The love of Saints of Allah has constructive and positive effects upon man's life. A person, who is a true friend of the Allah's Saints, considers them the example of morality and character, regarding faith, piety and decent actions, he endeavours to get himself nearer to them.

Particularly, love of the Prophet (S) of Islam, the Ahl al-Bayt and the Sahaba (companions) has a determining role in strengthening the basics of faith, piety and adornment with the moral virtues. Without that the foundations of faith will become weak and man will get distanced from the path of right.

As such, we say it that the deeper and stronger would this love be the more of effects and fruits it would bear. One of the signs of their profound love are the tears of strong desired and enthusiastic love which gush out of the eyes. In this manner the love which is an affair of the interior materialises in the form of glassy pearls and opens apart to the exterior all that is present in the interior.

Weeping and shedding tears in the memory of Allah's Saints is the sign of tenderness of heart enlightenment of soul and the purity of interior. While weeping in the memory of the Saints of Allah one shows how dear that person is to him. So naturally he would make efforts to get him pleased.

There is no doubt to it that the pleasure of the Allah Saints lies in carrying out and obeying the commands of Allah. Consequently, crying and weeping in the memory of Allah's Saints will wash away and erase the rust of polytheism and hypocrisy from man's heart and get the ground ready and available for strengthening of faith, piety and performance of good deeds.

Basically, weeping in one's memory or mourning is a sentimental factor. When someone loses his dear one, automatically tears roll out of his eyes, whether this beloved one he loses is from among his relatives or a Saint from among the Saints of Allah, who is (certainly) dearer to him than his relatives.

This is why we see that weeping over the dead ones was normal and usual in the ages of the Prophet (S), Sahabah, and the Tabiyeen (disciples). The Prophet (S) himself wept mourning the death or his mother, son and daughter.

Similarly, Sahabah too wept and recited elegies upon the sad demise of the Prophet (S) and or the death of their other friends. This thing continued on till the ages and periods of Tabiyeen (disciples) and other Muslims who came into existence at later stages.

Now we narrate the various instances and examples of it which we have extracted from the books of hadith and history.

عن أبي هريرة قال: زار النبي صلى الله عليه وآله قبر أمه فبكى وأبكى من حوله.

Abu Huraira says: The Prophet (S) visited the grave of his mother and wept and made others weep too. '1

وعن بريدة قال: زار النبي صلى الله عليه وآله قبر أمه في ألف مقنع فلم ير باكياً أكثر من يومئذ.

And Buraidah narrates that the Prophet visited his mother's grave along with a thousand veiled persons. Nobody did see anyone weeping more than that day. 2.

عن أنس بن مالك في حديث يذكر فيه موت إبراهيم ابن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: قال رسول الله: ان العين تدمع والقلب يحزن ولا نقول الا ما يرضي ربنا وانا بفراقك يا إبراهيم لمحزونون.

Anas Ibn Malik narrates in a hadith regarding the death of Ibrahim, the son of the Prophet (S) saying: The Prophet (S) of Allah said: Verily the eye weeps and the heart gets grieved and we do not say a thing except that which may please Allah. Oh Ibrahim we are sorrowful upon your severance. 3

عن أنس بن مالك قال: شهدنا بنت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله قال ورسول الله جالس على القبر قال: فرأيت عينيه تدمعان.

Anas Ibn Malik says: We were present in the burial ceremony or the daughter of the Prophet (obviously Ume Kulsum) and the Prophet was sitting by her grave. He says: I saw the Prophet's (S) eyes were shedding tears. 4

عن أسامة بن زيد في حديث يذكر فيه موت ابن بنت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله قال: ففاضت عيناه فقال سعد: ما هذا؟ فقال: هذه رحمة جعلها الله في قلوب عباده وإنما يرحم الله من عباده الرحماء.

Asma Bint Zaid narrates a hadith to connection with the death of a grandchild or the Prophet (S) he says: The eyes of the Prophet (S) got tearful! Thus, Saad Said: What is this? The Prophet (S) said: This is a blessing (divine mercy) that Allah has put in the heart s of His servants. 5

Doubtlessly, Allah blesses the group of His servants who have sentiments (sensitivenes).

عن ابن عمر قال: رجع النبي صلى الله عليه وآله يوم أحد فسمع نساء بني عبد الأشهل يبكين على هلكاهن فقال: لكن حمزة لا بواكي له فجئن نساء الأنصار يبكين على حمزة عنده.

Ibn ‘Umar says: On the day of Uhud (battle) the Prophet (S) returned to Madina and heard the women of Bani Abdul Ashal weep over their dead ones. Thus, be said: Hamaza (the uncle of Prophet (S) does not have anyone to weep over him. The women of Ansar (helpers) came and wept over Hamza in front of him. 6

كانت فاطمة تزور قبر عمها كل جمعة فتصلي وتبكي عنده.

