha felt she was failing again. Nonetheless she was determined not to become despondent and prevent Maryam being a victim of this hubristic flaw . However the only problem was the anger that she felt inside her , thus taking a deep breath she recited Prophet Musa ' s dua " Rabbish rahli sadri wa yassirli amri ,wah lil uqdatan mil lissani ,yaf kahu kauli "( O my Lord , open my chest for me, make my task easy for me & make loose the knot from my tongue so that they may understand me). Madiha at that moment could relate to Prophet Musa' s wish of wanting his brother Prophet Haroon as a companion in his task because she also wished to have an companion  right now who could do this job for her as she feared her anger would overpower her and ruin everything. And at that moment only ,Madiha felt a hand on her head & as she looked up she saw Yusuf giving his infamous charming smile before he said ," Don't worry begum , I have got this " and with that he sauntered towards Maryam. At that moment, Madiha couldn't decide that whether she was more grateful that her LORD had instantly answered her silent whisper or to be more grateful to be blessed with a husband like Yusuf. She looked up as a tear fall from her left eye as she whispered  "Ya Rahmana" totally mesmerised at her RAB' s love for a sinful abdi like her. Smilingly, she blowed a flying kiss to the roof and muttering Alhamdulilah she walked into the drawing room  and sat across Yusuf and Maryam ,who were involved  in conversation.

" Okay I will talk to Hannaan .Now will you help me in answering one question" Yusuf asked Maryam who in return nodded her head vigorously. Yusuf smiled at her as he spoke ," So there is a women who has three children and all three decide to give her something special on the eve of....let's say mother's day....so one decide to make a handmade card for her ,other decide to cook his mother's favourite dish and to help her on weekends and the third decide to quit smoking as his mother abhors this habit of his. So now tell me according to you which gift will be more precious to the mother" Maryam furrowed her eyebrows as she began to think while Madiha looked inquisitively at her . After a while she answered , " Abbu I think it's third one because he left smoking for his mother and it's not easy habit to leave" .Yusuf hummed in response and then said , " Well ...you know I think his quitting of smoking is more of a gift to his health than to his mother. What about the son who decides to cook his mother's favourite dish and help her on weekends ..as his gift is not limited to one day ..and the care reflected in his desire to spent time with his mother is special too. And also what about the son who makes handmade  card for his mother ....it can also be precious as it will remain always as a remainder to the mother how special she is to his son .Maryam pursed her lips being all confused .Yusuf smiled as he said ,"Different people will have different opinions on this but for a mother ,her opinion would be just one i.e all three gifts would be equally precious to her because she doesn't compare them as we do as in her sons efforts she only sees love and care ,hence all three gifts would be equally close to her heart. This is the love of a mother ..a human .Now think about the infinite love of AR RAHMAN SWT towards HIS slaves .When we try to please ALLAH SWT by doing good deeds ,& no doubt we are gifting ourselves by doing good deeds because HE doesn't need our good deeds....but when we do good deeds for HIS sake we do it to get closer to HIM not to compare them with other's deeds. Just because someone is not doing the same deed as you doesn't make you superior to him / her, because he / she  might be doing some other deed that you are unaware of. Good deeds are a way to get closer to ALLAH SWT so we should not  let them become a way to get away from HIM by becoming arrogant .Just because someone is not wearing hijab or keeping beard or doing any good deed as we do does not make them any less of a Muslim. We are not here to judge people but to worship HIM & good deeds are worship too....so we should do good deeds for HIS sake only ,not to belittle someone .So Maryam when you wear hijab don't make this good deed of yours a way to make your friend feel inferior because they might not do purdah but they might be doing  other precious deeds & trying to get closer to ALLAH SWT and you belittling them will hurt the heart which might be very precious to RAB......& because of that, your good deed will become useless". Maryam had now tears bubbling in her eyes. Yusuf side hugged her as he said , " My dear Maryam , remember this when you do a good deed do it with such grace and love that others around you fall in love with that deed and feel an  urge to do it. Be a hand that that helps people come closer to AR RAHMAN SWT , not a hand that pushes away from HIM. And I know my Maryam is very good girl and she will apologise to her friends and ALLAH and mend her mistake , won't she " Maryam bobbed her head in Yusuf's embrace when Madiha too joined to console her daughter.

Hannaan came running and seeing Maryam teary and his parents consoling her ...the little warrior got tensed as he said ,"   Abbu what happened to princess I just went for a short bathroom break " Listening to this ,Maryam raised her head and whined. Yusuf smiled as Maryam had already told him that Hannaan was taking his job of protector too much seriously such that he was always by her side in the name of protecting her to the extent that he now waits outside the washroom until she comes out so he can continue his job of protecting her. Making Hannaan sit beside him ,Yusuf said ," Hannaan when I asked you to protect Maryam it didn't mean that you have to follow her everywhere.....because protecting just not mean physical protection it also implies that if you find her sad and gloomy you protect her from those negative emotions by making her happy and about physical protection do it when she goes outside and make dua that ALLAH SWT always keep her safe. Be a protector of her happiness and you can't do that by making her feel frustrated with you ,can you " Hannaan nodded in negative . So Hannaan,now  you won't annoy Maryam with your all time protecting duty...okay?" Yusuf asked. Hannaan nodded vigorously and in a very timid voice apologized to his sister . Yusuf ruffled his hair to which Hannaan whined making Yusuf laugh as he spoke looking at Madiha while embracing both his children , " So Mads...idha ..are you feeling like offering namaz e shukr for having a such an amazing husband? " Yusuf asked smirking but as he saw both Hannaan and Maryam looking at him he added ," and lovely children" .Madiha glared at him for again calling her Mads & stood up ,seeing this Yusuf stopped her by holding her wrist as he said , " Acha sorry na Qamar I won't say that name again "  Madiha looked back at him and said ," Well janaab you better not say it again and now leave my hand I have to offer namaz e shukr" . Listening to her ,Yusuf gave his infamous charming smile to which Madiha smiled back and left from there only to have Yusuf walking beside her and when she asked why he was coming ,the reply made her heart flutter and whisper Alhamdulillah as he also wanted to thank his Rab for blessing him with an amazing wife and children .

Let not the good deeds we do make us blind by arrogance. Let's do good deeds to elevate ourselves in the eyes of AR RAHMAN SWT & become closer to HIM &  not to belittle someone. Lets aim to be a light that not blinds but shines to drive the darkness out present in us & others and becomes a medium to guide people to HIM .🌺☘️☘️

Bismillah

Do remember me & ummah in your duas

Faqat e Abd e Rahmana
Sadaf

Assalamuaalaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu☘️