Crying on Imam Husain (a.s)

Crying is the shedding of tears in response to an emotional state in humans. Crying is believed to be an outlet or a result of a burst of intense emotional sensations, such as agony. A neuronal connection between the tear duct and the areas of the human brain involved with emotion has been established.

Recent psychological theories of crying emphasize the relationship of crying to the experience of perceived helplessness. From this perspective, an underlying experience of helplessness can usually explain why people cry. For example, a person may cry after receiving news of death and toture of his beloved and he feels powerless or unable to influence the event.

The relationship between the person crying and the person for whom he is crying decides the amount of tears, the duration and intensity of this emotional state of heart and the brain.

WHY DO WE CRY FOR IMAM HUSAIN (a.s.)

May our lives be sacrifriced on Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.). We cry for Imam Husain (a.s.) for whom Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) said "Hussain is from me, and I am from Hussain. May Allah love him who loves Hussain."

A true lover of Imam Hussain (a.s.) can feel the afflictions and oppressions Imam Hussain (as) suffered; his feelings are so immense that they break out into tears and wail. The pain of the beloved is the pain of the lover. Crying on Imam Husain (a.s) is the sign or expression of true love.

We cry because we love Imam Husain (a.s.). His love is obligatory upon us and is made wajib by Holy Quran. It is the sunnat of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). Whey we cry, we practise on his sunnat. It is the sunnat of Ahle Bait (a.s.)

Love of Imam Husain (as) in the Holy Quran

Say (O Muhammad), "I do not ask any recompense for it (my work as a messenger), except the love of my near relatives (Ahlul Bayt)..."  (Sura Ash-Shura, 42:23)

When asked who his near relatives were, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) replied that they were `Alí (a.s), Fatimah (a.s) and their two sons, Hasan (a.s) and Husain (a.s).Thus loving Ahlul Bayt (a.s) is the way a person shows his gratitude to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a).

Love of Imam Husain (a.s.) is the sunnat of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)

Historians have recorded many incidents and narrations in this respect. In one account it has been said that the Prophet's prostration took longer than usual in his prayer. People came to the Prophet and asked, "Were you receiving a revelation or order from Allah during prostration?" Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.a) replied, "No, my son Hussain had climbed onto my back; I waited until he wished to come down." This is an example showing how the best creature of Allah (swt) treated Hussain (a.s) while he was in the best state of worship.

The companions had seen Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.a) repeatedly carrying Hassan and Hussain (a.s) on his shoulders and play with them. In other traditions the Prophet would say, "Hassan and Hussain (a.s) are my two aromatic flowers from this world."

Love of Imam Husain (a.s.) is the sunnat of Ahle Bait (a.s.)

When Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.a) informed Lady Fatimah (a.s) about the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (a.s) and the sufferings he will face, she cried and asked: "O father! When will this tragedy take place?" Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.a) replied: "At a time when you, Ali, and I have left this world."
Upon hearing such, Lady Fatimah's (a.s) tears intensified, "O father! Then who cry for my son, and who will hold mourning ceremonies for him?"
The Prophet (s.a.w.s) answered: "My daughter! Verily the women of my nation will cry for the women of my Ahl al-Bayt; the men of my nation will cry for the men of my Ahl al-Bayt; and year after year, groups of people will revive this ceremony”. (Bihar al Anwar, vol. 44, pp. 292 & 293)

In the book, Kamilu Ziyarat, Chp 36 is named as

الباب السادس و الثلاثون في أن الحسين‏ع قتيل العبرة لا يذكره مؤمن إلا بكى‏

‘Imam Husain (a.s.) was “the martyrs of tears” – no believer mentions him without shedding tears’.

We quote two traditions from this chapter to understand the importance of tears for Imam Husain (a.s.).

‘Whenever Imam Husain (a.s.) was mentioned in the presence of Imam Sadiq (a.s.) during the day, he would not be seen smiling until nightfall. He (a.s.) used to say, “Imam Husain (a.s.) is the (cause of shedding) tear of every believer!”’ (Chp 36 tradition no 2)

Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said: Imam Husain said, “I am the martyrs of tears. No believer remembers me without weeping.”  (Chp 36 tradition no 3)

OUR REWARD

“Its fragrance can be perceived from a distance of a thousand years and such fragrances emanate from it onto the face of whoever drinks from it, that he will say, “I wish I had been left right here. I don’t need anything else and I don’t wish to be moved from here.”

O Kardin, know that you will be of those who will drink from it and everyone whose eyes wept on us will be blessed by looking at Kauthar and be given a drink from it.(Imam Sadiq(as)-Kamil al ziarah)

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) said:

(On the Day of Judgment, a group would be seen in the most excellent and honourable of states. They would be asked if they were of the Angels or of the Prophets. In reply they would state): "We areneither Angels nor Prophets but of the indigent ones from the ummah of Muhammad (s.a.w.s)". They would then be asked: "How then did you achieve this lofty and honourable status?" They would reply: "We did not perform very many good deeds nor did we pass all the days in a state of fasting or all the nights in a state of worship but yes, we used to offer our (daily) prayers (regularly) and whenever we used to hear the mention of Muhammad (s.a.w.s), tears would roll down our cheeks".(Mustadrak al‑Wasail, vol 10, pg. 318)

Hazrat Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said "Those who shed tears when Husain (a.s) is mentioned in front of them will be rewarded by Allah (swt) Himself, even if their tears are as small as the wing of a fly. And Allah will not be pleased with any reward for them less than Paradise."

Imam Ridha (a.s) said (to Ibn Shabib):
O’ Son of Shabib!  If it makes you happy (and you desire) to be with us in the elevated ranks of paradise, then be sad in our grief and happy at our happiness.(Wasaail al‑Shiah, vol. 14 pg. 502)

WE ARE NOT ALONE IN CRYING

سَلَامَ مَنْ قَلْبُهٗ بِمُصَابِكَ مَقْرُوْحٌ، وَ دَمْعُهٗ عِنْدَ ذِكْرِكَ مَسْفُوْحٌ،

Salutations from the one whose heart is wounded due to the tribulations you have suffered, and whose tears flow in your remembrance,….

فَلَأَنْدُبَنَّكَ صَبَاحًا وَ مَسَاءً وَ لَأَبْكِيَنَّ لَكَ بَدَلَ الدُّمُوْعِ دَمًا، حَسْرَةً عَلَيْكَ وَ تَأَسُّفًاعَلٰى مَا دَهَاكَ وَ تَلَهُّفًا،

I will, therefore, lament you morning and evening, and will weep blood in place of tears, out of my anguish for you and my sorrow for all that befell you,

حَتّٰى أَمُوْتَ بِلَوْعَةِ الْمُصَابِ، وَ غُصَّةِ الْاِكْتِيَابِ،

until I meet death from the pain of the catastrophe and the choking grief.

(Imam Zamana (a.t.f.s.) in Ziarat Nahiya)