Twelver Imami Shiism (Rafidism) has been known to revive and uphold pagan rituals, which the Prophet (ﷺ) worked to abolish, including excessive wailing (not mere crying) and self-flagellation for the deceased, all in the name of the Ahlul-Bayt. During the era of pagan Arab Jahili culture, excessive wailing and lamenting were more commonly practiced by the womenfolk, rather than their men. This resemblance between the Rafidah and the Mushriks in their excessiveness during times of sorrow is quite noticeable. Rafidi mourning rituals have deep roots in Persian Majoosi mythology and rituals.
Amongst the menfolk of the pagan Arabs, excessive mourning was quite rare, and the Prophet (ﷺ) sought to regulate it further. However, the Rafidah have revived its worst forms in the name of his Household (Ahl al-Bayt), carrying on practices that the Prophet (ﷺ) worked to curb.
Numerous authentic prophetic narrations sternly condemn excessive mourning:
Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The deceased is tortured in his grave for bewailing over him.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Al-Mughirah ibn Shu’bah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, “He who allows (others) to wail over his death, will be punished for it on the Day of Resurrection.”(Bukhari and Muslim)
Commentary: ‘Bewailing” is wailing over the dead. It is weeping loudly for the deceased describing his noble qualities or the problems created by his death. Wailing causes trouble to the deceased if he willed his heirs to do so, or in his own life he behaved in the same manner and his family members were following his style of mourning at his death. But if the deceased had forbidden his relatives from wailing over his death and they do it despite his warning against doing so, then the deceased will not suffer any torment on their wailing because his intention and training have no connection with it. The Qur’anic injunction in this matter is absolutely clear: {No one laden with burdens can bear another’s burden.”} (Qur’an 17:15)
Umm Atiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: At the time of giving the pledge of allegiance, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) took from us an oath that we would not wail. (Bukhari and Muslim)
عن أبي مُوسَى عبد اللَّه بن قيس رضي الله عنه أنّ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بَرِيءَ من الصَّالِقَةِ وَالحَالِقةِ وَالشَّاقَّةِ
(متفق عليه)
Abu Musa Abdullah ibn Qays (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) dissociates himself from the woman who wails, the woman who shaves her head out of grief, and the woman who tears up her clothes out of grief. (Bukhari and Muslim)
عن أبي مالك الأشعري رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ
النائحة إذا لم تتب قبل موتها تقام يوم القيامة وعليها سربال من قطران ودرع من جرب
(رواه مسلم)
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “If a hired mourner (a woman who is hired to wail during funerals) does not repent before she dies, she will be made to stand on the Day of Resurrection wearing a garment of pitch (tar) and a shirt of flaming fire.” (Muslim)
Abu Dawud narrated in his Sunan from Abu Sa’eed (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (ﷺ) that he cursed the woman who wails and the one who listens to her.
Wailing refers to raising the voice when weeping and saying, “O my support, O one who clothed me, O how sad I am” and so on. The one who listens is the woman who listens to the ones who are wailing and encourages them, so she sits with them and encourages them to wail. This is included because sitting with them is a kind of encouragement. So it is not permissible to listen to them. If the one who is wailing will not be quiet, it is obligatory to leave her and not sit with her, by way of shunning her and denouncing her. If a woman sits with her and listens to her, this is a kind of help and encouragement.
Abu Malik al-Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying, “Amongst my people, there are four characteristics belonging to the pre-Islamic (pagan Jahiliyyah) period which they do not abandon: boasting of high rank, reviling other peoples’ genealogies, seeking rain by stars, and wailing. And he (further) said: If the wailing woman does not repent before she dies, she will be made to stand on the Day of Resurrection wearing a garment of pitch (tar) and a shirt of flaming fire.” (Muslim)
Commentary: The repulsive practice of excessive wailing hails from the era of Ignorance (pagan Jahiliyyah), and Allah’s justice awaits any unrepentant woman, adorning her with garments of pitch (tar) and blazing shirts of fire for her lamentable deeds.
