Crying is a natural act
Islam is a religion based on nature. Wailing or weeping is the innate instinct of a human being. A newborn child starts his life crying. Weeping is not prohibited in any religion or creed of the world. Tears are automatically shed when a man is confronted by any physical, mental or spiritual mishap, and tears are not only the sign of grief but also a kind of reimbursement for that grief. Now in whose grief does a newborn child weep? That’s the question, which can be answered by the one who remembers his own weeping when he was born. It is said, that when Adam (as) was sent to this earth from heaven, he wept on that migration and hence every child of Adam (as), weeps when he opens his eyes in this world. If this is true, then this reason for wailing certainly supports our point of view that in the grief of a departure, wailing is a natural habit. Wailing or weeping is a natural instinct hence Allah (swt) has also praised this act and has said in the Holy Qur’an:
We read in Surah Maryam 019.058
YUSUFALI: Those were some of the prophets on whom Allah did bestow His Grace, – of the posterity of Adam, and of those who We carried (in the Ark) with Noah, and of the posterity of Abraham and Israel of those whom We guided and chose. Whenever the Signs of (Allah) Most Gracious were rehearsed to them, they would fall down in prostrate adoration and in tears.
Surah An-Nahl verse 53
YUSUF ALI: And ye have no good thing but is from Allah. And moreover, when ye are touched by distress, unto Him ye cry with groans.
It is quite clear from these words of Allah (swt) that He praises this act and dislikes mocking the concept of weeping. Therefore, during mortification or humility before Allah (swt) and during the situations of calamity and catastrophe, wailing is the act of the praised ones and since ‘wailing’ is a composite act of mourning it serves as evidence for mourning.
Crying is an act of believers
[Yusufali 5:83] And when they listen to the revelation received by the Messenger, thou wilt see their eyes overflowing with tears, for they recognise the truth: they pray: “Our Lord! We believe; write us down among the witnesses.
This proves that crying is an act of the believers and according to the Holy Qur’an flowing of tears is a sign of believing in the truth.
This verse was revealed when some Christians from Habsha visited Madina. Shah Abdul Qadir Mohaddis Dehlavi gives its explanation in his “Tafseer e Moza al Qur’an”.
“When the persecutions by the pagans of Makkah were no longer bearable, the Holy Prophet(s) ordered the Muslims to migrate to some other country. That same day nearly 80 Muslims (some alone and some along with their families) migrated towards Habsha. The ruler of Habsha in those days was a very just man; the pagans of Makkah approached the king and lied to him that this new group of people calls Jesus Christ a slave. On hearing this, the king asked the Muslims to recite something from their book, which the Muslims did. After hearing the recitation of the Holy Qur’an some of their saints started crying and said that this is exactly what they have come to know by his Excellency Jesus Christ, and he had further said that after Him, another apostle would come and no doubt this person is that apostle. The king accepted Islam secretly, and this verse has been revealed for him.”
The flowing of tears from eyes is called crying and crying is one of the aspects of mourning, therefore the relation of this verse with mourning is automatically proved.
Of relevance is Abu Bakr’s very own admission that the Sahaba would weep when reciting the Quran. We are citing the comments of Ghazzali in “Ahya ul Uloom Adeen” Volume 2, Urdu Translation by Maulana Nadeem Al Waajdi Fazil Deobandi, Published in Karachi:
“When Abu Bakr saw an Arab man weeping while listening to the Holy Quran He said : “We used to weep in the same manner as you are weeping but now our hearts have become stonned”
The entire content of the Qur’an is true as is Husayn (as)’s martyrdom. According to Hadeeth Thaqlain both have an unbreakable link. Just as the eyes of believers are filled with tears when they hear the recitation of the Holy Qur’an, they also shed tears when hearing of Imam Husayn’s (as) martyrdom. Husayn (as) was the Talking Qur’an and the moment one hears about the hardships faced by Imam (as) one laments over his death and shed tears.
