And whoever weeps and makes one person weep, paradise is for him.

And whoever weeps and makes one person weep, paradise is for him." 13 In Rijal al-Kashi, it has been recorded that after Ja'far ibn 'Affān had recited poetry regarding the calamities that befell Imam Ḥusayn (as) in the presence of Imam Ṣadiq (as) and had made him (as) cry, the Imam said: "Allah (swt) has made paradise obligatory for you O Ja'far, with all that is within it and He (swt) has forgiven you." Then he (as) said: "O Ja'far, do you want me to say more for you?" He said: "Yes, my master." He (as) said: "There is no one who recites poetry for Ḥusayn (as) and cries and makes other cries through it, except that Allah (swt) makes heaven obligatory for him and forgives him." 14 The above narrations should suffice as a testimony to our claim that this act is indeed a worship.

When all the narrations are combined, it can be understood that making others mourn by means of reciting poetry or through other means, is a way of getting closer to Allah (swt), seeking His (swt) forgiveness, attaining salvation on the Day of Judgement and achieving eternal pleasure in Heaven. This is a form of worship that existed during the time of the Imams (as) and continued on after them.

Stories and anecdotes regarding it being performed are readily available in the books of narration and obituaries. This group of believers (i.e. those who recite and make others mourn) was not known by any specific title, until the intelligent and inquisitive Mullah Ḥusayn Kashifi, who lived around the year 900 Ḥijri, compiled a book titled Rawḍa al-Shuhada.

People began reciting from this book in religious gatherings with zeal, and since it was a very eloquent and difficult book, not everyone could develop the skills to recite from it. Instead, only a few talented individuals were able to recite from it in the mourning ceremonies. Thus, these individuals became famously known as Rawḍah-khwān, meaning those individuals who recited from the book Rawḍa al-Shuhada.

Thenceforth, they started to recite from other books and also off by memory, but the title of rawdah-khwān fixated itself upon them. Over the course of time, the work of this group of individuals increased, but their original purpose which was to make others cry, became subject to the addition of many different stories, anecdotes, poetries, exaggerated merits, detrimental sermons and other minor issues.