In another narration, the following is recorded:
عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال، قال: رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : اثنتان في الناس هما بهم كفر: الطعن في النسب، والنياحة على الميت
(رواه مسلم)
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Two matters are signs of disbelief on the part of those who indulge in them: Defaming a person’s lineage and wailing over the dead.” (Muslim)
In yet another narration, the following is documented:
عن عبد الله بن مسعود رضي الله عنه مرفوعًا: «ليس مِنَّا من ضرب الْخُدُودَ، وشَقَّ الْجُيُوبَ، ودعا بِدَعْوَى الجاهلية».
(متفق عليه)
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “He is not one of us he who slaps his cheeks, tears open his clothes, and wails in the manner of the days of ignorance.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
According to the methodology of Ahl As-Sunnah wa al-Jamā‘ah, the mere commission of sin does not take a Muslim outside the fold of Islam, even if it is a major sin such as killing a person unjustly. The best interpretation of those Hadīths is what Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said about faith being of two types: a type that protects the person from entering Hell, and a type that does not protect him from entering Hell but protects him from abiding therein eternally. So, whoever has perfect faith and follows the path of the Prophet (ﷺ) and his guidance, is the one whose faith will protect him from entering Hell. Ibn Taymiyyah, (may Allah have mercy upon him) added: "Everything has conditions and impediments, so for a thing to take place, its conditions must be met and its impediment must be nonexistent. An example of that is when a certain punishment is a consequence of doing a certain action, so, the commission of that action is necessary for the punishment to occur unless there is an impediment that prevents its occurrence. The greatest impediment in such a case is the presence of faith, which prevents abiding in Hell eternally."
In Islam, there is no pre-planned annual ‘mourning’ ceremony, not even for the Prophet (ﷺ), let alone for anyone of lower status than him. The practice of annually conducted mourning commemorations is a reprehensible heresy (bid’ah) within the religion.
Umm Atiyya (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: “We were forbidden to mourn for more than three days except for a husband, for whom a wife should mourn for four months and ten days.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: “The Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘It is not permissible for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn for a dead person for more than three days except for her husband, for whom she should mourn for four months and ten days.'” (Bukhari)
These hadiths, along with others found in Sunni collections of hadith, consistently stress the importance of showing patience and trust in Allah during times of bereavement, avoiding excessive wailing and mourning practices. They guide Muslims to remember the temporary nature of this world and the reward that comes from patience and submission to Allah’s will.
Lastly, here are two poignant narrations that showcase how the Sahabah, despite their human imperfections, remained steadfast in adhering to the Prophet’s (ﷺ) teachings on mourning, holding onto his guidance until the very end of their lives.
Al-Nu’man ibn Bashir (may Allah be pleased with them) said: When Abdullah ibn Rawahah (may Allah be pleased with him) became unconscious, his sister began to weep and shout: “Alas! For the mountain amongst men. Alas! for such and such (mentioning his virtuous qualities).” When he recovered his consciousness, he said: “I was asked (disapprovingly, by the angels) about everything you said concerning me whether I am as you said.” (Bukhari)
عن يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَوْسٍ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي مُوسَى وَهُوَ ثَقِيلٌ فَذَهَبَتْ امْرَأَتُهُ لِتَبْكِيَ أَوْ تَهُمَّ بِهِ فَقَالَ لَهَا أَبُو مُوسَى أَمَا سَمِعْتِ مَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: قَالَتْ بَلَى قَالَ فَسَكَتَتْ فَلَمَّا مَاتَ أَبُو مُوسَى قَالَ يَزِيدُ لَقِيتُ الْمَرْأَةَ فَقُلْتُ لَهَا مَا قَوْلُ أَبِي مُوسَى لَكِ أَمَا سَمِعْتِ قَوْلَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ثُمَّ سَكَتِّ قَالَتْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ حَلَقَ وَمَنْ سَلَقَ وَمَنْ خَرَقَ
صحيح أبي داود
Yazid ibn Aws said, “I entered upon Abu Musa while he was at the point of death. His wife began to weep, or was going to weep. Abu Musa said to her, ‘Did you not hear what the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said?’ She said, ‘Yes.’ The narrator said, ‘She then kept silent.’ When Abu Musa died, Yazid said, ‘I met the woman and asked her, ‘What did Abu Musa mean when he said to you: Did you not hear what the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said?’ She replied, ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, ‘He who shaves (his head), shouts, and tears his clothing does not belong to us.'” (Sahih Tirmidhi by Al-Albani)
Explanation (Sharh) and foundational principles (تأصيل) of the hadith:
“He is not one of us” means that such actions do not reflect true belief. However, the scholars explain that this phrase (which can be found in many hadith) doesn’t necessarily amount to major disbelief; i.e. the person is still Muslim but deficient in belief. This is a stern prophetic condemnation of excessive wailing and exaggeration in mourning. “He who shaves” (his head) refers to the shaving of one’s hair as a form of mourning or grief expression. “And he who raises his voice” means someone who raises their voice loudly during times of calamity. According to Ibn al-Arabi, ‘سلق’ refers to striking the face.
