Carrying My Mother’s Love Across Borders: A Modern Muslim Woman’s Journey From New York to the UK

A reflective blog by a modern Muslim woman who moved from New York to the UK, exploring motherhood, migration, and Islam—how a mother’s love is a mercy from Allah carried across borders.

Introduction: Home Is Not Always a Place

Moving from New York to the UK reshaped my understanding of home. I crossed oceans, adjusted to new rhythms of life, and rebuilt routines—but one thing never moved an inch: the love of my mother.

As a Muslim woman living between cultures, I learned that distance does not dilute love. Instead, it refines it. It turns everyday moments into quiet prayers and ordinary objects into symbols of mercy.

I didn’t just bring clothes or memories with me—I carried my mother’s love, woven deeply into my faith and identity.

The Emotional Weight of Leaving Your Mother

No one prepares you for the quiet, bittersweet journey after staying with your mum.

The car boot is heavy with things she insisted you take—home-cooked food, folded clothes, reminders of care disguised as practicality. But it’s your heart that carries the real weight.

Driving away, there is silence—not emptiness, but fullness.

A fullness of duas whispered behind you.

A fullness of love that doesn’t demand attention but never leaves.

In Islam, we are taught that the pleasure of Allah lies in the pleasure of our parents. I feel that truth most strongly in moments like these—when leaving feels like both gratitude and grief.

Mothers as a Mercy From Allah (Islamic Reflection)

Allah describes Himself as Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem—The Most Merciful. And He places reflections of that mercy within human relationships, especially through mothers.

A mother’s love is not loud.

It is consistent.

It is sacrificial.

It is rooted in dua.

Across the world, this mercy looks different—but feels the same:

• In Pakistan, mothers wake before dawn, preparing meals while praying for their children’s futures.

• In New York, mothers juggle work and family, still checking in with a simple “Did you eat?”

• In the UK, mothers wait patiently across time zones, hiding their loneliness so their children don’t worry.

• In Gaza, mothers embody sabr and tawakkul in ways that redefine strength for the entire world.

Different lives. Same mercy. Same Allah.

Prose Poem: A Mercy That Walks With Me

My mother is a mercy Allah allowed me to recognize.

She exists in packed containers and folded clothes,

in duas spoken quietly so I don’t feel afraid,

in love that crosses borders without needing permission.

When I left one land for another,

Allah did not leave me empty-handed.

He wrapped my mother’s love around my heart

and said, “This will sustain you.”

Some mercies walk beside you.

Some mercies pray for you in silence.

Some mercies are called Mother.

Living Between Cultures as a Muslim Woman

Being a Muslim woman in the UK after growing up in the US means constantly balancing identity, faith, and belonging. In moments of doubt or exhaustion, I find myself returning to the lessons my mother lived—not lectured.

Patience.

Trust in Allah.

Quiet resilience.

Her love reminds me that even when I feel uprooted, I am never unanchored. Faith and family are the threads that hold me steady.

Conclusion: Love That Travels With You

I may live far from my mother, but her love is never distant. It lives in my prayers, my parenting, my patience, and my trust in Allah’s plan.

Some people carry passports across borders.

I carry a mercy Allah placed in my life.

And wherever I go, that love comes with me.