Ways of The Prophet (S.A.W)

Weeping for the dead is forbidden

Hadrat Abdullah bin Umar (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) narrated that when Sa’d bin Ubadah complained of a trouble, the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) came to visit him accompanied by ‘Abdur Rahman bin Auf, Sa’d bin Abu Waqqas and Abdullah bin Masud, on entering and finding him in a bad way (or, in a faint) he suggested if he was dead, but was told that he was still alive. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) wept, and when the people saw him weeping they too wept. He then said, “Listen: ALLAH does not punish for the tears the eye sheds or the grief the heart experiences because these are not in one’s control but He punishes for this (pointing to his tongue), or He shows compassion, and the dead is punished because of his family’s weeping for him. On the other hand if one says:

“To ALLAH we belong and to him is our return.” [Bukhari, Muslim, Ma’ariful Hadis]

Hadrat Umm Salma (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) narrated that ALLAH’s Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) came at the death of Abu Salma when his eyes were involuntarily open. Closing them he said, “When the soul is taken the sight follows it. Hence, it is better to close the eyes.” Some of his family members wept and wailed and also began to say something which amounted to curse, so he said, “Do not supplicate for yourselves anything but good, for the angels say Amin to what you say.”

He then said, “O ALLAH forgive Abu Salma, raise his degree among those who are rightly guided and instead of him take care of those he has left behind. Forgive both us and him, Lord of the universe make his grave spacious for him and grant him light in it. [Muslim, Ma’arif -ul- Hadis]