Jordanians celebrate Mother's Day, Karamah Battle anniversary

AMMAN — Jordanians took to social media on Monday to mark Mother’s Day and the anniversary of the Karamah Battle, with some linking the two occasions to express their pride in both their mothers and the nation.

“The mother is a homeland and the homeland is Karamah [dignity in English],” tweeted Saleem alomari (‏@abo_sanad1) with two posters resembling the battlefield and a mother kissing a child.

sultan_alqwiaan HKJ ‏(@Sultangouaan1) wrote: “It was a coincidence that the Karamah Day came on Mother’s Day, and they both were at the beginning of the spring season to prove that this glorified day was a special occasion.”

On March 21, 1968, Jordanian soldiers repelled an Israeli attack on the small town of Karamah in the Jordan Valley, whose name means “dignity”. Several Jordanian soldiers lost their lives in the battle, while the Israeli raid was repelled with heavy losses as the Jordanian army launched an artillery barrage against Israeli tanks.

Hundreds of Facebook and Twitter users posted family photos with their mothers, while others dug into old files and archives to post photos and videos of His Majesty the late King Hussein declaring victory in the battlefield as well as photos of King Hussein with Jordanian soldiers.

On his official Instagram account, HRH Crown Prince Hussein posted a photo of Her Majesty Queen Rania and wrote: "Happy Mother's Day to my mother and every Jordanian mother. You are a blessing!" 

Dina Radwan posted a selfie on Facebook with her mother and wrote: “Life doesn't come with a manual but it comes with a mother...To teach you how to love, live and be strong…To be your guardian angel; happy mother's day mommy.”

Mother's Day is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, most commonly in the months of March or May.  

The celebration of Mother's Day began in the United States in the early 20th century, according to web sources.

In the Arab world, according to the Live Rich, Live Well website, one of the main agitators for Mother’s Day was writer and journalist Mustafa Amin who heard a story of a widow who raised her son. 

The woman had made many sacrifices  so that her son could become a doctor. When he achieved success and got married, he left her on her own, showing no gratitude. 

Amin found this appalling, according to the website, and campaigned to have a Mother’s Day held in Egypt. The first official Mother’s Day in Egypt was marked in 1956, and other Arab countries soon adopted the celebration of the holiday.