When a faithful individual is reminded of the Prophet and Ahl al-Bait (PBUT) and the troubles they confronted and endured, his heart breaks and his tears flow. A tearful eye is a blessing from Allah bestowed upon his servants, and draws near even greater blessings. As one avoids sins, clears his heart from the love of worldly pleasures, implores Allah for help, turns to His chosen ones, he will have a more humble, responsive, and pure heart, as well as more tearful eyes. Although emotions such as liking, loving, and shedding tears depend on the state of one’s heart, one should try to increase his love of what Allah loves even if his heart does not initially respond, by avoiding what Allah has prohibited and acting upon what He has ordered. One such order is to remember the tragedies that Ahl al-Bait (PBUT) faced until one enters a sorrowful state and is induced to crying. According to the traditions, trying to cry (Tabaaki) for Imam al-Husain (PBUH) is rewarded even if one cannot bring himself to shed a tear.[1] Putting oneself in the state of crying, in the meetings held in memory of the Chief of the Martyrs (PBUH), may also affect others and make them cry.
The traditions concerning the rewards and benefits of remembering Ahl al-Bait (PBUT) and their hardships and the shedding of tears for them, especially concerning Imam al-Husain (PBUH), are numerous and enlightening. Here, for the sake of brevity, only a few traditions will be quoted. For more comprehensive presentation, the readers may refer to the excellent book written by a great traditionist of the latter era, Sheikh Abbas al-Qummi (RA), called, “The Breath of the Grieved” (Nafasul Mahmum), which has also been translated into English.[2]
Shedding tears for Imam al-Husain is considered a natural outcome of faith.[3] Ibn Sinan narrated:
عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ (ع) قَالَ: نَظَرَ النَّبِيُّ (ص) إلَى الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ ع وَ هُوَ مُقْبِلٌ فَأجْلَسَهُ فِي حِجْرِهِ وَ قَالَ: إنَّ لِقَتْلِ الْحُسَيْنِ حَرَارَةً فِي قُلُوبِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لَا تَبْرُدُ أبَداً. ثُمَّ قَالَ (ع) بِأبِي: قَتِيلُ كُلِّ عَبْرَةٍ. قِيلَ: وَ مَا قَتِيلُ كُلِّ عَبْرَةٍ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ: لَا يَذْكُرُهُ مُؤْمِنٌ إلَّا بَكَى.
Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) said, “The Prophet (PBUH&HF) looked at
al-Husain Ibn Ali (PBUH)
as he was approaching. He sat him in his lap and said, ‘Verily, for the
martyrdom of al-Husain there shall be a heat in the hearts of the believers
that shall never subside.’” Then, the Imam (PBUH) continued, “He (i.e., al-Husain (PBUH)) is the martyr of
tears.” I asked, “What is the meaning of the martyr of tears, O son
of the Messenger of Allah?” He (PBUH) replied, “No faithful remembers him except that he
weeps.” [4]
Rayyan Ibn Shabib narrated:
عَنِ
الرَّيَّانِ
بْنِ شَبِيبٍ
عَنِ الرِّضَا
ع أنَّهُ
قَالَ: يَا
ابنَ شَبيب.
إنَّ المحرَّمَ
هُوَ
الشَّهرُ
الّذي كانَ
أهلُ الجاهِليّةِ
فيما مَضى
يُحَرِّمونَ
فيهِ الظُّلمَ
وَ القِتالَ
لِحُرمَتِهِ
فَما عَرَفَت هذهِ
الأمّةُ
حُرمةَ شَهرِها
وَ لا حُرمَةَ
نَبِيِّها
صَلَواتُ اللهِ
عَليهِ وَ
آلهِ، لَقَد
قَتَلوا في
هذَا الشَّهرِ
ذُرِّيَّتَهُ
وَ سَبَوْا
نِساءَهُ وَ
انْتَهَبوا
ثِقْلَهُ،
فَلا غَفَرَ
اللهُ لَهُم
ذلكَ أبداً.
