(Hafsah bintu Seereen [rahimahallah] – Part Three)
Hafsah bintu Seereen (rahimahallah) had a son named Huzail. He was very obedient to her and served her with great care and love. He went to great lengths to ensure her comfort and well-being. This can be gauged from the fact that he would not collect ordinary firewood for her home, but would instead break cane during the summer months and leave it to dry until the winter. When winter set in, he would burn this dried cane in her home to warm her, as it produced very little smoke. Huzail thus ‘went the extra mile’ to ensure that the smoke of the fire would not be a source of discomfort to his mother.
Furthermore, he would not simply milk the camel and give her this milk to drink. Rather, he would leave the milk in the camel’s udders overnight, and only on milking it the following morning, would he present the milk to his mother saying, “Drink, O mother of Huzail, as the best milk is that which remains in the udders overnight.”
When Huzail passed away, his demise was not just the loss of a son, but also the loss of the love and care that he always showered upon her. Allah Ta‘ala blessed Hafsah (rahimahallah) with sabr (patience), and so she had no complaint or objection against the decision of Allah Ta‘ala. Nevertheless, being a mother, there was a continuous pain in her heart.
One night, while Hafsah bintu Seereen (rahimahallah) was reciting the Quraan Majeed, she came to the following verse:
مَا عِندَكُمْ يَنفَدُ وَمَا عِندَ اللَّـهِ بَاقٍ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّ الَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
What is with you must vanish, what is with Allah will remain. And We will certainly bestow, on those who patiently persevere, their reward according to the best of their actions. (Surah Nahl v96)
Hafsah (rahimahallah) repeated this verse (pondering over the meaning), and her sorrow and sadness was soothed.
(Al-Muntazam vol. 7, pg. 172)
Lessons:
1. Every person, whether he is an adult, or even a grandparent, should try to serve his parentsand please them to the best of his ability. When doing so, he should go the ‘extra mile’, as this will earn extra reward. For example, when making tea for one’s father, instead of giving him a chipped cup with the teabag still inside, and the milk and sugar separately, one should prepare the tea fully and serve it on an attractive saucer, with all the finishing touches. This extra effort takes just a few moments more yet earns magnificent reward.
2. Everything of this world is temporary and will most certainly perish. When losing something or someone near and beloved, it is natural to feel grief. However, we should never be upset over the decision of Allah Ta‘ala. Pondering over the above verse will assist one to overcome his grief.
3. As the things of this world, with all their glitter and glamour, are short-lived and temporary, we should invest our time, wealth and energy into that which is eternal – the Hereafter.
4. When the parents are pious, then Allah Ta‘ala often blesses their offspring with piety as well. If we wish to have pious children, the effort for piety will have to begin in our own lives.