The Mother Cannot be Replaced — An Emotional Story
Shaykh Abū Hammām Ayyūb Ḥamūdah[1] narrated:
We were in the tent of al-‘Allāmah Ibn Bāz in Miná in the year 1417AH (1997) on the Day of Tarwiyah (first day of Ḥajj) if I am not mistaken. On that day, a great fire broke out…
The weather was extremely hot and the wind was fierce which increased the blaze of the fire along with its severity. More than 70,000 tents were inflamed and engulfed and more than 300 pilgrims died – perhaps more. May Allāh shroud all of them with His Mercy.
Amidst this a man approached [the Shaykh] whilst distressed and depressed. He was in a state of agony and his face was filled with sadness. He said, “O’ Shaykh! I was in my tent with my mother and children and the fire took over me whilst I was in a state of heedlessness! It spread to every side and I became confused and torn between [saving] my mother or my children [first]!”
With great regret the reality was that time was short and a decision had to be made immediately. The man was not given success in his decision. He carried his children [first] and left his mother in hope to return to her [after] and save her…
…but Allāh decreed and He does what He Wills.
The man returned to his tent and was incapable of saving his mother. The fire was as intense as it could possibly be and his mother had passed away.
Shaykh Ibn Bāz lowered his head for a short period of time and began to cry – may Allāh have mercy upon him – and due to his tears, the majority of those in the tent began to weep. It was as if the grief of the man due to the passing of his mother as well as the mercy in the heart of the Shaykh had overcome all those present.
Those who were present were all touched by emotion to the extent that all that was prevalent amongst them was silence.
Then, the Shaykh raised his head. He said, “O’ my son! It would have been better to carry your mother first – the mother cannot be replaced whilst children can be replaced. Allāh, Glorified is He, will replace them. However, if the mother passes away then nothing can replace her.”
Thereafter, as was his practice, he began to comfort the questioner with a few words and console him regarding his great calamity, reminding him to have patience and be pleased with the decree of Allāh Glorified is He.
Source: Via the Shaykh’s twitter account, published 10:55, 21 April 2020
https://x.com/abuhammam_ayoub/status/1252687344639119361?s=20
[1] The Shaykh was praised by Shaykh ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Abdillāh al-Jābirī
