Commodification
of culture has become a rampant phenomenon in our times. It has pervaded almost
all of our social institutions including family and religions. Commercial interests are thus, increasingly driving
and shaping the people’s latent cultural consciousness and traditional values
and practices by promoting “combo-packages” and “special offers” on ‘festival’ occasions.
Thus, it has become a ‘trend’ of our times- to commemorate/ celebrate a
particular day in the year for various otherwise worthy causes and events. Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Children’s Day,
Family Day, etc. are illustrative examples.
In his Friday
Sermon of May 24, 2013 Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of
Mauritius took note of these contemporary trends in the context of
the recent celebration of “Mother’s Day” in Mauritius and
elsewhere. While rejecting such commercially-induced and market (and debt) - driven
practices which trivialises our sense of who we are, the Khalifatullah (atba) underscores
the importance of parents and especially the mother in the social engineering and
nation-building process.
In
an age in which the rights of the elderly parents are being disrespected by
their own children and the old people are increasingly staring at a bleak and
un-cared future, nation after nation is forced to bring in legislations and
other protective, welfare measures to ensure the human and fundamental rights of the elderly.
Islam offers an august space and status to the mother and exhorts Muslim children to be
grateful for their parents’ selfless sacrifices and redeem the debt they owe when
they grow up and their parents need them the most. Islamic teachings and normative
expectations are a signpost for Muslims in fulfilling their spiritual and moral
responsibilities, points out the Khalifatullah.
Read the Extracts from
the Friday Sermon:
“We have enjoined on man (to be good) to
his parents: in travail upon travail did his mother bear him.” (31:15)