يَا ابْنَ
شَبِيبٍ إنْ كُنْتَ
بَاكِياً
لِشَيْءٍ
فَابْكِ
لِلْحُسَيْنِ
بْنِ عَلِيٍّ
ع، فَإنَّهُ
ذُبِحَ كَمَا
يُذْبَحُ
الْكَبْشُ وَ
قُتِلَ
مَعَهُ مِنْ
أهْلِ
بَيْتِهِ
ثَمَانِيَةَ
عَشَرَ
رَجُلًا مَا
لَهُمْ فِي
الْأرْضِ
شَبِيهُونَ.
وَ لَقَدْ
بَكَتِ
السَّمَاوَاتُ
السَّبْعُ وَ
الْأرَضُونَ
لِقَتْلِهِ
وَ لَقد
نَزَلَ إلَى
الأرضِ مِنَ الملائكةِ
أربَعَةُ
آلافٍ
لِنَصْرهِ
فَوَجَدوهُ
قَد قُتِلَ.
فَهُم عِندَ
قَبرهِ شُعثٌ غُبرٌ
إلى أن يَقومَ
القائِمُ
فَيَكونونَ مِن
أنصارِهِ وَ
شِعارُهُم يا
لَثاراتِ
الحُسَينِ.
يَا ابنَ
شَبيب لَقَد
حَدَّثَني
أبي عَن أبيهِ
عَن جَدِّهِ
أنَّهُ لمَا
قُتِلَ جَدّيَ
الحُسينُ
أمطَرَتِ
السّماءُ
دَماً وَ
تُراباً
أحمَر. قَالَ
يَا ابْنَ
شَبِيبٍ إنْ
بَكَيْتَ
عَلَى
الْحُسَيْنِ
ع حَتَّى
تَصِيرَ دُمُوعُكَ
عَلَى
خَدَّيْكَ
غَفَرَ
اللَّهُ لَكَ
كُلَّ ذَنْبٍ
أذْنَبْتَهُ
صَغِيراً كَانَ
أوْ كَبِيراً
قَلِيلًا
كَانَ أوْ
كَثِيراً. يَا
ابْنَ
شَبِيبٍ إنْ
سَرَّكَ أنْ
تَلْقَى
اللَّهَ
عَزَّ وَ
جَلَّ وَ لَا
ذَنْبَ
عَلَيْكَ فَزُرِ
الْحُسَيْنَ
ع. يَا ابْنَ
شَبِيبٍ إنْ
سَرَّكَ أنْ
تَسْكُنَ
الْغُرَفَ
الْمَبْنِيَّةَ
فِي
الْجَنَّةِ
مَعَ
النَّبِيِّ
وَ آلِهِ
صَلَّى
اللَّهُ
عَلَيْهِمْ
فَالْعَنْ قَتَلَةَ
الْحُسَيْنِ.
يَا ابْنَ
شَبِيبٍ إنْ
سَرَّكَ أنْ
يَكُونَ لَكَ
مِنَ
الثَّوَابِ
مِثْلُ مَا
لِمَنِ
اسْتُشْهِدَ
مَعَ
الْحُسَيْنِ فَقُلْ
مَتَى مَا
ذَكَرْتَهُ:
يَا لَيْتَنِي
كُنْتُ
مَعَهُمْ
فَأفُوزَ
فَوْزاً
عَظِيماً. يَا
ابْنَ
شَبِيبٍ إنْ
سَرَّكَ أنْ
تَكُونَ
مَعَنَا فِي
الدَّرَجَاتِ
الْعُلَى
مِنَ الْجِنَانِ،
فَاحْزَنْ
لِحُزْنِنَا
وَ افْرَحْ لِفَرَحِنَا
وَ عَلَيْكَ
بِوَلَايَتِنَا.
