The Educational System In Islam

preferable to a year participation in jihad.”
Hence,wenoticethatsons’pietytotheirparentsismorerewardfulthan
jihad,which isone of the portals of the Paradise.ZakariaBin Ibrahim
said: I had been Christian before I converted to Islam, performed the
ritualpilgrimageandcametoAbuAbdillah(Imamas-Sadiq)andtoldof
myconversiontoIslam.“WhathaveyounoticedinIslamdistinctively?”
asked the Imam. I referred to God’s saying:
YouhadnotknownwhatistheBookorthebelieving.But,Wemadeita
lightbywhich Weraise whomWedesire. The Imam raisedhis hands
upwardly supplicating to God formy goodand guidance. “My father
andmother, who issightless,areChristians,” saidI,“Iusuallyaccom-
pany them and eat from the same saucer.” “Do they havethe pork?”
askedtheImam.“Never,”Ianswered,“Theydonoteventouchit.”The
Imaminstructed,“Nevermind.Youshouldbe pioustoyourmother.If
shedies,noneotherthanyoushouldmakeherfuneralceremonies.You
should manage her affairs.”
AsIwasbackhometown,IbegantoimplementtheImam’sinstructions
of piety of my mother that she wondered the reason beyond my ex-
traordinarysupervision.“Oson!”shepondered,“Whenyouwereonmy
religion,youdidnotdothistome.AsyouconvertedtoIslamafteryour
immigration,Inoticedthisfantasticpietytome,whatisthis?”“Aman,
whoisoneofourProphet’sdescendants,instructedme,”Ianswered.“Is
heaprophet?”askedshe.“No,”Ianswered,“Heisaprophet’sdescend-
ant.” “These are certainly the prophets’ instructions,” she expressed,
“Your religion is really the best.” She then Islamized.
Islamisgroundedonrewardingthewelldoersandpietytoparentsas
much as possible.
Islam assertson mothers’pietyspecifically more thanfathers’. Thisis
becausemothers’rightsuponsonsaremoreabundantthanfathers’are.
Onthe authorityofImam as-Sadiq,amanaskedthe Prophet whichof
hisparentsheshouldtreatmorebenevolently.“Yourmotheris,”saidthe
Prophet.“Who’snext?”askedtheman.“Yourmotheris,”confirmedthe
Prophet. “Who’s next?” reasked the man. “Your mother is,” said the
Prophet. “Who’s next?” reasked the man. “Then comes your father,”
worded the Prophet..
Sons areresponsible-beforeAllah- forsupervisingandhonoringtheir
mothersbysavingwhatevertheyneed.Itmaybeapartofrewardingthe
burdensand difficultiesthat theystood andexerted ineducating their
sons.Asamanwasshoulderinghismothertoperformtheritualcircum-
ambulatingofthe preceptofpilgrimage, heaskedthe Prophetwhether