Author: Dr. Muhammad Zia-ur-Rahman Azmi (رحمه الله)
Section: Giving Precedence to a Mother's Rights Over Voluntary Prayers
✿ Narration from Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
He reported from the Prophet ﷺ:
“Only three children spoke in the cradle: ʿĪsā ibn Maryam, the witness of Jurayj’s innocence, and another one.”
Jurayj was a devoted worshipper who had built a hermitage to worship in solitude. Once, while he was engaged in prayer, his mother came to him and called out:
“O Jurayj!”
He said to himself:
“O my Lord! My mother’s call or my prayer?”
He chose to continue his prayer.
She went away, but on the next day, she came again while he was praying and called out:
“O Jurayj!”
He again thought:
“O my Lord! My mother or my prayer?”
He again focused on his prayer.
On the third day, she came and called him while he was still praying. He again pondered:
“O my Lord! My mother or my prayer?”
He once more continued his prayer.
Then his mother supplicated:
“O Allah! Do not let him die until he sees the faces of immoral women.”
Jurayj’s worship became widely known among Banū Isrāʾīl. A woman of ill-repute, known for her beauty, said:
“If you wish, I will bring about his downfall.”
She approached Jurayj, but he ignored her. She then went to a shepherd who lived near Jurayj’s hermitage, and she seduced him. She became pregnant and, when the child was born, claimed:
“This is Jurayj’s child.”
The people came to Jurayj, removed him from his hermitage, and began to beat him. Jurayj said:
“What is the matter with you?”
They said:
“You committed fornication with this woman, and she gave birth to your child.”
Jurayj said:
“Where is the child?”
They brought the child, and Jurayj said:
“Leave me until I have prayed.”
After he completed his prayer, he went to the child, poked him in the stomach, and asked:
“O child, who is your father?”
The child replied:
“So-and-so, the shepherd.”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The people then kissed Jurayj and rubbed themselves against him in reverence. They said: ‘We will build for you a hermitage made of gold!’
Jurayj replied:
‘No, just restore it with clay as it was before.’
So they did so.”
Key Takeaway:
This narration beautifully illustrates the immense power of a mother’s supplication. It also highlights that maintaining the rights of one’s mother and responding to her call is more important than engaging in voluntary acts of worship (nafl prayers). One must always ensure that they give priority to their mother’s rights over their own voluntary spiritual practices.
And Allah knows best.
Section: Giving Precedence to a Mother's Rights Over Voluntary Prayers
✿ Narration from Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
He reported from the Prophet ﷺ:
“Only three children spoke in the cradle: ʿĪsā ibn Maryam, the witness of Jurayj’s innocence, and another one.”
Jurayj was a devoted worshipper who had built a hermitage to worship in solitude. Once, while he was engaged in prayer, his mother came to him and called out:
“O Jurayj!”
He said to himself:
“O my Lord! My mother’s call or my prayer?”
He chose to continue his prayer.
She went away, but on the next day, she came again while he was praying and called out:
“O Jurayj!”
He again thought:
“O my Lord! My mother or my prayer?”
He again focused on his prayer.
On the third day, she came and called him while he was still praying. He again pondered:
“O my Lord! My mother or my prayer?”
He once more continued his prayer.
Then his mother supplicated:
“O Allah! Do not let him die until he sees the faces of immoral women.”
Jurayj’s worship became widely known among Banū Isrāʾīl. A woman of ill-repute, known for her beauty, said:
“If you wish, I will bring about his downfall.”
She approached Jurayj, but he ignored her. She then went to a shepherd who lived near Jurayj’s hermitage, and she seduced him. She became pregnant and, when the child was born, claimed:
“This is Jurayj’s child.”
The people came to Jurayj, removed him from his hermitage, and began to beat him. Jurayj said:
“What is the matter with you?”
They said:
“You committed fornication with this woman, and she gave birth to your child.”
Jurayj said:
“Where is the child?”
They brought the child, and Jurayj said:
“Leave me until I have prayed.”
After he completed his prayer, he went to the child, poked him in the stomach, and asked:
“O child, who is your father?”
The child replied:
“So-and-so, the shepherd.”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The people then kissed Jurayj and rubbed themselves against him in reverence. They said: ‘We will build for you a hermitage made of gold!’
Jurayj replied:
‘No, just restore it with clay as it was before.’
So they did so.”
Key Takeaway:
This narration beautifully illustrates the immense power of a mother’s supplication. It also highlights that maintaining the rights of one’s mother and responding to her call is more important than engaging in voluntary acts of worship (nafl prayers). One must always ensure that they give priority to their mother’s rights over their own voluntary spiritual practices.
And Allah knows best.