فَلَوْ أنَّ
رَجُلًا
أحَبَّ
حَجَراً
لَحَشَرَهُ
اللَّهُ
مَعَهُ
يَوْمَ
الْقِيَامَةِ.
Imam al-Ridha (PBUH) said, “O Son of Shabib! Muharram is
a month in which even the people of the former age of ignorance forbade
oppression and bloodshed due to its sanctity. However, this nation did not
honor the sanctity of this month nor did they honor the sanctity of their
Prophet (PBUH&HF). In
this month, they killed the Prophet’s progeny, enslaved his women, and
plundered his belongings. May Allah never forgive them for these crimes.
O Son of Shabib! If you wish to cry
for anything or anyone, cry for al-Husain Ibn Ali (PBUH) for he was slaughtered like a sheep. Eighteen
members from his family who were unparalleled on earth were also killed along
with him. Certainly, the seven heavens and earths cried because of the murder
of al-Husain (PBUH). Four
thousand Angels descended on earth to aid him, but (when they were allowed to
reach there) they found him martyred. So they remained at his grave, disheveled
and dusty, and will remain there until the rising of al-Qa’im (Imam
al-Mahdi (PBUH)),
whereupon they will aid him. Their slogan will be, ‘Vengeance for the blood
of al-Husain.’ O Son of Shabib! My father related to me from his father,
who related from his grandfather that when my grandfather Imam al-Husain (PBUH) was martyred, the sky
rained blood and red sands.
O Son of Shabib! When you weep over
the afflictions of al-Husain (PBUH)
so that tears flow from your eyes onto your cheeks, Allah will forgive all your
sins, big or small, few or numerous. O Son of Shabib! If you wish to meet
Allah, the mighty and the majestic, free of sin, then perform the Ziyarat of
al-Husain (PBUH).
O Son of Shabib! If it pleases you to
abide in the palaces of
Masma’ Ibn Abd al-Malik narrated:
عَنْ
مِسْمَعِ
بْنِ عَبْدِ
الْمَلِكِ
قَالَ: قَالَ
لِي أبُو
عَبْدِ
اللَّهِ (ع)
فِي حَدِيثٍ:
أ مَا
تَذْكُرُ مَا
صُنِعَ بِهِ
يَعْنِي
بِالْحُسَيْنِ
(ع)؟ قُلْتُ:
بَلَى. قَالَ
فَتَجْزَعُ؟
قُلْتُ: إي وَ
اللَّهِ وَ
أسْتَعْبِرُ
لِذَلِكَ
حَتَّى يَرَى
أهْلِي أثَرَ
ذَلِكَ عَلَيَّ
فَأمْتَنِعُ
مِنَ
الطَّعَامِ
حَتَّى
يَسْتَبِينَ
ذَلِكَ فِي
وَجْهِي.
فَقَالَ: رَحِمَ
اللَّهُ
دَمْعَتَكَ.
أمَا إنَّكَ
مِنَ
الَّذِينَ
يُعَدُّونَ
مِنْ أهْلِ
الْجَزَعِ
لَنَا وَ
الَّذِينَ
يَفْرَحُونَ
لِفَرَحِنَا
وَ
يَحْزَنُونَ
لِحُزْنِنَا.
أمَا إنَّكَ
سَتَرَى
عِنْدَ
مَوْتِكَ
حُضُورَ
آبَائِي لَكَ
وَ
وَصِيَّتَهُمْ
مَلَكَ
الْمَوْتِ
بِكَ وَ مَا
يَلْقَوْنَكَ
بِهِ مِنَ
الْبِشَارَةِ
أفْضَلُ وَ
لَمَلَكُ
الْمَوْتِ
أرَقُّ عَلَيْكَ
وَ أشَدُّ
رَحْمَةً
لَكَ مِنَ
الْأُمِّ
الشَّفِيقَةِ
عَلَى
وَلَدِهَا.
