A Mother's Sacrifice

A’ishah ر once shared a story that carries more weight than volumes of advice ever could

A woman came to her door with two young daughters

asking for help

A’ishah searched her home -

and all she could find was a single date

Just one

She handed it over

and the mother took it gratefully

But what happened next was unforgettable -

she split the date in half

giving each daughter one piece

She didn’t eat a single bite herself

Later

when the Prophet ﷺ came home

A’ishah told him what she had witnessed

He said :

It’s such a simple moment -

one fruit

two children

a hungry mother -

yet the reward tied to it is immense

Because in that instant

this woman chose love over hunger

compassion over comfort

and faith over fear

That’s what true giving looks like

It’s not measured by how much we give

but by what we’re willing to give up

Sometimes

the most meaningful acts are the quiet ones

The ones that go unseen by the world

but are noticed by the One who matters most -

Allah

Today

we might not be splitting a date to feed our children

But in our own ways

we make sacrifices every single day -

and sometimes

those sacrifices feel heavy

A mother staying awake to soothe a crying baby when her body aches for rest

A father working long hours

still coming home to play with his children

A daughter caring for her aging parents

A teacher pouring love into her students even on her worst days

All of it -

every act done with sincerity -

carries weight in the sight of Allah

The Prophet ﷺ didn’t say “whoever is tested with daughters and raises them perfectly”

He said “and does good by them”  

That means trying

It means showing up

even when it’s exhausting

It means being gentle

even when patience feels thin

That’s what earns the shield from Hellfire -

not perfection

but persistent mercy

This hadith is also a reminder of how deeply Islam values women and daughters

At a time when daughters were once seen as a burden

the Prophet ﷺ said they could be the very reason a person enters Jannah

That’s the beauty of Islam

It turns what the world undervalues into something sacred

It transforms the ordinary -

motherhood

patience

small acts of care -

into eternal rewards

Every meal prepared with love

every prayer whispered for your child

every tear wiped away -

all of it builds your path to paradise

Even if you’re not a parent

there’s something for all of us in this story

Because every one of us is capable of this kind of giving

When you share your time with someone who needs to talk

When you give your attention to your younger sibling instead of your phone

When you choose kindness even when it’s inconvenient

Those are your “dates”

Small

simple offerings -

but powerful in the eyes of Allah

We all have our own “single date” moments - small sacrifices no one else sees

Hit reply and tell me about a time you gave something small that ended up meaning a lot

I’d love to include a few (anonymously) in next week’s email or a thread

P.S. I share more like this on Threads and Instagram. Come say Salaam.

until the next letter,

— hidvyaa