Paradise Under Your Feet — Page 1
1 CHAPTER 1 THE ROLE OF AHMADI MUSLIM MOTHERS IN TARBIYAT OF CHILDREN “ Paradise lies under the feet of mothers. ” 1. 1 INTRODUCTION The most awe-inspiring moment in a woman ’ s life is probably the moment when she finds out that she is going to become a mother. After the initial feeling of shock and often surprise - is it really true? – comes joy and wonder and then, as reality settles in, apprehension. Will everything be alright? Will the baby be healthy? How will I manage? And most important of all, how can I be a good mother and raise a righteous child? These are all normal and natural concerns that all mothers have, whether they are a first-time mother or are a mother already. Of course, none of these questions have a simple or immediate answer. Everything depends on the Grace and Mercy of Allah Almighty, through which these questions are answered over the passage of time. However, the good news for an Ahmadi Muslim mother is that the last question does have a direct answer, albeit not a simple one. The question of how to be a good mother and raise a child the right way has been given an answer by Allah Almighty when He directed the Holy Prophet (saw) to state this single phrase: “ Paradise lies under the feet of mothers. ” 1. 1 This Hadith makes it clear that the responsibility for the spiritual and moral development of children has been assigned to mothers because they have the greatest influence on them. It means that mothers not only have to provide the guidance that will lead their children to