Struggling with my mom’s anger over my dad
Salam everyone… When I was little, I used to be really attached to my dad. We’re three siblings, and the other two were always closer to my mom. Then when I hit 13, my dad just left us, and for years we all felt this heavy resentment. I personally didn’t talk to him for four whole years. During all that time, my mom worked so hard to give my two older brothers and me a decent life. She made sure we never went hungry, had clothes, got educated, and could do activities. She handled everything with this strength that still blows my mind. I’ll never stop being thankful to her. I love my mom from the bottom of my heart, and I can’t forget all she sacrificed. As I got older, I eventually forgave my dad. He’s getting old now, his health isn’t great, and honestly, in front of Allah, I can’t hold a grudge forever. I haven’t wiped away what he did, but I decided to stop carrying that weight and just move on. My mom, though, she never accepted me forgiving him. She won’t let me visit his place, and she hates even knowing I spend time with him. What stings a lot is that I feel like she aims her frustration especially at me. My brothers never faced the same kind of blame. Sometimes I think maybe it’s easier for her to vent on her daughter than on her sons, or maybe she remembers how close I was to him as a kid and it stings more that I let it go. Years passed, and my mom still holds onto that anger. I try my best not to poke that wound. I usually don’t mention my dad, never bring him up, and avoid the topic entirely. Last Tuesday, I was on a call with him when my mom came home. The call barely lasted ten minutes, but apparently that was enough to throw the house into chaos. She accused me of chatting with him like nothing painful ever happened. She reminded me of everything she did for us and told me that me talking to my dad again felt like one of the biggest betrayals she could ever face from her own child. I tried to explain that I can’t stay angry forever, even if I still remember his mistakes. Allah is so merciful to us, so who am I to deny mercy to my own father? What else can I do now but accept what happened and try to move forward? He’s still my dad, and respecting parents is a big duty in Islam. Even though my mom is really practicing and devoted to her faith, she didn’t accept what I said. She even snapped at me for still calling that man “my father.” She was furious, and now days later, she’s still upset with me. I’m at a loss here. I feel guilty for putting her through these feelings and making her think her own kid betrayed her. But at the same time, I can’t push my dad away. I don’t want to be stuck choosing between them. I get my mom’s pain and everything she endured. I know how much she sacrificed, and I’m forever grateful. But I also wish I had the space to go through my own path with my dad, to forgive him and actually have a relationship today without it feeling like I’m stabbing my mom in the back. I’m not trying to downplay what he did, and I’m not trying to pretend the past didn’t happen. I just want to move forward without this forced choice hanging over me. How can I make things smoother with my mom? How do I help her see that forgiving him doesn’t mean I forgot his mistakes or that I love her any less? If anyone has tips, especially from an Islamic view, I’d truly appreciate it. Thanks for reading, everyone…