Crying in Holy Quran

Lamentation from the Qur’an

Therefore they shall laugh little and weep much (as) a recompense for what they used to earn. ( Surah Bara’at verse 82)

The Verse clearly sanctifies weeping and crying else it would have prohibited it. History stands as a 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.

Weeping within the limits of Shariat is meritorious and acceptable as mentioned in the Quranic Ayats:

"And that is He it is Who makes (men) laugh and makes (them) weep;" (Surah Najm 53:43)

It is a well known fact that Prophet Yaqoob (a.s.) wept so much for his son Yusuf (a.s.) that the pupils of his eyes became white.

"And he turned away from them, and said: O my sorrow for Yusuf! And his eyes become white on account of the grief," (Surah Yusuf 12:84)

The weeping of the Sahaba in the Qur’an

“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” .(Surah Taubah(9) : 92)

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 can’t 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”.

Ref : Fayz al Bari Sharh Sahih Bukhari, Volume 12, Page 462, Printed in Egypt

The earth and sky shed no tears for the Oppressor(Unjust)

In the Holy Qur’an Allah (swt) refers to the drowning of Pharaoh and his army as follows:

“And neither heaven nor earth shed a tear over them: nor were they given a respite (again)”. (Surah 44: 29)

Note:

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.”

Ref : 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).”
Ref : 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.”

It is not permissible to cry at the suffering of the

Kuffar

Another incident that Nasibis seek to twist as proof that crying for Imam Husayn (as) concerns the lack of remorse offered by Prophet Shuayb (as) for his people. We read in Surah e Araf verses 91-93:

“But the earthquake took them unawares, and they lay prostrate in their homes before the morning!

The men who reject Shu’aib became as if they had never been in the homes where they had flourished:

the men who rejected Shu’aib – it was they who were ruined!

So Shu’aib left them, saying: “O my people! I did indeed convey to you the messages for which I was sent by my Lord: I gave you good counsel, but how shall I lament over a people who refuse to believe!“

According to the words of Prophet Shu’aib (as) lamenting over the calamities befallen on righteous people is permissible but not for those calamities that confront unbelievers. This is clear from the verse; he (as) refused to lament for those that did not believe.