It is a fact which no one can debate that crying washes out the maladies of the heart. Crying out of fear from Allah softens the heart and cleans it from its filth. Yazeed Ibn Maysarah said: “Crying happens due to one of seven things, joy, sadness, terror, to show off, pain, gratitude and out of fear from Allah one tear from which extinguishes as huge as oceans size of fire”

In His book, Allah praised those who weep out of fear from Him Saying (what means): “Say, “Believe in it or do not believe. Indeed, those who were given knowledge before it (i.e. the righteous among the People of the Scriptures who recognize the truth contained in the Quran.) when it is recited to them, they fall upon their faces in prostration. And they say, “Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, the promise of our Lord has been fulfilled.” And they fall upon their faces weeping, and it [i.e. the Quran] increases them in humble submission.” [Quran: 17: 107-109].

Crying is a part of man’s natural disposition:

Man can not help stopping himself from crying because he was created with it as Allah Says (what means): “And that it is He who makes [one] laugh and weep” [Quran: 53: 43]. When commenting on this verse, Imaam Al-Qurtubi said: “Allah decreed the causes for crying and laughter” Imaam ‘Ataa’ said: “Allah decreed joy and sadness, because joy results in laughter and sadness leads to crying”.

The types of crying:

Many scholars addressed this issue mentioning that crying has many types, one such scholar who addressed this issue was Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyim who stated that crying has ten types that happen due to:

* Fear.

* Heart softness and mercy.

* Love and longing.

* Joy and happiness.

* Fear of pain which one can not bear.

* Sadness; this one differs from the one due to fear, is that the former (sadness) results from bad thing or missing out on something that one loves, both of which took place in the past. The later (fear) is from things expected in the future. Furthermore, the difference between crying due to joy and that due to sadness is that the tears of joy are tears with coolness to the heart while the tears due to sadness are hot and the heart is grieved. This is why it is said to the thing that brings joy; “Delight (or coolness) to the eye” and to the thing that brings sorrow; “heat to the eye” meaning Allah caused a burning in the heart as a result of which.

* Weakness and being feeble.

* Hypocrisy.

* Being hired to do. This is like the cases when people used to hire some ladies to cry in certain events. ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with him said about such people: “They sell their tears and cry for the affliction of others”.

* Imitating others; this like when a person sees others cry and stars crying with them not knowing why they are crying.

The virtue of crying:

There are many great virtues for crying out of fear from Allah. Allah praised some of His prophets, may Allah exalt their mention, then explained the reason for the praise as in His saying (which means): “When the verses of the Most Merciful were recited to them, they fell in prostration and weeping.” [Quran: 19: 58].

Allah also says about the dwellers of Paradise (what means): “And they will approach one another, inquiring of each other. They will say, “Indeed, we were previously among our people fearful [of displeasing Allah]. So Allah conferred favor upon us and protected us from the punishment of the Scorching Fire. Indeed, we used to supplicate Him before. Indeed, it is He who is the Beneficent, the Merciful.”” [Quran: 52: 25-28].

Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah said: "One who weeps out of fear of Allah, will not enter the Hell till milk returns back in the udder; and the dust raised on account of fighting in the path of Allah and the smoke of Hell will never exist together". [At-Tirmithi].

Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah said: "Seven people Allah will give them His Shade on the Day when there would be no shade but the Shade of His Throne (i.e., on the Day of Resurrection): And they are: … and a man who remembers Allah in solitude and his eyes become tearful". [Al-Bukhari & Muslim].

Ibn `Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: “I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: "Two eyes will never be touched by the fire of Hell; an eye which weeps out of Fear of Allah and an eye which spends the night in guarding in the Cause of Allah.'' [At- Tirmithi].

Abu Umaamah Al-Baahili may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah said: "Nothing is dearer to Allah than two drops and two marks: A drop of tears shed out of fear of Allah and a drop of blood shed in Allah's way. Regarding the two marks, they are: Marks left in the Cause of Allah and a mark left in observing one of the obligatory acts of worship of Allah, the Exalted". [At- Tirmithi].

Our Salaf (i.e. righteous predecessors), may Allah be pleased with them, realized the value of crying out of fear from Allah, and this is noticed from their statements and actions. Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, used to say:“It is dearer to me to shed one drop of tear than to give out in charity one thousand Dinaar (i.e. golden currency)”. Ka’b Al-Ahbaar used to say: “It is dearer to me to cry out of fear from Allah and my tears run on my cheek than to spend my weight in gold as charity”.

The weeping of the Messenger :

Ibn Mas`ood may Allah be pleased with him, reported: “The Prophet said to me: "Recite the Quran to me". I said: "O Messenger of Allah! Shall I recite the Quran to you, when it has been revealed to you?'' He replied: "I love to hear it recited by others". So I recited to him a portion from Chapter An-Nisaa'. When I reached the verse (which means): "How (will it be) then, when We bring from each nation a witness and We bring you (O Muhammad ) as a witness against these people?” [Quran: 4:41]. He said: "Enough for now". When I looked at him I saw his eyes were shedding tears”. [Al-Bukhari & Muslim].

When the Prophet saw his companions, may Allah be pleased with them digging a grave to burry one of the Muslims, he stood at the edge of the grave, cried and said: “O my brothers! Prepare for this day (i.e. death).”

‘Abdullaah Ibn Ash-Shikhkheer may Allah be pleased with him, reported: “I came to the Messenger of Allah when he was performing prayers. He was sobbing and his chest sounded like a boiling kettle”. [Abu Daawood & At-Tirmithi].

Once he stood up praying the optional night prayer and cried to the extent that he wet his garment.