Islam is a religion based on nature. Wailing or weeping is the innate instinct of a human being. A newborn child starts his life crying. Weeping is not prohibited in any religion or creed of the world. Tears are automatically shed when a man is confronted by any physical, mental or spiritual mishap, and tears are not only the sign of grief but also a kind of reimbursement for that grief. Now in whose grief does a newborn child weep? That’s the question, which can be answered by the one who remembers his own weeping when he was born. It is said, that when Adam (as) was sent to this earth from heaven, he wept on that migration and hence every child of Adam (as), weeps when he opens his eyes in this world. If this is true, then this reason for wailing certainly supports our point of view that in the grief of a departure, wailing is a natural habit. Wailing or weeping is a natural instinct hence Allah (swt) has also praised this act and has said in the Holy Qur’an:
We read in Surah Maryam 019.058
YUSUFALI: Those were some of the prophets on whom Allah did bestow His Grace, – of the posterity of Adam, and of those who We carried (in the Ark) with Noah, and of the posterity of Abraham and Israel of those whom We guided and chose. Whenever the Signs of (Allah) Most Gracious were rehearsed to them, they would fall down in prostrate adoration and in tears.
Surah An-Nahl verse 53
YUSUF ALI: And ye have no good thing but is from Allah. And moreover, when ye are touched by distress, unto Him ye cry with groans.
It is quite clear from these words of Allah (swt) that He praises this act and dislikes mocking the concept of weeping. Therefore, during mortification or humility before Allah (swt) and during the situations of calamity and catastrophe, wailing is the act of the praised ones and since ‘wailing’ is a composite act of mourning it serves as evidence for mourning.
Crying is an act of believers
[Yusufali 5:83] And when they listen to the revelation received by the Messenger, thou wilt see their eyes overflowing with tears, for they recognise the truth: they pray: “Our Lord! We believe; write us down among the witnesses.
This proves that crying is an act of the believers and according to the Holy Qur’an flowing of tears is a sign of believing in the truth.
This verse was revealed when some Christians from Habsha visited Madina. Shah Abdul Qadir Mohaddis Dehlavi gives its explanation in his “Tafseer e Moza al Qur’an”.
“When the persecutions by the pagans of Makkah were no longer bearable, the Holy Prophet(s) ordered the Muslims to migrate to some other country. That same day nearly 80 Muslims (some alone and some along with their families) migrated towards Habsha. The ruler of Habsha in those days was a very just man; the pagans of Makkah approached the king and lied to him that this new group of people calls Jesus Christ a slave. On hearing this, the king asked the Muslims to recite something from their book, which the Muslims did. After hearing the recitation of the Holy Qur’an some of their saints started crying and said that this is exactly what they have come to know by his Excellency Jesus Christ, and he had further said that after Him, another apostle would come and no doubt this person is that apostle. The king accepted Islam secretly, and this verse has been revealed for him.”
The flowing of tears from eyes is called crying and crying is one of the aspects of mourning, therefore the relation of this verse with mourning is automatically proved.
Of relevance is Abu Bakr’s very own admission that the Sahaba would weep when reciting the Quran. We are citing the comments of Ghazzali in “Ahya ul Uloom Adeen” Volume 2, Urdu Translation by Maulana Nadeem Al Waajdi Fazil Deobandi, Published in Karachi:
“When Abu Bakr saw an Arab man weeping while listening to the Holy Quran He said : “We used to weep in the same manner as you are weeping but now our hearts have become stonned”
The entire content of the Qur’an is true as is Husayn (as)’s martyrdom. According to Hadeeth Thaqlain both have an unbreakable link. Just as the eyes of believers are filled with tears when they hear the recitation of the Holy Qur’an, they also shed tears when hearing of Imam Husayn’s (as) martyrdom. Husayn (as) was the Talking Qur’an and the moment one hears about the hardships faced by Imam (as) one laments over his death and shed tears.
Lamentation from the Qur’an
We read in Surah Bara’at verse 82:
Therefore they shall laugh little and weep much (as) a recompense for what they used to earn.
The Verse clearly sanctifies weeping and crying else it would have prohibited it. History stands as clear proof how Prophets, Messengers and Messiahs from Allah (swt) have wept and cried, singing the glory and greatness of Allah (swt) and expressing their own humbleness and fragility before Him (swt). Also each and every one of these men have wept and cried for Imam Husayn (as) long before the Tragedy of Karbala took place! We ordinary men should follow these great men of Allah (swt) and adopt their ideals and practices.
