(Ammaa Jee [rahimahallah] – Part Three)
Since Ammaa Jee (rahimahallah) did not receive any assistance or help from others, she worked tirelessly in order to support her children. She made reed mats from date palm leaves with her own hands and stitched clothes, earning whatever modest income she could while observing the laws of purdah. The family lived very simply. At times they survived on the plainest food, sometimes even enduring hunger, while wearing coarse clothing.
She also taught her daughters valuable skills that would help support the household. She first taught them to make mats, and the income earned from this work helped meet the family’s daily expenses. She saved up whatever she could and eventually purchased a sewing machine. Her daughters then learnt sewing and began stitching clothes.
Her eldest daughter worked tirelessly to help ease her mother’s burden. From morning until evening, she remained occupied with sewing, often continuing late into the night by the light of a lantern. Such was the extent of her efforts that she eventually began suffering from severe headaches due to the constant work.
Despite being occupied throughout the day, they never allowed their busy schedules to affect their punctuality in performing salaah, reciting the Quraan Majeed or maintaining their daily ma’moolaat.
The poverty that they experienced after the demise of their father was so severe that for months on end, their meals would consist of a coarse food made from small grains, generally fed to animals. Even basic items like wheat bread were a rare luxury. Occasionally, and sometimes only after weeks had passed, a kind-hearted neighbour would give them one or two wheat rotis.
Whenever such bread entered the home, it became a source of excitement and, inevitably, conflict among the young children. The sisters would insist that they should eat it, while Abdul Qayyum would say that the bread should be given to him. Ammaa Jee would witness these scenes without losing heart or allowing herself to become overwhelmed by the circumstances. With calmness, she would settle the dispute between them and address her daughters saying:
“You have worked for it, and may Allah reward you. It is yours and you should eat it. But Abdul Qayyum is still your brother; and you only have one brother. If you will not share with him, then to whom will you give it?”
Even in such extreme poverty, Ammaa Jee was concerned about what her children were learning from their circumstances. She did not allow deprivation to make them selfish or inconsiderate. Rather, she taught them to recognise the rights of one another and to give preference to their brother despite their own need.
(Adapted from Ammaa Jee and So Bari Khawaateen)
Lessons:
1. No matter how occupied a person may be with their worldly responsibilities, their Deeni responsibilities should never be neglected. Despite the hardship and long hours of work that Ammaa Jee and her daughters endured, they remained punctual with their salaah, recitation of the Quraan Majeed and daily ma’moolaat. Difficulty and engagement should never become an excuse for neglecting the Deen.
2. Poverty should not make a person selfish or cause them to overlook the rights of others. When wheat bread, which was a rare luxury for the family, came into their home, Ammaa Jee taught her daughters to share it with their only brother despite their own need. She wanted them to understand that having little does not remove the responsibility of caring for others. A person should learn to share and give preference to others even when they themselves have very little. Moreover, parents should make a point of inculcating these qualities within their children.