Is crying purely, without excessive expression, disliked during affliction?

General Chapter

Al-Mughni

Book of Funerals

Book 7 · Issue 2 · Bab 1

Open in Qurani

Primary text

Crying merely by itself is not disliked at any time. The view of Al-Shafi'i is that it is permissible until the soul departs, and disliked thereafter, based on the narration where the Prophet (peace be upon him) permitted the women to cry when the affliction occurred, saying, 'Leave them, for when it is obligatory, let no female mourner cry out.' The primary evidence for permissibility is the narration that the Prophet (peace be upon him) sat at the grave of his daughter, and his eyes were shedding tears. Similarly, the Prophet (peace be upon him) kissed 'Uthman ibn Maz'un while he was dead, lifting his head, and his eyes were pouring out tears. Furthermore, when reporting the deaths of Zayd, Ja'far, and 'Abdullah ibn Rawahah, the Prophet's (peace be upon him) eyes were shedding tears. Aisha narrated that Abu Bakr uncovered the face of the Prophet (peace be upon him), kissed him, and wept. All these are authentic hadith.

Supporting text

The prohibition mentioned in some narrations is interpreted as applying specifically to raising the voice, lamenting (nadb), and similar actions. This is evidenced by the narration where the Prophet (peace be upon him), while weeping over his son, stated that he was only prohibited from two foolish, sinful voices: the voice at a calamity involving scratching faces, tearing garments, and the devil's wail. 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that there is no issue if the women of Banu Makhzum weep for Abu Sulayman, provided there is no *naq'a* (dust placed on the head) or *laqlaqah* (raising the voice).