Weeping
for Fear of Allaah
Muslim Ibn Bashir (ra) says that during
his last illness Abu Huraira (ra) began weeping bitterly. He was asked the reason of his weeping. At this he said, 'I am weeping
because I have a long journey to cover and have the least provisions with me. In the morning I have found myself at a hillock
which leads to both paradise and to hell, and I know not wither I would be made to go.'
[Ibn Sad Vol IV p62 and Al Hilyah Vol
I p383]
Abd Allah Ibn Masud (ra) says that the
Prophet (pbuh) asked me to recite the Quran for him. He said to the Prophet, 'Should I recite the Quran before you whereas
it has been revealed unto you?' At this the Prophet said, 'I love it more to hear the Quran from someone else.' Then
AbdAllah Ibn Masud recited the chapter of 'An-Nisa'. When he recited the verse, 'How will it be them, when We shall bring
out of each community, a witness, and We shall bring thee against these as witnesses..' (4:41), the Prophet said, 'This
is enough.' When Ibn Masud saw the face of the Prophet, he saw tears rolling down both his eyes.
[Baihaqi, Al Bidayah, Vol VI p59]
Abu Raja (ra) said that the cheeks of
Ibn Abbas (ra) were just like a spring (from which gushed forth tears constantly).
[Al Hilyah Vol I p329]
Uthman Ibn Abu Sudah (ra) says that he
saw Ubadah Ibn Samit near the parapet (the rampart towards the valley known as the valley of Hell) with his chest resting
on the rampant, and he was weeping. He said to him, 'O Abu Walid! What makes you weep?'. At this he said, 'This is the very
spot form where, as he was told by the Prophet (pbuh), had seen the Hell.'
[Al Hilyah Vol VI p110]
Abu Huraira (ra) says when
the verse 'At this discourse then marvel ye? And laugh and weep not? And ye are behaving proudly.' (53:59-61),
were revealed, the fellows of the Suffah wept so much that their beards got wet and tears trickled down their cheeks. When
the Prophet heard their weeping and wailing, he too joined them in their weeping, and we too followed him. Then the Prophet
said, 'The man who has wept on account of fear of Allah shall not enter the Hell. If you do not commit sins, then Allah
will raise amongst you a people who will be buried in sins and Allah will forgive them.'
[Baihaqi and Targhib, Vol V p190]
Anas (ra) says that the Prophet
recited the verse, '...then dread the fire, the fuel whereof is men and stones, gotten ready for the infidels.' (2:24).
Then he said, 'The fire in Hell was kept burning for one thousand years and it turned red. Again it was kept burning for
one thousand years and it got white in colour. Again it was kept burning for one thousand years and it turned black. So now
it is black and its flames are not extinguishable.' The narrator says that in front of the Prophet sat a black Abyssinian
and on hearing this he began weeping. In the mean time Jibreal came and asked about that man. The Prophet told him that the
man was an Ethiopian and also told him about his virtuous deeds. At this Jibreal said that verily Allah is saying, 'By
My Honour, by My Majesty! By My Exalted Throne! Whenever the eyes of any of My bondsmen weep because of My fear, I will cause
him to laugh the utmost in Paradise.'
[Targhib Vol V p194, Baihaqi and Isphabani]
Qais Ibn Hazim (ra) says that he came
to the Prophet (pbuh) and found Abu Bakr (ra) standing at his place. He praised Allah too much and wept bitterly.
[Abd al Razzaq and it is in Muntakhab,
Vol V p260]
Hasan Ibn Muhammad Ibn Alf Ibn Abi Talib
(ra) says that while delivering the Juma sermon, Umar recited the chapter of 'takwir', when he recited the verse, 'Then
every soul shall know that which it hath presented.' (81:14), his voice got choked (on account of fear of Allah) and he
could not recite any more.
[Shafii]
Hasan (ra) says that Umar Ibn Khattab
(ra) recited the verses, 'Verily the torment of thy Lord is sure to befall: Of it there is no averter.' (52:7-8). ON
reciting this he became so much out of breath that the people had to make enquiries about his health for twenty days.
[Abu Ubaidah]
Ubaid Ibn Umair (ra) says that one Umar
(ra) led the congregational prayer of Fajr and began reciting the chapter of 'Yusuf'. When he recited the verse, 'And he
turned away from them, and said: O my grief for Yusuf! And his eyes whitened with grief, while he was filled with suppressed
sorrow...' (12:84), he burst weeping. He stopped there and soon went into kneeling.
[Abu Ubaidah]
Hisham Ibn Hasan (ra) says that while
reciting the Quran, Umar (ra) would burst into weeping and he would fall down. He was carried to his house, where he lay for
many days and the people thought he had fallen ill.
[Al Hilyah, Vol I p51]
Hani (ra) the freed slave of Uthman Ibn
Affan (ra) says that whenever Uthman stood near a grave he used to weep so much that his beard got wet. Someone said to him,
'When the torment in the hell is mentioned, you weep not and when the torment inside the grave is mentioned you weep too much.
What is the reason for this?'. At this Uthman (ra) said, 'I have heard the Prophet saying thus: the first stage among the
different stages of the hereafter is in the grave. Whoever so passes this stage safely, for him is ease, and whosoever fails
at this stage, for him is much rigour ahead'. He said that he had heard the Prophet saying, 'I never saw a scene more
mortifying and more awful or dreadful than the scene inside the grave'. Hani says that whenever Uthman saw a grave he
used to recite this couplet: 'O Self! If thou attainest salvation or ease at this stage, thou attainest salvation and freedom
from something very heavy or dreadful. Otherwise, as I think, thou shalt never attain salvation at all'
[Ibn Rizin and Targhib, Vol V p322]
Ibn Umar (ra) says that once Umar (ra)
passed by Muadh Ibn Janbal (ra) and found him weeping. He asked him the reason thereof. At this Muadh said, 'I have heard
the Prophet saying that hypocrisy, the least of it, was polytheism and the dearest to Allah from amongst His bondsmen is one
who conceals himself so much that nobody searches for him when he disappears from amongst them, and none recognises him when
he is amongst them. These men are the leaders of guidance and the lamps of knowledge'
[Al Hilyah, Vol I p61, Hakim Vol III p270]
