By studying the Holy Qur’an and traditions [hadiths], realities of weeping and shedding tears become known and various secrets about crying are clarified. We now refer to some of the Qu’ranic verses and traditions which discuss this issue:
A. Qur’anic verses
1. Crying as a sign of perceiving realities
Allah, the Exalted, says,
﴿ وَإِذا سَمِعُوا ما أُنْزِلَ أِلَي الرَّسُولِ تَري أَعْينَهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ الدِّمْعِ مِمَّا عَرَفُوا مِنَ الحَقِّ يقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاکْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشّهِدِينَ ﴾
“And when they hear what has been revealed to the Apostle, you will see their eyes overflowing with tears on account of the truth that they recognize; they say: Our Lord! We believe, so write us down with the witnesses of the truth.”1
This Qur’anic verse is an account of the reaction of the Ethiopian King, Najjashi, who had received and welcomed the Muslims that had migrated from Mecca to Ethiopia at the begining of the Prophet’s mission to seek safety.
2. Crying for repentance
Allah, the Exalted, says in the Qur’an,
﴿ فَلْيَضْحَکُوا قَلِيلاً وَلْيبْکُوا کَثِيراً جَزَاءً بِمَا کَانُوا يَکْسِبُونَ ﴾
“Therefore they shall laugh little and weep much as a recompense for what they earned.”2
This verse of the Qur’an is an account of the hypocrites [munafiqin] at the time of the Prophet Muhammad (S) who used to avoid fighting in battles against the enemies of Islam and also encouraged others to do so, on the pretext that the weather was too hot or too cold.
3. Shedding tears of belief is a sign of wisdom
Allah, the Exalted, states,
﴿ وَيقُولُونَ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَا أِنْ کَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفعُولاً * وَيخِرّوُنَ لِلأَذقَانِ يبْکُونَ وَيَزِيدُهُمْ خُشُوعاً ﴾
“And they say: Glory be to our Lord! Most surely the promise of our Lord was to be fulfilled. And they fall down on their faces weeping, and it adds to their humility.”3
4. Prophets shed tears for Allah
Allah, the Exalted, says,
﴿ إِذَا تُتْلَي عَلَيْهِمْ آياتُ الرَّحمنِ خَرُّروا سُجَّداً وَ بُکِياً ﴾
“When the communications of the Beneficent God were recited to them [the prophets], they fell down making obeisance and weeping.”4
5. Tears of regret are a remedy for those who have gone astray
Allah, the Exalted, says,
