outlook
Honouring Mothers
FREQUENT outlook
Jamilah Al-Harake
An American-Lebanese from the United States , Jamilah has spent close to a decade living in the Middle East . She currently lives in Qatar with her husband , is working for the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies . She has a Masters in International Affairs , is an avid writer and traveller , and has two rescue cats and one dog . She hopes to one day start her own non-profit for children and use this column to inspire positivity to the community .
By Jamilah Al-Harake
The world celebrates Mother ’ s Day at different times throughout the year . In the Middle East , including Qatar , Mother ’ s Day is recognized on March 21st , coinciding with the beginning of the Spring Equinox . That means living as an expat in Qatar often gives many families the opportunity to celebrate Mother ’ s Day on more than one occasion . It ’ s undoubtedly recognized as an admirable and celebratory day to raise awareness about a mother ’ s special role : providing immeasurable and overwhelming love .
The idea of celebrating Mother ’ s Day , ‘ Eid il Um ’, within the region originated in the 1950 ’ s in Egypt . A famous Egyptian journalist and columnist had received several letters from mothers feeling unappreciated , undervalued , and continuously faced with challenges as the caretaker of their families . He was inspired by their letters to propose a fixed day for all mothers , as reminder of their favours , with Islam encouraging individuals to care for the mother of the family . The idea was later expanded and accepted throughout other Arab countries . Culturally , there will often be television specials to mark the occasion , and in the past there have been many beautiful songs written about Mother ’ s Day by very famous Arab singers to highlight the value of the holiday .
I wholeheartedly believe that caring for our mothers should be continuous all year round . Don ’ t get lost in the sea of commercialization , but remember the importance behind dedicating one day to recognize the enormous strength of mothers , everywhere . After all , mommas don ’ t get sick days or weekends off . What ’ s the solution to that ? I ’ m sure remembering to write a thank you note , buy her favourite flowers , helping out around the house , or buying a nice gift from her favourite store , is probably a fair enough start . When becoming a mother , life drastically undertakes a selfless direction , where for the first time you really don ’ t get to make your own choices anymore . Everything you do in your life instantly and directly affects the life of another . I argue to all the critics of the holidays out there , that this is a well-deserved accomplishment to warrant a day of honouring all women who give birth to the universes ’ creations .
Being a mother is also very much a part of nature ’ s unique feminine power . It ’ s a lifetime commitment , symbolizing openness , purity and good feelings . At the deepest level and greatest capacity , mothers know how to love fully and openly , and become our role models for understanding , patience , compassion , and wisdom . They encourage , help , and teach us , and provide nurturing love , tenderness and joy . At some point in each of our lives , we cannot rely on anyone except our mothers to help us grow . Personally , my mother taught me to fight for everything I believe in , all while she simultaneously believed in me . As a result , I ’ m not afraid to stand up for my beliefs , I live true to myself , stand strong in my convictions , and I ’ m a better person because of it .
Most of us will be far away from our own mums during this time of year . It is still a great opportunity to gather up your girlfriends who are mothers , have a beautiful brunch , and tell them they are doing a fantastic job . There will be plenty of opportunities in Qatar to spend the day honouring mum , but paying homage to the wonderful person who carried you into the world shouldn ’ t be an expensive or difficult task . As a child , I ’ d always ask momma what I can do to help more . Following the advice of my mother , sometimes the best gift for mothers is remembering to consistently say , thank you . Kind words can mean so much than we realize . On any other day we all often get busy and forget , but please remember to wish a happiest of Mother ’ s Day to all the mothers of the world . We are so grateful and thankful for all that you do www . society . qa 29