Mom Calls Cops! Son Goes to Jail for "Jihad Chats"?

Teenage Son: Online Jihad

Teenage Son “Jihad Chats”
Mom Calls Police

Would You Report Your Child?

ISLAM NEWSROOM REPORTS - "Jihad Chat Gets Teenager Prison in Virginia"

Teen youth convicted of “Support to Islamic Terrorists” in Virginia.

This story hit the media with full force. TV, radio shows, newspapers and of course Facebook, social media everywhere.

But we want to ask about the story-behind-the-story:

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

As a parent (maybe a single parent) with a home ridden child suffering with an incurable disease, would you call authorities if you found out he was online with criminals, especially dangerous military types calling for all out warfare in other countries?

That's the case we understood from the news we heard.

First look to the disease of this boy while still a pre-teen:

He was only 10 years old when he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, in the past associated with older women, but now more common in all ages and genders.

As a child his disease left him home bound and weak with only the Internet as his buddy. 

His mom tells us she and her husband were shocked to discover their sickly little son's phone calls and online chats were with much older people – about fighting, war and military takeovers.

She contacted the local imam (prayer leader) in her community with concerns of her son's suspicious online activities. 

The imam told her to immediately contact authorities in the matter.

She took the advice, called the police and even provided testimony that would eventually lead to her beloved son's arrest, trial, conviction and sentencing.

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OK - this is the story we all know. But what about the mother today? How about the feelings the boy may have for him mom (she turned him in)? What should be the reaction from the close relatives and friends? What do we know from Islam about all this?

Can you imagine being a single parent struggling to keep your child from self destruction and those who are out to destroy him? Obviously any of us would use any means possible to save him.

A Muslim mother understands the God-given connection to her child from the Quran, from the Arabic word “Rahm” as a “place of mercy” wherein her baby is conceived. Our mothers are a Mercy to us from the All-Merciful (Al Rahman – Allah), before we are even  born and throughout our entire life.

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Regardless of what you took from this story, it really could happen to almost any of us. So, before any of us pass judgment on this young boy, with a debilitating disease and misplaced direction or on his mother for not being more involved with his actions all along, or for her turning him in to the authorities – Let's see what we find in Islam.

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Quran – "Worship God and join not any partners with Him; and be kind to your parents...” [Noble Quran 4:36]

Quran – "And We have command mankind [to be good] to their parents: in pain after pain his mother gave birth to him and suckled (nursed) him for two years. Be thankful to Me (Allah) and to your parents, unto Me is the final destination."[Noble Quran 31:14]

Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him – A man asked prophet, peace be upon him: “O Messenger of Allah! After Allah and His messenger, who has the most rights on my time?”

He replied: "Your mother."

The man asked: Then who?

He said: "Your mother."

Again he asked, “Then who?”

Again came the reply, “You mother. Then your father."

(Sahih Al Bukhari 5971 and Sahih Muslim 7/2)

It is related from Talhah, may Allah have mercy on him, who said:

• I asked prophet, peace be upon him, "O Messenger of Allah, I want to perform Jihad in the way of Allah. He asked, "Is your mother alive?" I replied, "Yes." The Prophet then said: "Cling to her feet, because paradise is there."  (at-Tabarânî).

• Abdullah Ibn 'Umar saw a Yemeni man performing Tawaf (circumambulating the Kabah) while carrying his mother on his back. This man said to Abdullah Ibn 'Umar, "I am like a tame camel for her! I have carried her more than she carried me. Do you think I have paid her back, O Ibn 'Umar?" Abdullah Ibn 'Umar replied, "No, not even one contraction!”

[Al-Adab al-Mufrad Bukhârî 1/62]

Some people attribute this saying to the prophet, peace be upon him, but this is what we know from scholars. Allahu 'Alim.

• Abdullah Ibn Abbas, a companion and great scholar of Islam, considered the kind treatment of the mother the best deed to make your relationship strong with God.
  He said:
• I know of no other deed that brings people closer to Allah than kind treatment and respect towards one's mother.
  [Al-Adab al-Mufrad Bukhârî 1/45]
• * Source of hadiths: www.islamswomen.com/articles/mothers_in_islam.php

Your input is highly needed right now - Please comment (below) and pray for all of us never to have to go through something like this, ameen.