The weeping of the Sahaba in the Qur’an
Moreover, see this verse in the chapter of weeping:
[Shakir 9:92] Nor in those who when they came to you that you might carry them, you said: I cannot find that on which to carry you; they went back while their eyes overflowed with tears on account of grief for not finding that which they should spend.
This verse descended with regard to some sahaba who asked the Prophet(s) for horses in order to participate in jihad.
There were seven men of the Ansar who came to the Holy Prophet and told him that they did not have provisions for going with him on the expedition of Tabuk. On hearing from the Holy Prophet that there was nothing left with him after providing others, they went away weeping.
One of the reasons that we weep for the tragedy of karbala is that we were not present at that time otherwise we would have helped the besieged grand son of Holy Prophet(s) and participated in jihad. If Sahaba can weep for not been able to participate in jihad at their time, than why cant Shi’a weep for the same reason?
We read in Surah Bara’at verse 82:
Therefore they shall laugh little and weep much (as) a recompense for what they used to earn.
The Verse clearly sanctifies weeping and crying else it would have prohibited it. History stands as clear proof how Prophets, Messengers and Messiahs from Allah (swt) have wept and cried, singing the glory and greatness of Allah (swt) and expressing their own humbleness and fragility before Him (swt). Also each and every one of these men have wept and cried for Imam Husayn (as) long before the Tragedy of Karbala took place! We ordinary men should follow these great men of Allah (swt) and adopt their ideals and practices.
The weeping of the Sahaba in the Qur’an
Moreover, see this verse in the chapter of weeping:
[Shakir 9:92] Nor in those who when they came to you that you might carry them, you said: I cannot find that on which to carry you; they went back while their eyes overflowed with tears on account of grief for not finding that which they should spend.
This verse descended with regard to some sahaba who asked the Prophet(s) for horses in order to participate in jihad.
There were seven men of the Ansar who came to the Holy Prophet and told him that they did not have provisions for going with him on the expedition of Tabuk. On hearing from the Holy Prophet that there was nothing left with him after providing others, they went away weeping.
One of the reasons that we weep for the tragedy of karbala is that we were not present at that time otherwise we would have helped the besieged grand son of Holy Prophet(s) and participated in jihad. If Sahaba can weep for not been able to participate in jihad at their time, than why cant Shi’a weep for the same reason?
Wailing from the Qur’an
Wailing has been permitted and nothing against it is found in any Book; on the contrary, there is the word “La yateni” from Verse 40 of Chapter 78, Al Naba’ The Great news in Part 30.
“Oh! Would that I were dust”
The word underlined from the Verse above shows that it is an indication for wailing, which is crying with a loud voice at loss of something dear to one’s heart, and this is a Verse from The Holy Qur’an. The comments of Deobandi scholar Anwar Shah Kashmiree are worthy of note:
“There is nothing against Islam in expressing grief, sorrow or in crying and weeping at the loss of a loved one”.
Fayz al Bari Sharh Sahih Bukhari, Volume 12, Page 462, Printed in Egypt
Wailing has been permitted and nothing against it is found in any Book; on the contrary, there is the word “La yateni” from Verse 40 of Chapter 78, Al Naba’ The Great news in Part 30.
“Oh! Would that I were dust”
The word underlined from the Verse above shows that it is an indication for wailing, which is crying with a loud voice at loss of something dear to one’s heart, and this is a Verse from The Holy Qur’an. The comments of Deobandi scholar Anwar Shah Kashmiree are worthy of note:
“There is nothing against Islam in expressing grief, sorrow or in crying and weeping at the loss of a loved one”.
Fayz al Bari Sharh Sahih Bukhari, Volume 12, Page 462, Printed in Egypt
The earth and sky shed no tears for the Dhalimeen
In the Holy Qur’an Allah (swt) refers to the drowning of Pharaoh and his army as follows:
Yusufali 44:29] And neither heaven nor earth shed a tear over them: nor were they given a respite (again).
Comment
This Holy verse proves that crying over the unjust is not permissible but those who are just and have been treated unfairly can be cried and lamented over.
