Good Pickings

By Uzma Rizvi

Mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law share a special bond - a bond that is sometimes difficult to come to terms with. Some have it easy and adjust with one another from day one, while others have differences that are resolved over time. Some keep bickering all their lives, and some just learn to tolerate each other's shortcomings. So, when I was assigned this article to dig up qualities that women admire about their moms-in-law, I took it up with some reservations - Would I be opening a can of worms? Will I get any positive replies? Well, read on and find out.

When I put the question to Samira, who lives in a joint family, she was quiet for a long time, then said, "Right now I just cannot come up with anything I admire about my mom-in-law, except that ... I can say, she is time-conscious. She does not procrastinate, whether it is visiting people, doing household chores, or just going to the bazaar. As for her other commendable qualities I will call you back if I can think of more." I have not heard from her since!

Rafiqua, remembers her mother-in-law quite fondly and answered readily, "My mother-in-law expired a few years ago, but before that we had thirty years together. The thing I liked most about her was that she did a lot of Ibadah, whereas in my family I had not seen elders praying so much or so regularly. I also appreciated that although I had four daughters she never ever taunted me, like many in-laws do. Though we had our share of misunderstandings, she would always make up some how through her actions. Like she would call me for a chitchat, or would just hug me for seemingly no reason at all."

Mahnaz gave a meaningful smile, when asked to identify some worthy characteristics of her mother-in-law, "Umm...let me think. It's a little difficult to come up with something." Then she admitted, "Yeah, I know one thing, she is very patient with everybody - with her husband, with her son and with me. Even if she does not like something she usually keeps quiet and shows no reaction, no matter how much it bothers her. While I, on the other hand, am impatient. Now, I have learnt that her way of keeping quiet and letting things simmer down is a real asset in maintaining peace around the house."

Sajida lived as a newly-wed Bahu with her mother-in-law only for a few months, before the lady expired. "Unforgettable," is how she describes her mother-in-law, and adds, "She was very loving. The most admirable thing about her was that she would go out of the way to help others. She would pool in money for the needy. And yes, she also had wonderful tips and hints about house-keeping and interacting with people."

Now, that was not too difficult, was it? It just takes some effort to focus on virtues. Whenever a misunderstanding occurs, let us remind ourselves that each one of us has positive and negative traits. If we focus on the good rather than on the bad traits of others (especially close relatives), we will not only make our lives stress-free, but will also earn Allah's pleasure.

* Some names have been changed.