ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Uprising of Ashura and Responses to Doubts The Effects of Crying Religious scholars and academics have mentioned a number of beneficial effects derived from crying, some of which we will now mention.

Inner purification and refinement People who shed tears as an instrument of devotion to their Lord benefit from numerous spiritual and intellectual rewards because every tear that is shed for Allah while grieving for His awliya’ have extraordinary spiritual effects. That is why the Commander of the Faithful, Imam ‘Ali (as), in the Prayer al-Kumayl , says, «يا الهي وربّي وسيدي ومولاي، لأي الأمور اليك اشکوا ولما منها اضجّ وأبکي.» “O my Lord, Master and Protector!

For which of my affairs should I complain to you! And for which of them should I lament and weep?” And elsewhere, he says, «ولأبکينّ عليك بکاء الفاقدين.» “And (due to separation from you) I will weep before You with the weeping of the bereft.” And in the last part of the prayer, he says, «إرحم من رأس ماله الرجاء، وسلاحه البکاء.» “Have mercy on one whose only capital is hope and whose weapon is tears.” Tears are a means of self-building Crying and shedding tears is a strong and cutting weapon that can help us tremendously along the way of self-knowledge and self-building.

Again, this is why Imam ‘Ali (as) in the Prayer al-Kumayl says, «إرحم من رأس ماله الرجاء وسلاحه البکاء.» “Have mercy on one whose only capital is hope and whose weapon is tears.” In the inner spiritual struggle against our internal enemy (egotism), that is to say the Greater Holy War [ Jihad Akbar ], crying is the weapon used, not the sword. That is to say, in the battlefield of self-building, shedding tears is the tool, not steel blades.

There are some people who attend gatherings where mourning over Imam al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali (as) takes place, but they do not possess that deep perception and discernment which is needed to bring about the flow of tears. Assuming that they do possess the needed perception and discernment which is needed to cry, if they cannot cry it suggests that they are not blessed with the necessary compassion or softness of heart.

Of course, acquiring softness of heart is not easy and is granted by Allah in accordance with our capacity. From the viewpoint of scholars of ethics, the root cause of most crimes is hardheartedness. When man is afflicted by hardheartedness and lacks compassion, he loses a lot of his natural blessings and talents.