Fatimah (s.a.) used to visit her uncles grave every Friday and offered her prayer and wept over there. 7

عن أبي ذؤيب الهذلي قال: قدمت المدينة ولأهلها ضجيج بالبكاء كضجيج الحجيج اهلوا جميعا بالاحرام. فقلت: مه؟ قالوا: قبض رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله.

Abu Zuwaib Hazali says: I arrived the city of Madina and saw that the people of it were crying and were yelling similar to the yellings of the pilgrims who perform together conseeration (pulling on the garb of Hajj and saying labek). So I asked: What is the matter? They said: The Prophet (S) has passed away. 8

عن عروة قال: قالت صفية بنت عبد المطلب ترى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: ألا يا رسول الله كنت رجاءنا وكنت بنا برّاً ولم تك جافيا وكان بنا براً رحيماً نبيّنا ليبك عليه اليوم من كان باكيا الى ان قالت: أرى حسنا ايتمته وتركته يبكي ويدعو جده اليوم نائيا فدى لرسول الله أمي وخالتي وعمي ونفسي قصره وعياليا

Arwa says: Safia the daughter of Abdul Muttalib recited these eligical rhymes upon the death or the Prophet (S).

Oh the Prophet of Allah who was the source or our joy and did good to us and did not commit excess (oppression) upon us, so all the crier do weep and cry upon him. I see Hasan (‘a), whom you have left orphan and abandoned, in a condition that he weeps and calls his grandfather. Be my life and the lives of my mother, aunt uncle and my family sacrificed, for the Prophet of Allah. 9

عن المثنى بن سعيد قال: سمعت أنس بن مالك يقول ما من ليلة لا وأنا ارى فيها حبيبي ثم يبكي.

Masna Ibn Saeed says I heard Anas Ibn Malik saying: There is no such night but that I see my beloved the Prophet (S) in my dream. He was saying it and weeping 10

عن زيد بن أسلم قال: خرج عمر بن الخطاب ليلة يحرس فرأى مصباحاً في بيت فدنا فاذا عجوز تطرق شهراً لها لتعز له أي تنفشه بقدح وهي تقول: على محمد صلاة الأبرار صلى عليك المصطفون الأخيار

قد كنت قواما بكى الاسحار ياليت شعري والمنايا اطوار هل النبي صلى الله عليه وآله فجلس عمر يبكى فما زال يبكي حتى قرع الباب عليها فقالت: من هذا؟ قال: عمر بن الخطاب….

Zaid Ibn Aslam says: One night ‘Umar Ibn Khattab came out patrolling for the sake of vigilance and keeping watch. He saw a lamp burning in a house. He came near it and saw an old woman who while weaving was reciting rhymes, saying so:

Salutation of the pious ones be upon Muhammad (S) the selected and chosen ones saluted you. You woke at nights to offer prayers and used to weep at the break of dawn. Oh, how I wish I knew and the desires and aspirations are varied and diverse. Shall He (Allah) get my house decorated with my beloved? The women meant by it the Prophet (S). ‘Umar sat down weeping and continued his weeping till the door opened and the woman said:...Who is it? He said, It is Umar Ibn Khattab.

عن عاصم بن محمد عن أبيه قال: ما سمعت ابن عمر ذاكراً رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله إلا ابتدرت عيناه تبكيان.

Asim Ibn Muhammad narrates from his father: I did not hear it that Ibn Umar may have mentioned the Prophet (S) except that his eyes shed tears. 11

عن أبي عثمان قال: رأيت عمر لما حاوه نعى النعمان وضع يده على رأسه وجعل يبكي.

Abu Osman says: I saw ‘Umar when the news of the death of Nauman reached him he laid his hand upon his head and cried. 12

ولما تنى اهل المدينة مقتل الحسين خرجت ابنة عقيل بن ابي طالب ومعها نساؤها وهي حاسرة تلوي بثوبها وتقول: ماذا تقولون إن قال النبي لكم ماذا فعلتم وانتم آخر الأمم بعترتي وبأهلي بعد مقتدى منهم اسارى ومنهم ضرجوا بدم

On the occasion, when the matyrdom news of Husayn (‘a) reached people of Madina. The daughter of Aqeel Ibn Abi Talib came out and there were women along with her and she was in a grieved condition holding her dress saying: What will you do when the Prophet (S) says to you: You who were the last of the Ummahs (communities) what did you do to my progeny and descendants. A group of them were made captive and held prisoners and another one was stained with blood. 13

عن علي بن إسماعيل التميمي عن أبيه قال: كنت عند أبي عبد الله جعفر بن محمد إذا استأذن اذنه السيد قامرة بإيصاله واقعد حرمه خلف ستر ودخل فسلم وجلس فاستنشده فأنشد قوله: امرر على جدث الحسين فقل لأعظمه الزكية يااعظما لازلت من وطفاء ساكبة روية…

Ali Ibn Ismail narrates from his father I was present with Ja’far Ibn Muhammad (‘a) when permission for Syed Hamirys being shown in was sought. He ordered that he may be allowed to come in and his family (wife) may be seated behind the curtain.