Additionally, ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, reported: “Once he was sitting and started crying until he wet his beard. He continued to cry until he wet the ground under his feet. When it was Fajr time, Bilaal came informing him that it was due. Upon seeing him crying this hard he exclaimed: `O Messenger of Allah! Why do you cry so much while Allah has forgiven whatever you might have done wrong in the past and what you might do wrong in the future?` to which he replied:`Should I not then be a grateful slave? A verse was revealed upon me tonight, woe to him who recites it and not reflect on its meaning` then he recited the saying of Allah (which means): “Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alteration of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding. Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], “ Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire. Our Lord, indeed whoever You admit to the Fire-You have disgraced him, and for the wrongdoers there are no helpers. Our Lord, indeed we have heard a caller [i.e. Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam] calling to faith,[saying], “Believe in your Lord,” and we have believed. Our Lord, so forgive us our sins and remove from us our misdeeds and cause us to die with the righteous … and fear Allah that you may be successful.” [Quran: 3: 190-200].”

The weeping of the companions, may Allah be pleased with them:

After we took a glance at his weeping let us take a look at the weeping of his companions, may Allah be pleased with them, who learnt from him.

Anas Ibn Maalik may Allah be pleased with him, reported: “The Prophet delivered a Khutbah (i.e. Friday speech) to us the like of which I had never heard from him before. He said: "If you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much". Thereupon those present covered their faces and began sobbing’. [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]. Another narration is: “The Messenger of Allah heard of something (wrong) regarding something that some of his Companions did, upon which he addressed them and said: "Paradise and Hell Fire were shown to me and I have never seen the like of this day in good and in evil. If you were to know what I know, you would laugh little and weep much". His Companions experienced such suffering on that day that had no equal. They covered their faces and began to weep”. [Al-Bukhari].

Whenever ‘Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him, used to stand by a grave he would cry until he would wet his beard, so he was told: “When paradise and Hell are mentioned you do not cry to the extent you are crying now, why is this?” he, may Allah be pleased with him, replied: “It is because I heard the Prophet saying: `The grave is the first stage of the Hereafter, whoever is rescued from it (i.e. its punishment) then whatever will come after that would be easier, and whoever is not rescued, then whatever comes after that would be severer`” he, may Allah be pleased with him, added: “The Prophet said: `I have not never observed anything worse than the grave`”

Abu Hurayrah may Allah be pleased with him, cried when he was sick once, and when he was asked about the reason for his crying he said: “I am not crying over this worldly life, but rather, I am crying because the journey ahead of me is long (i.e. after death), and my provisions are not sufficient (i.e. good deeds) and ahead of is Paradise and Hell, and I do not know to which of the two I will be taken”.

One day Mu’aath, may Allah be pleased with him, cried very hard, and when he was asked about the reason he said: “Allah has destined a group of people to Paradise and another to Hell, and I do not know amongst which of the two I will be”.

Food was brought to `Abdur-Rahmaan bin `Auf, may Allah be pleased with him, when he was observing fast and he said: “Mus`ab Ibn `Umayr, may Allah be pleased with him, was martyred and he was better than me, but only one sheet was available to shroud him. It was so small that when his head was covered; his feet remained uncovered and if his feet were covered, his head remained uncovered. Then the bounties of this world have been bestowed upon us generously. I am afraid that the reward of our good deeds have been awarded to us in this world.” On this he began to sob and left the food untouched. [Al-Bukhari].

Whenever Ibn Mas’ood, may Allah be pleased with him, would pass by a blacksmith, he would look at the fire and the melted metal and cry, because it would remind him with Hell.

Once Abu Moosaa, may Allah be pleased with him, delivered the Friday Khutbah in the city of Basrah (of Iraq) and mentioned Hell and started crying so hard to the point that his tears wet the pulpit. This seen made people collectively cry very hard that day.

Naafi’ said: “Whenever Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, would recite the saying of Allah (which means): “Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth?” [Quran: 57: 16] he would cry extremely hard and could not control himself”

Masrooq said: “ 'Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, recited the saying of Allah (which means): “So Allah conferred favor upon us and protected us from the punishment of the Scorching Fire” [Quran: 52: 27] she cried and said: `O Allah! Confer Your favor upon me and protect me from the punishment of the scorning Fire”

One day ‘Abdullaah Ibn Rawaahah, may Allah be pleased with him, was lying down placing his head in his wife’s lap and started to cry, which made his wife cry, then he asked her: “Why are you crying?” she said: “I saw you crying so I started to cry to your tears” then he said to her: “As for me, I cried because I remembered the saying of Allah (which means): “And there is none of you except he will come to it (i.e. Hell). This is upon your Lord an inevitability decreed.” [Quran: 19: 71] and I do not know whether I will be rescued or not”

Anas may Allah be pleased with him, reported: “The Messenger of Allah said to Ubayy bin Ka`b, may Allah be pleased with him: "Allah Almighty has ordered me to recite the Quran to you” Ubayy bin Ka`b, may Allah be pleased with him, asked: “Did He name me?” Messenger of Allah replied in the affirmative. Whereupon Ubayy, may Allah be pleased with him, began to weep.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim].

‘Ataa’ As-Sulami was asked why he always looked sad, to which he replied: “How can I not be, when death is closer to me than my neck, the grave is my abode, the Resurrection will be my stance, over the bridge of Hell I must pass, and I do not know what will done to me”.

Abu Sulaymaan said once to his companions: “Train your eyes to cry and your hearts to ponder”.

The benefits of crying out of fear of Allah:

* It softens the heart.

* It is a quality of the righteous.

* It is a distinct character of those deserving Paradise.

* It is the way leading to the pleasure of Allah and attaining His love.

This was an attempt to highlight some of the virtues of crying, and narrate a part of the stories of those who were before, perhaps that we take heed and follow in their footsteps.