Mother’s Day and Islam: A Beautiful Sentiment or a Blind Imitation?
Exploring the Origins, Intentions, and Islamic View on Celebrating Mothers
Should Muslims Celebrate Mother’s Day?
There is no doubt that mothers hold an extraordinary place in Islam. From the Qur’an to the Prophet’s ﷺ words, their status is elevated, revered, and protected like few others.
We’re told—not as a slogan or once-a-year quote, but as a foundational truth about our duty toward her. Yet each May, Muslims around the world find themselves swept into a cultural tide: we see flower shops fill with pastel bouquets, restaurants advertising “Mother’s Day brunches,” pink cards with mass-printed poetry and social media awash in glowing tributes and a pressure to participate in a feel-good celebration that claims to be about honoring mothers—but often ends up commercializing them.
At first glance, Mother’s Day might seem harmless or even wholesome. After all, what could be wrong with setting aside a day to appreciate the most important woman in your life? But as Muslims, we are not meant to simply mimic what everyone around us is doing. We are taught to pause, question, and ask whether a practice aligns with the principles of our faith—or if it’s just another subtle invitation to forget who we are and what we’ve been given. The real question is not “Should we appreciate our mothers?” (of course we should)—but rather, “Does Islam already give us a better way to do so?”
Where Mother’s Day Really Comes From
What many people don’t realize is that Mother’s Day, while often seen today as a secular or cultural celebration, has roots in religious and pagan traditions. Ancient Greeks and Romans held festivals in honor of mother goddesses like Cybele and Rhea, complete with temple rituals and processions. Later, in Christian Europe, “Mothering Sunday” emerged—a tradition tied to the Church, where people returned to their ‘mother church’ during Lent. These celebrations, though evolving in form, remained deeply connected to non-Islamic religious and cultural practices.
The modern version of Mother’s Day as we know it was popularized in the early 1900s in the United States, largely through the efforts of Anna Jarvis. While her intent may have been sincere, the day quickly spiraled into commercialism. Today, it is a billion-dollar industry, with massive spending on gifts, flowers, restaurant meals, and marketing campaigns—all under the guise of appreciation. But when a genuine emotion like gratitude becomes dependent on retail reminders, it’s worth asking: are we truly honoring our mothers, or just consuming a scripted sentiment sold to us once a year?
Islam’s View: Honor Her Every Day, Not Once a Year
Islam doesn’t need Hallmark to remind us to honor our mothers. From the moment we are born, our deen commands us to be dutiful, gentle, and grateful toward our parents—especially our mothers, who endure unimaginable physical, emotional, and spiritual labor in raising us. The Qur’an reminds us that she bore us “in hardship upon hardship” and that we owe her a lifetime of kindness. Abu Huraira reported: A man asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him,
“Who is most deserving of my good company?”
The Prophet said, “Your mother.”
The man asked, “Then who?”
The Prophet said “Your mother.”
The man asked again, “Then who?”
The Prophet said, “Your mother.”
The man asked again, “Then who?”
The Prophet said, “Your father.”
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5971, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2548
That’s not a coincidence—it’s a divine prioritization.
This level of reverence is not confined to one date on a calendar. Islam teaches us to honor our mothers with consistency: by speaking kindly, caring for them in old age, making du’a for them after death, and maintaining their legacy in how we live our own lives. The notion that we would reduce all of that to a Sunday morning brunch and a store-bought card—just because society says it’s the “right day”—misses the spirit of what Islam asks of us.
The Subtle Trap of Imitation
Still, some might ask, “What harm could there be in participating? Isn’t it just a cultural tradition now?” But this is precisely where Islam teaches us to be alert. Our faith warns us about the dangers of imitation—particularly when it comes to adopting customs rooted in other religious traditions or worldly ideologies. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” [Abu Dawood 4031] That isn’t about intolerance—it’s about identity, and the slow erosion of it when we blindly follow societal trends.
When we begin to normalize non-Islamic celebrations, even those that seem harmless, we slowly condition ourselves—and our children—to look outward for validation, rather than inward toward the deen. We stop asking whether something is halal or rooted in Islamic values, and instead ask whether it feels good or looks nice on Instagram. This kind of slow dilution doesn’t happen with loud announcements; it happens through quiet conformity.
Love Her—The Islamic Way
None of this means that expressing love and appreciation is wrong—far from it. Islam encourages love. The Prophet ﷺ himself was expressive with his emotions, affectionate with his family, and deeply concerned with their well-being. What Islam challenges is the idea that love needs to be tethered to a date, trend, or Western construct. You don’t need a cultural cue to honor your mother. You don’t need a card aisle. You need sincerity.
Show up for your mother—not just with gifts, but with time, du’a, patience, and compassion. Visit her regularly. Speak gently to her. Serve her without expecting thanks. Take her out on a day no one else is. Thank her for what she never told you about. And if she has passed, continue to honor her through acts of charity, sadaqah jariyah, and praying for her forgiveness. That is not only love—it is worship.
A Final Reflection
There’s nothing inherently wrong with wanting to appreciate our mothers. In fact, that impulse is a sign of a healthy heart. But we have to ask: are we showing love in a way that reflects our faith? Or are we simply mimicking a tradition that’s been rebranded by corporations?
Islam doesn’t just allow us to honor our mothers—it commands it. But it asks us to do so with depth, with purpose, and with consistency. That’s not something that can be boxed into one day out of 365. So rather than saving our love for May, let’s live it every day, quietly and sincerely, for the sake of Allah.
And when we choose to follow the Qur’an and Sunnah rather than fleeting cultural customs, we aren’t being “extreme” — we’re being faithful.
Because the real “Mother’s Day” in Islam? It’s every day.