He entered the house, saluted and took his seat Ja’far Ibn Muhammad wished of him that be may recite rhyme. Thus, be recited this rhyme.

Do pass by the grave of Husayn (‘a) and say to his pure chaste bones.Oh bones! Always and continuously get succulented and saturated by the rainful clouds of tears.

He says I saw that the tear rolled from the eyes of Ja’far Ibn Muhammad (‘a) over his cheeks and from inside his house the noise or weeping and lamentation arose.14

We come to know from this example quoted that reciting elegies and weeping upon the Saints of Allah was a routine practice from the very age of the Prophet (S), Sahaba and the disciples among the Muslims.

We observed that the Prophet of Allah (S) considered weeping upon dead as a sign and symbol of mercy and benevolence which Allah has put in the hearts of His servants. As for the traditions regarding the prohibition of Prophet (S) from weeping upon the dead ones and their being tormented by being wept for we must add, that the narrators of these traditions were mistaken as to the real meaning of the words of the Prophet (S) The Prophet (S) meant the infidels dead men and therefore in another hadith their mistake has been pointed out and rectified.

عن ابن عباس قال قال عمر قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: إن الميت يعذب ببعض بكاء أهله عليه. عباس فما ماس عمر ذكرت ذلك لعائشة فقالت: رحم الله عمر والله ما حدث رسول الله إن الله ليعذب المؤمن ببكاء أهله عليه ولكن رسول الله قال: إن الله ليزيد الكافر ببكاء أهله عليه.

Ibn Abbas narrates ‘Umar Khattab as saying that the Prophet (S) said the dead one gets tormented by some weepings or his family over him. Ibn Abbas says when ‘Umar died I narrated this (his words) to Aeysha. She said Allah bless ‘Umar. By Allah, the Prophet (S) has not said that Allah torments the faithful by his family's weeping over him but the Prophet (S) said so that Allah increases the torment of the infidel due to the weeping of his family over him.15

عن عمرة أنها سمعت عائشة وذكر لها أن عبد الله بن عمر يقول: إن الميت ليعذب ببكاء أهله عليه. قالت عائشة: يغفر الله لأبي عبد الرحمن انا إنه لم يكذب ولكنه نسي أو أخطأ إنما مر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله على يهودية يبكى عليها فقال: إنهم ليبكون عليها وإنها لتعذب.

Amra says: I heard Aeysha say, when she was told that Abdullah Ibn Umber says that the dead person is tormented by his family's weeping over him, that Allah may bless Abu Abd Ar-Rahman he does not tell a lie but he has forgiven or mistaken. Doubtlessly, the Prophet (S) was passing besides the funeral of a Jewish woman who was being wept upon. The he said: They weep over her whereas she is being tormented. 16

Referring to this hadith it becomes clear that even if the Prophet (S) may have said it that the dead one gets tormented by being wept upon him he meant by it the infidel dead ones. Otherwise, he himself (Prophet) wept over the death of his kith and kins. Similarly, the Sabahah and Tabayeen (followers) and the Muslims after their ages did weep upon the death of Prophet (S) and their friends and relatives. We narrated the relevant Ahadith before this.

• 1. Sahih Muslim vol. 3, p. 65.
• 2. Mustadrak al-Hakim, vol. l, p. 375.
• 3. Sahih Bukhari vol. 2. p. 179.
• 4. Sahih Bukhari vol. 2 p. 172.
• 5. Sahih Bukhari vol. 2, p 172.
• 6. Kanz al-’Ummal vol:15, p. 618.
• 7. Mustadrik Hakim Vol. 1, p. 237.
• 8. Kanz al-’Ummal vol. 15, p. 265.
• 9. Majma uz zawad vol. 9, p. 39.
• 10. Tabqat Ibn Saad vol. 7, p. 20.
• 11. Tabqat Ibn Saad vol. 4, p. 168.
• 12. Kanz al-’Ummal vol. 15, p. 227.
• 13. Tarikh Tabari vol. 3. p. 342.
• 14. Alaghani vol. 7, p. 260.
• 15. Sunan an-Nisai vol. 4, p. 17.
• 16. Mootae Malik p. 194.