إلَى أنْ قَالَ:
مَا بَكَى
أحَدٌ
رَحْمَةً
لَنَا وَ
لِمَا لَقِينَا
إلَّا
رَحِمَهُ
اللَّهُ
قَبْلَ أنْ
تَخْرُجَ
الدَّمْعَةُ
مِنْ
عَيْنِهِ.
فَإذَا سَالَ
دُمُوعُهُ
عَلَى
خَدِّهِ
فَلَوْ أنَّ قَطْرَةً
مِنْ
دُمُوعِهِ
سَقَطَتْ فِي
جَهَنَّمَ
لَأطْفَأتْ
حَرَّهَا
حَتَّى لَا يُوجَدَ
لَهَا حَرٌّ ...
Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) asked me, “Do you remind yourself
about what happened to al-Husain (PBUH)?”
I answered, “Yes.” He asked, “Do you become grieved?” I
answered, “Yes, by Allah! And I shed tears so much so that my family
members notice its effect on my face and I abstain from food in such
situation.” He (PBUH)
said, “May Allah have mercy on your tears. Truly, you are counted among
the people who are concerned about us, who rejoice in our happiness and grieve
in our grief. Indeed, at the time of your death you will see the presence of my
ancestors who will give you glad tidings and will give their recommendations to
the Angel of death about you. He will thus become more compassionate and
merciful towards you than a tenderhearted mother is to her child... None (among
the believers) sympathetically weeps for us and for what befell us but that
Allah bestows upon him His mercy, even before his tears flow from his eyes. (It
is so rewarding that) if a drop from the tears that flows on his cheeks drops
over Hell, it will extinguish its heat completely …” [6]
Several authorities narrated that
Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) said:
قَالَ
أبُو عَبْدِ
اللَّهِ (ع):
مَنْ أنْشَدَ
فِي
الْحُسَيْنِ
شِعْراً
فَبَكَى وَ أبْكَى
وَاحِداً
كُتِبَتْ
لَهُمَا
الْجَنَّةُ،
وَ مَنْ
ذُكِرَ
الْحُسَيْنُ
عِنْدَهُ فَخَرَجَ
مِنْ
عَيْنِهِ
مِنَ
الدَّمْعِ
مِقْدَارُ
جَنَاحِ
ذُبَابٍ
كَانَ
ثَوَابُهُ عَلَى
اللَّهِ وَ
لَمْ يَرْضَ
لَهُ بِدُونِ
الْجَنَّةِ.
“Anyone
(of the believers) who recites poetry about al-Husain (PBUH) and cries and makes another one cry,
[1] See, e.g., Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, vol. 10, p.318, Hadith 14; Wasa’il al-Shia, vol. 14, p.596, Hadith 19889.
[2]
The English translation of this book was published by Islamic Study Circle,
Mumbai,
[3] Certainly, all true believers cry for Imam al-Husain (PBUH), but this does not mean that any one who cries for Imam al-Husain (PBUH) is necessarily a believer. A person who does not fully believe in the Wilaya of Ahl al-Bait (PBUT) (i.e., does not consider their sayings and actions are to be followed even if they are against one’s opinion or the opinion of others), his sympathy for Imam al-Husain (PBUH) may only have worldly benefits for him, but will not save him from the hereafter punishment. According to numerous traditions, true faith (i.e., believing in the Wilaya of Ahl al-Bait (PBUT)) is the major requirement of salvation. Therefore, all the traditions concerning the rewards of Ziyarat or weeping for Imam al-Husain are only meant for the believers. Nevertheless, sympathy for Ahl al-Bait (PBUT) has eventually led many people to true faith before their death. Their attraction towards faith was usually initiated by their sympathy for the sufferings of Imam al-Husain (PBUH). Hence, they owe their salvation to the programs held in memory of the Chief of the Martyrs (PBUH).
[4] Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, vol. 10, p. 318, Hadith 13.
[5] Uyun
Akhbar al-Ridha (PBUH),
vol. 1, p. 299, Hadith 58;
[6] Kamil
al-Ziyarat, p. 101, Hadith 6;