Chapter 54 - Excellence of Weeping out of Fear from Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala

Allah, the Exalted, says:

"And they fall down on their faces weeping and it increases their humility.'' (17:109)

"Do you then wonder at this recitation (the Qur'an)? And you laugh at it and weep not". (53:59-60)







Ibn Mas`ud reported: The Prophet said to me:

"Recite the Qur'an to me".


I said, "O Messenger of Allah! Shall I recite the Qur'an to you, when it has been revealed to you?'' He replied,

"I love to hear it recited by others".


So I recited to him a portion from Surat An-Nisa'. When I reached the Ayah:

"How (will it be) then, when We bring from each nation a witness and We bring you (O Muhammad ) as a witness against these people?". (4:41)

He said,

 "Enough for now".  

When I looked at him I saw his eyes were shedding tears. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].


Commentary: This Hadith tells us that besides the recitation of the Noble Qur'an, a Muslim should also listen to it from others so that he can contemplate further on it. It also makes one weep when one listens to the Noble Qur'an.

Anas bin Malik reported: Messenger of Allah delivered a Khutbah to us the like of which I had never heard from him before. In the course of the Khutbah, he    said:

"If you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much".

Thereupon those present covered their faces and began to sob.[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].


Commentary: This Hadith has been mentioned in this chapter for the reason that it furnishes positive proof of the fact that the Companions of the Prophet used to weep out of fear of Allah when they heard sermons and preaching. It induces us to follow them.

Abu Hurairah reported: Messenger of Allah said,

"One who weeps out of fear of Allah, will not enter the Hell till milk returns back in the udder; and the dust raised on account of fighting in the path of Allah and the smoke of Hell will never exist together".  [At-Tirmidhi].


Commentary:
1. A person who has such a fear of Allah that he weeps on account of it, cannot be disobedient to Allah. Obviously, his life will generally be spent in obedience of Allah and strict abstinence from sins. It is very true to say that it is as impossible for such a person to go to Hell as the return of milk to the udders.
2. Similarly, Jihad is a highly meritorious act for a Muslim. A Mujahid, who fights for the sake of Allah, is perfectly safe from Hell because the dust that falls on this way on him, cannot mix with the smoke of Hell.

Abu Hurairah reported: Messenger of Allah said,

"Seven people Allah will give them His Shade on the Day when there would be no shade but the Shade of His Throne (i.e., on the
Day of Resurrection): And they are: a just ruler; a youth who grew up with the worship of Allah; a person whose heart is attached to the masjids, two men who love and meet each other and depart from each other for the sake of Allah; a man whom an extremely beautiful woman seduces (for illicit relation), but he (rejects this offer and) says: `I fear Allah'; a man who gives in charity and conceals it (to such an extent) that the left hand does not know what the right has given; and a man who remembers Allah in solitude and his eyes become tearful". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].


Commentary: This Hadith has been included in this chapter for the reason that it highlights the merits of weeping for fear of Allah. The fear of Allah keeps one away from disobedience of Allah, the reward of which in the Hereafter is Jannah - a world which abounds in the Bounties and Pleasure of Allah.

Abdullah bin Ash-Shikhkhir reported: I came to Messenger of Allah when he was performing prayers. He was sobbing and his chest sounded like a boiling kettle. [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].


Commentary: This Hadith tells us how the Prophet used to weep in prayer out of fear of Allah. To weep in the course of supplication and at the thought of one's appearance before Allah reflects piety.

Anas reported: Messenger of Allah said to Ubayy bin Ka`b  


"Allah    has ordered me to recite to you Surat-Al-Baiyyinah (98): `Those who disbelieve ..."

Ubayy asked, "Did He name me?'' Messenger of Allah replied in the affirmative. Whereupon Ubayy began to weep. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].


Commentary: This Hadith highlights the following:

1. The permissibility of crying out of joy when a certain bounty has been bestowed upon one, and out of fear that one fails to show gratefulness to the Bestower of the bounty (i.e., Allah).
2. The superiority of Ubayy bin Ka`b and the high position he occupies with regard to his recitation and memorization of the Qur'an.

