Srinagar, Sept. 25 -- I had not been able to fully comprehend the saying of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), "Paradise lies at the feet of your mother," until I had children of my own. The sacredness of this saying is paramount for every Muslim, yet the full gravity of its meaning often remains unfathomable until one experiences it firsthand.

Human offspring are perhaps at their most weak and vulnerable at birth. It is the mother who nurtures such delicate beings into independent individuals. But the process is far more daunting and time-consuming than these words suggest. It is perhaps the effort, energy and hardships endured by a mother during this journey that elevate her stature to such extraordinary heights.

When I witnessed my wife bea...