Thursday 8 March 2007

The Weeping of Rasulullah SAW 4402

Abdullah bin Mas'ud RA says:

''Rasulullah SAW once asked me to recite the Qur'an to him."

(The Prophet Muhammad SAW might have said this because one might be able to concentrate more when one is listens, or he may have said this for another reason, which may include many reasons. For example, the hearing of the recital of the Qur'an is regarded as a Sunnah, as a result of this deed of Rasulullah SAW.)

I said:

''O Messenger of Allah, should I recite it to you when it has been revealed to you?"

(Abdullah ibn Mas'ud RA may have thought this recital was for tabligh as a reminder.)


Rasulullah SAW said:

"I love to hear it from another person.''

"Thereupon I began reciting Surah An-Nisaa (which begins from the last quarter of the fourth juz)."

"When I reached this ayat:

'But how (will it be with them) when We bring of every people a witness, and We bring thee (O Muhammed) a witness against these?'' (Surah An-Nisaa: Ayat 41)

...I saw tears flowing from both eyes of Rasulullah SAW."


COMMENTARY

This crying of Rasulullah SAW was due to the listening of the words of Allah, and this befits the dignity of the Qur'an. Imam Nawawi RA writes that to cry whilst reciting the Qur'an is the quality of the 'Arifeen and a sign of the Saliheen. Allah Ta'ala has praised these people in the Qur'an at many places.

Allah Ta'ala says:

"When the revelations of the Beneficent were recited unto them, they fell down (into sajdah), adoring and weeping." (Surah Maryam: Ayat 58)

And further in the Qur'an, Allah SWT says:

"Lo! Those who were given knowledge before it, when it is read unto them, fall down prostrate on their faces, adoring." (Surah Al-Israa / Bani Israail): Ayat 107)

By this, it is clear that who can confirm more to these verses than Rasulullah SAW. It is not imaginable that the crying of Rasulullah SAW was due to the greatness and Jalal of the Qur'an. In this case, it is possible that Rasulullah SAW must have been crying from before and Abdullah bin Mas'ud RA must have observed it only after Rasulullah SAW had been crying for some time.

It may also be possible that he began crying specially after the reciting of the verse.

The translation of this verse is:

"But how (will it be with them) when We bring of every people a witness, and We bring thee (0 Muhammad) a witness against these?" (Surah An-Nisaa: Ayat 41)

Rasulullah SAW will be called to give evidence on these people. This is the scene of Qiyamat. On that day every prophet will be called upon to give evidence as a witness. The events of which are described in detail in the Ahadith of the Day of Mahshar. In this manner it is possible that this crying of Rasulullah SAW will be due to the difficult times on the Day of Qiyamat and Mahshar. Every person will be engrossed and worried of one's self only. It is possible that in this Ayat - Rasulullah SAW is being commanded to appear as a witness. And he (SAW) fears the intense burden of being called up as a witness.

It is stated in a hadith that at the time when this Ayat was revealed, Rasulullah SAW said:

"O Allah, how can I be a witness of those who were not in my presence?"

Some of the Ulama have written that at the mentioning of this Ayat, the scene of Qiyamat came before him, and the fikr (worry and concern) about the Ummah was always with Rasulullah SAW. Thus - Rasulullah SAW may have cried because of the sins of the Ummah. For this, every event is such, that it can be the cause of crying. All this and besides this, there could be other reasons too for the crying of Rasulullah SAW.
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