Anas bin Malik reported: After the death of  the Messenger of Allah , Abu Bakr said to `Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhuma): "Let us visit Umm Aiman (Radhi Allahu Anha) as Messenger of Allah used to visit her.'' As we came to her, she wept. They (Abu Bakr and `Umar
(Radhi Allahu Anhuma)  said to her, "What makes you weep? Do you not know that what Allah has in store for His Messenger is better than (this worldly life)?'' She said, "I weep not because I am ignorant of the fact that what is in store for Messenger of Allah (in the Hereafter) is better than this world, but I weep because the Revelation has ceased to come.'' This reply moved both of them to tears and they began to weep along with her. [Muslim].


Commentary: Here, this Hadith has been reproduced to furnish justification for weeping on the departure of virtuous people because their presence is a source of many blessings. With their departure from this world, people are deprived of many graces. Pious people are certainly very much grieved on their death.

Ibn `Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhuma)  reported: When the illness of Messenger of Allah became serious, he was asked about the leading of Salat and he  said,

"Ask Abu Bakr to lead Salat.''  

Whereupon, `Aishah : said; "Abu Bakr is very tender hearted. He is bound to be overcome by weeping when he recites the Qur'an.'' Messenger of Allah repeated,

"Ask him (Abu Bakr) to lead Salat".

In another narration: `Aishah    said: "When Abu Bakr stands in your place, he will not be able to recite the Noble Qur'an to the people on account of weeping.'' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].



Commentary:

1. This Hadith brings into prominence the distinction of Abu Bakr As-Siddiq . It was because of this distinction that the Companions of the Prophet selected him as Khalifah (caliph) after the death of the Prophet . On this occasion, `Umar said, "Should we not like him for our (worldly life) political leadership when the Prophet had chosen him for our Deen".
2. The justification for weeping at the time of the recitation of the Noble Qur'an. This was a special virtue of Abu Bakr As-Siddiq :radiyallahuanhwhich was a mark of his perfect Faith.

Ibrahim bin `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf reported: Food was brought to `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf   when he was observing Saum (fast) and he said: "Mus`ab bin `Umair  was martyred and he was better than me, but only one sheet was available to shroud him. It was so small that when his head was covered; his feet remained uncovered and if his feet were covered, his head remained uncovered. Then the bounties of this world have been bestowed upon us generously. I am afraid that the reward of our good deeds have been awarded to us in this world.'' On this he began to sob and left the food untouched. [Al-Bukhari].


Commentary: This Hadith tells us about the hospitality of the Companions of the Prophet and the respect they had for each other.
Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf was one of the figures of `Al-Ashratul-Mubash-sharun bil Jannah (the ten Companions of the Prophet who were given the glad tidings of entering Jannah during their lifetime). For this reason, he is superior to Mus`ab bin `Umair , but he acknowledged him superior on the consideration of his martyrdom and poverty through which he had passed. He holds Mus`ab bin Umair better on the grounds that he had confronted the infidels in extremely difficult circumstances and sacrificed his life for the sake of Allah.

The second point which this Hadith brings out is the fear which Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf    felt at the abundance of wealth and property, although he used to spend his wealth and riches in the way of Allah and Jihad. Today, the only purpose of our wealth is that we waste it either on foolish customs and ceremonies of marriage or construction of buildings and their decoration. It was this abundance of wealth of which the Companions of the Prophet were afraid. The Prophet had himself expressed great anxiety over it.

Abu Umamah Sudaiy bin `Ajlan Al-Bahili reported: The Prophet said:


 "Nothing is dearer to Allah than two drops and two marks: A drop of tears shed out of fear of Allah and a drop of blood shed in Allah's way. Regarding the two marks, they are: Marks left in the Cause of Allah and a mark left in observing one of the obligatory act of worship of Allah, the Exalted".  [At-Tirmidhi].


Commentary: This Hadith mentions the merits of the following:

1. Weeping out of fear of Allah.
2. The blood which flows in the way of Allah.
3. The marks of injuries which are left on the bodies of those who take part in Jihad.
4. The marks of wounds received in the performance of obligations.

The Ahadith on the subject are many.

Al-`Irbad bin Sariyah reported: One day Messenger of Allah delivered us a very eloquent Khutbah on account of which eyes shed tears and hearts became softened. [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].


Commentary: Even in the relevant chapter, the author has only given a reference of this Hadith and not its full text. This has, however, been stated in chapter 16, bearing the title "Observing the Sunnah and the manners of its obedience".


NB Dr Muhammad Salah did not explain this Hadith and the numbers according to him change in the next Chapter our Hadith number starts with Hadith 457 he starts with Hadith no 456