Al-Ayni narrated, “He who tears his clothing”, meaning he tears his garment due to grief. This was a common practice during the pre-Islamic era, and it was mostly done by women”, as reported by Al-Qari. The Shia clergy are the only claimants of Islam who have revived and upheld the pagan rituals of the women (!) of Jahiliyyah.
Tears vs. Excessive Wailing
The gentle shedding of tears in the moment of sorrow over losing someone is a natural expression of emotion and should not be confused with the irrational and heretical practice of conducting annual self-flagellation ceremonies.
In one beautiful authentic narration, it is stated that the Prophet (ﷺ) cried for the son of his daughter Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her), as was narrated by al-Bukhari from Usamah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: We were with the Prophet (ﷺ) when a message came from one of his daughters, calling him to come to her son, who was dying… The Prophet (ﷺ) got up, and Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah and Mu‘adh ibn Jabal, got up and went with him. The child was given to him and his soul was rattling like water poured into a waterskin. His eyes filled with tears and Sa‘d said to him: O Messenger of Allah, what is this? He said: “This is compassion that Allah has instilled in the hearts of His slaves. Allah only shows mercy to the merciful ones amongst His slaves.”
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (ﷺ) visited the grave of his mother, and he wept and caused those around him to weep too. Then he said: “I asked my Lord for permission to pray for forgiveness for her, but I was not granted permission. And I asked Him for permission to visit her grave and I was given permission. (Muslim)
Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) visited Sa’d ibn Ubadah during his illness. He was accompanied by Abd al-Rahman ibn Auf, Sa’d ib Abi Waqqas and Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with them). When they entered his house, they found him unconscious. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked, “Has he died?” They replied: “No, O Messenger of Allah.” Hearing this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) began to weep. When his Companions saw this, they also began to weep too. He said, “Listen attentively: Allah does not punish for the shedding of tears or the grief of the heart, but takes to task or show mercy because of the utterances of this (and he pointed to his tongue).” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Be Warned
The Prophet (ﷺ) dissociates himself from those who cannot bear the shock of calamity until they reach the point of feeling discontent in their hearts and express it through wailing, improper lamentation, and supplicating against themselves, or through their actions like tearing their clothes and slapping their faces and chests, thereby reviving the customs of the pre-Islamic period of ignorance.
It is crucial to emphasise that the Prophet (ﷺ) made no exceptions for anyone, be it himself, his Ahl al-Bayt, or the Sahabah – excessive mourning is unequivocally haram. Any narration suggesting otherwise is unquestionably a fabrication, typically found solely in Rafidi hadith collections. However, even in their hadith corpus, there are elements of truth and several narrations that also forbid excessive mourning.
سَمِعْتُ أَنَسًا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: الصَّبْرُ عِنْدَ الصَّدْمَةِ الأُولَى
(رواه البخاري)
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘(True) patience is at the initial shock of calamity.’ (Bukhari)
The true close allies of the Prophet (ﷺ) are those who, when afflicted with a calamity, show submission to the decree of Allah, the Exalted, and say: {Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.} (Qur’an 2:156) {They are the ones on whom blessings and mercy from their Lord descend, and it is they who are truly guided.} (Qur’an 2:157)
Those who engage in wailing or other unacceptable conduct often resort to flimsy excuses, with the most prevalent being their purported lack of self-control. Yet, this excuse stands on shaky ground as Allah Most High would not prohibit something beyond one’s control.
May Allah guide us all.
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