The verse refers the manner in which the rebellious Pharaoh was punished by Allah (swt) and he and his army was drowned. No one felt aggrieved and no one mourned their death. The verse stipulates that the earth and the sky did not weep at the death of Pharaoh, so clearly there exist scenarios wherein the earth and skies do indeed cry. We can conclude from this that when a rebel is punished no one is to cry over them, conversely, it is a desirable act to cry over someone’s hardships particularly those inflicted on pious people.
Allah (swt)’s reference to the sky and the earth is to stress the grandeur of these two places. It means that due to Pharaoh’s character no one mourned over his death. It is clear from this verse that mourning is specified for the pious and not for the evil .It acts as a warning that those that adhere to the path of Pharaoh shall perish like him and will have no one to mourn over them. Conversely if you give your life for the sake of religion and Allah (swt), you will attain respect and adherents that shall mourn your loss.
This verse proves that there are certain people in the world upon whom the heaven and earth weep, that is why Allah (swt) refers to the people of Pharaoh who were not from amongst those people who are cried upon by the heaven and the earth, but they are some other dear creatures of Allah.
Commentaries of this verses also confirm that the Heaven and the Earth cry upon the special individuals.
Allamah Jalaludin Suyuti states in his commentary of the verse that the Holy Prophet (s) said:
“They had done no deed that would merit the earth and Heaven crying for them, neither did anything pleasant come from their speech nor did any good deeds reach the heavens, that would merit the earth and heaven crying for them.”
Tafseer Durre Manthur volume 6, page 30
Allamah Fakhruddin Raazi after quoting the same tradition states:
“The same comments have been made by other commentators (Mufassireen).”
Tafseer e Kabir, volume 7, page 471
Suyuti also records this, in Tafseer Durre Manthur Volume 6, page 30:
A few people asked ibn e Abbas (r.a) that if the heaven and the earth really cry for some people? His reply was: “Yes.”
In the Holy Qur’an Allah (swt) refers to the drowning of Pharaoh and his army as follows:
Yusufali 44:29] And neither heaven nor earth shed a tear over them: nor were they given a respite (again).
Comment
This Holy verse proves that crying over the unjust is not permissible but those who are just and have been treated unfairly can be cried and lamented over.
The verse refers the manner in which the rebellious Pharaoh was punished by Allah (swt) and he and his army was drowned. No one felt aggrieved and no one mourned their death. The verse stipulates that the earth and the sky did not weep at the death of Pharaoh, so clearly there exist scenarios wherein the earth and skies do indeed cry. We can conclude from this that when a rebel is punished no one is to cry over them, conversely, it is a desirable act to cry over someone’s hardships particularly those inflicted on pious people.
Allah (swt)’s reference to the sky and the earth is to stress the grandeur of these two places. It means that due to Pharaoh’s character no one mourned over his death. It is clear from this verse that mourning is specified for the pious and not for the evil .It acts as a warning that those that adhere to the path of Pharaoh shall perish like him and will have no one to mourn over them. Conversely if you give your life for the sake of religion and Allah (swt), you will attain respect and adherents that shall mourn your loss.
This verse proves that there are certain people in the world upon whom the heaven and earth weep, that is why Allah (swt) refers to the people of Pharaoh who were not from amongst those people who are cried upon by the heaven and the earth, but they are some other dear creatures of Allah.
Commentaries of this verses also confirm that the Heaven and the Earth cry upon the special individuals.
Allamah Jalaludin Suyuti states in his commentary of the verse that the Holy Prophet (s) said:
“They had done no deed that would merit the earth and Heaven crying for them, neither did anything pleasant come from their speech nor did any good deeds reach the heavens, that would merit the earth and heaven crying for them.”
Tafseer Durre Manthur volume 6, page 30
Allamah Fakhruddin Raazi after quoting the same tradition states:
“The same comments have been made by other commentators (Mufassireen).”
Tafseer e Kabir, volume 7, page 471
Suyuti also records this, in Tafseer Durre Manthur Volume 6, page 30:
A few people asked ibn e Abbas (r.a) that if the heaven and the earth really cry for some people? His reply was: “Yes.”
Comments
Post a Comment