Paradise at her feet (elder, prophet, blessing, God, mercy)

[Cordoba]

Greetings to All:

Where do you find Paradise? The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Paradise is at the feet of the mother.”

This is variously interpreted to mean that the mother is responsible for teaching her children their religious obligations and good behavior that will win them Paradise; or it may mean that we earn Paradise by serving our mother throughout her life.

http://islamonline.net/english/intro...rticle01.shtml

Either way, it shows the great esteem, honor and respect that Islam has for mothers.

[Osman]

May the peace, the mercy and the blessings of Allah be upon you,

Firstly, this shows how Islam does not degrade women, but in fact gives them the utmost importance. A common misconception, no doubt is that Islam degrades women. To add to what Cordoba said:
Once a person asked the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘’alayhi wa Sallam, “Who deserves the best care from me?” The Prophet replied, “Your mother (he repeated this three times) and then your father”.

Also:

31:14 And We have enjoined on man (to be good) to his parents: in travail upon travail did his mother bear him, and in years twain was his weaning: (hear the command), "Show gratitude to Me and to thy parents: to Me is (thy final) Goal.

46:15 We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents: In pain did his mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth. The carrying of the (child) to his weaning is (a period of) thirty months. At length, when he reaches the age of full strength and attains forty years, he says, "O my Lord! Grant me that I may be grateful for Thy favour which Thou has bestowed upon me, and upon both my parents, and that I may work righteousness such as Thou mayest approve; and be gracious to me in my issue. Truly have I turned to Thee and truly do I bow (to Thee) in Islam."

The mother is given the greatest status of all a person's relations because of the effort before and after birth in raising a child.

May the peace, the mercy and the blessings of Allah be upon you all

[Cordoba]

Assalamo Alaikom Osman, and welcome to the forum.

Caring for parents is indeed the second highest priority in Islam, after belief in God.

The relation between parents, sons and daughters is one based on mercy.

The Qur'an and The Sunnah teaches Muslims to recognize the favours of parents, especially at a time when children were weak and helpless. Muslim sons and daughters are commended to repay this "debt" later on in life.

[Cordoba]

This is another article on this topic from the Islam section on the About.com web site

QUOTE

Speaking in the Quran, God says: "Show gratitude to Me and to thy parents; to Me is thy final Goal." (31:14)

The fact that God has mentioned parents in the same verse as Himself shows the extent to which we should strive in our efforts to serve the mothers and fathers who sacrificed so much for us. Doing so will help us to become better people.

UNQUOTE

http://islam.about.com/od/elderly/a/mothers.htm