Weeping for Fear of Allah

Muslim ibn Bashir says that during his last illness Abu Hurayrah 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." {qluetip title=[1]}Ibn Sa'ad, vol. IV p. 62 and Al-Hilyah, vol. I, p. 383{/qluetip}

'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud says that the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked him to recite the Qur'an for him. He said to the Prophet, "Should I recite the Qur'an before you whereas it has been revealed unto you?" At this the Prophet said, "I love it more to hear the Qur'an from someone else." Then 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud 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 ... " [Al-Qur'an 4:41], the Prophet said, "This is enough." When Ibn Mas'ud saw the face of the Prophet, he saw tears rolling down both his eyes. {qluetip title=[2]}Bayhaqi, Al-Bidayah, vol. VI, p. 59{/qluetip}

Abu Raja said that the cheeks of Ibn Abbas were just like a spring (from which gushed forth tears constantly). {qluetip title=[3]}Al-Hilyah, vol. I, p. 329{/qluetip}

'Uthman ibn Abu Sudah 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 from where, as he was told by the Prophet, had seen the Hell." {qluetip title=[4]}Al-Hilyah, vol. VI, p. 110{/qluetip}

Abu Hurayrah says when the verse "At this discourse then marvel ye? And laugh and weep not? And ye are behaving proudly." [Al-Qur'an 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." {qluetip title=[5]}Bayhaqi and Targhib, vol. V, p. 190{/qluetip}

Anas says that the Prophet recited the verse, " ... then dread the fire, the fuel whereof is men and stones, gotten ready for the infidels." [Al-Qur'an 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 Jibril 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 Jibril 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." {qluetip title=[6]}Targhib, vol. V, p. 194, Bayhaqi and Isfahani{/qluetip}

Qays ibn Hazim says that he came to the Prophet and found Abu Bakr standing at his place. He praised Allah too much and wept bitterly. {qluetip title=[7]}'Abdur-Razzaq and it is in Muntakhab, vol. V, p. 260{/qluetip}

Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn Alf ibn Abi Talib says that while delivering the Juma'ah sermon, 'Umar recited the chapter of 'takwir', when he recited the verse, "Then every soul shall know that which it hath presented." [Al-Qur'an 81:14], his voice got choked (on account of fear of Allah) and he could not recite any more. {qluetip title=[8]}Shafi'i{/qluetip}

Hasan says that 'Umar ibn al-Khattab recited the verses, "Verily the torment of thy Lord is sure to befall: Of it there is no averter." [Al-Qur'an 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. {qluetip title=[9]}Abu 'Ubaydah{/qluetip}

'Ubayd ibn Umayr says that once 'Umar 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 ... " [Al-Qur'an 12:84], he burst weeping. He stopped there and soon went into kneeling. {qluetip title=[10]}Abu 'Ubaydah{/qluetip}

Hisham ibn Hasan says that while reciting the Qur'an, 'Umar 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. {qluetip title=[11]}Al-Hilyah, vol. I, p. 51{/qluetip}

Hani, the freed slave of 'Uthman ibn Affan, said 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 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." {qluetip title=[12]}Ibn Rizin and Targhib, vol. V, p. 322{/qluetip}

Ibn 'Umar says that once 'Umar passed by Mu'adh ibn Jabal and found him weeping. He asked him the reason thereof. At this Mu'adh 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." {qluetip title=[13]}Al-Hilyah, vol. I, p. 61, Hakim, vol. III, p. 270{/qluetip}