Crying of the Entire Creation of Allāh on Ĥusain ibn ‘Ali (a.s.)

Abū Ja’far (Imam Bāqir (a.s.)) said: Mankind, Jinn, birds, and the beasts all shed tears and cried over (the killing of) Ḥusain ibn ‘Ali (a.s.). The above Ḥadīth has also been narrated to me through the following chain: My father and all of my scholars, from Sa’d ibn ‘Abdillāh ibn Abī Khalaf, and from Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā Al-‘Aťťār, from Muḥammad ibn Ḥusain, from Muḥamad ibn Ismā’īl, from Abī Ismā’īl Al-Sarrāj, from Yaḥyā ibn Mu’ammar Al-‘Aťťār, from Abī Basīr, from Abī Ja’far (a.s.).

‘Ali, (the Commander of the Believers (a.s.)), said: May I sacrifice my father and mother for Ḥusain who will be killed on the outskirts of Kūfah. I swear to Allāh that it is as if I can see the different kinds of wild animals stretching their necks to his grave, crying and weeping over him throughout the night until dawn. When this happens, beware of neglecting him (his grave).

We heard Abā ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) say: Verily when Abū ‘Abdillāh, Ḥusain ibn ‘Ali (a.s.) died, the seven heavens, the seven earths, everything within them, everything between them, everyone which circulates around them, Paradise, Hell, and everything that our Lord has created, from among that which can be seen and that which cannot be seen, (all) cried over him. The above Ḥadīth has also been narrated to me through the following chain: My father from Sa’d ibn ‘Abdillāh, from Muḥammad ibn Ḥusain, from Ḥasan ibn ‘Ali ibn Abī ‘Uthmān, from ‘Abdil Jabbār Al-Nahāwandi, from Abī Sa’īd, from Ḥusain ibn Thuwayr ibn Abī Fākhitah, Yūnus ibn Żabyān, Abī Salamah Al-Sarrāj, and Mufaďďal ibn ‘Umar, from Abī ‘Abdillāh (a.s.).

We heard Abā ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) say: When Ḥusain ibn ‘Ali (a.s.) died, everything Allāh has created cried over him except three things (places): Basra, Damascus, and the family of ‘Uthmān.

Yūnus ibn Żabyān, Mufaďďal ibn ‘Umar, Abū Salamah Al-Sarrāj, and I were sitting with Abī ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)). Yūnus was the eldest amongst us and he spoke (to the Imam (a.s.)) on our behalf. Imam (a.s.) said to us – as part of a longer Ḥadīth: Verily when Abū ‘Abdillāh, (Ḥusain ibn ‘Ali (a.s.)) died, the seven heavens, the seven earths, everything within them, everything between them, everything in Paradise and Hell from the creation of our Lord, and everything that can be seen and everything that cannot be seen, cried over Abī ‘Abdillāh (Imam Ḥusain (a.s.)) except three things. I (Ḥusain ibn Thuwayr) asked, “May I sacrifice myself for you! What are those three things?” Imam (a.s.) replied, “Basra, Damascus, and the family of ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān.”

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sadiq (a.s.)) said: O Zurarah! The heavens cried for forty days with blood (weeping) over Hussain (a.s.); the earth cried for forty days by being covered with darkness; the sun cried for forty days by being in eclipse and by turning red; the mountains were torn apart and dispersed; the seas gushed out and the angels cried for forty days over him. (After Hussain (a.s.) was killed) all of our women stopped dying their hair, using kohl, applying oil, and styling their hair until the head of ‘Ubaydillāh ibn Ziyād was sent to us; and even after that we (all) continued to weep over him. Whenever my grandfather (Imam Sajjad (a.s.)) would remember Hussain (a.s.), he would cry so much that his tears would moisten his beard and everyone around him would start crying, sympathizing with his tears over Hussain (a.s.). Verily the angels (who are posted) by the grave of Hussain (a.s.) cry over him (so much) that every angel in the sky and in the heavens cries because of their tears. When the soul of Hussain (a.s.) left (his body), Hell sighed in such an intense way that the earth almost split apart. When the souls of ‘Ubaydillā ibn Ziyad and Yazid ibn Mu’āwiyah – may Allāh’s curse be upon them – left their bodies, Hell whooped so intensely that if it was not for Allāh containing it, using its dedicated keepers, it would have burnt everyone on earth with its outburst. If permission was given to Hell, it would not have left anything without swallowing it. However, it is restrained by shackles and controlled by orders. Verily Hell became violent – beyond the control of its keepers – more than once, until Jabra`īl went to it and hit it with his wings, after which it was pacified. Verily Hell cries and laments over Hussain (a.s.) and its fire blazes on the killers of Hussain (a.s.). If it was not for the Decisive Proofs of Allāh who are on earth, Hell would have destroyed the earth and overturned everything on it. However, the number of earthquakes will increase only when the Hour draws near. There are no eyes and (there is) not a tear loved more by Allāh than the eyes of those who cry and shed tears over Hussain (a.s.). Verily anyone who cries over him connects with Fatima (s.a.), supports her (in her lamentation), connects with the Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.), and fulfills our rights. On the Day of Judgment, everyone will be resurrected while crying except those who have cried over my grandfather – Hussain (a.s.). Verily those who have cried over him will receive glad tidings when they are resurrected. They will be delighted and happiness will exude from their faces. They will feel safe while everyone else will be (extremely) frightened. (The bad deeds of) the people will be published while those who have cried on Hussain (a.s.) will be sitting with him under the shade of the Throne. They will be conversing with Hussain (a.s.) without any fear of the trials of the Day of Judgment. They will be told to enter Paradise but they will refuse, choosing to sit with Hussain (a.s.) and listen to him speak (instead). Then the houris (of Paradise) will send after them (from Paradise) and say, “Verily we and the ‘youths of never-ending bloom’ (56:17) are waiting for you.” However, they will not (even) turn their faces toward the houris because of the extent of the happiness and honour that they feel in their gathering with Hussain (a.s.). Verily (on that day), some of their enemies will be pulled by their foreheads toward Hell while others will cry out, “Now we have no intercessors, nor any loving friend” (26:100-101). Verily the enemies will see their position (those who had cried on Hussain (a.s.)) but they will not be able to reach them or (even) come near them. The angels will bring messages (from Paradise for those who have cried over Hussain (a.s.)) sent by their spouses and their servants, informing them of the blessings that have been prepared for them (in Paradise). However, they will reply, “We shall come to you Inshallah.” The angels will inform their spouses of their response. When their spouses learn of the way in which they are being honoured and of their closeness to Hussain (a.s.), they will yearn for them even more. They (those who have cried on Hussain (a.s.)) will (continuously) say, “Praise be to Allah who protected us from the great terror and the trials of the Day of Judgment and saved us from that which we feared.” Then some precious saddled conveyances will be brought for them which they will ride to their places (in Paradise) while praising and glorifying Allah and sending blessings on Muhammad and his family (a.s.).

I was speaking with Abī ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) when his son entered. The Imam (a.s.) welcomed him, and then hugged and kissed him. Then Imam (a.s.) said: May Allāh degrade those who degraded you (referring to the children of Imam Ḥusain (a.s.)). May Allāh avenge those who oppressed you. May Allāh disappoint those who abandoned you. May Allāh curse those who killed you. May Allāh be your friend, protector, and supporter. Verily the prophets, the truthful ones, the martyrs, the angels of the heavens, and our women have been weeping for long. Then the Imam (a.s.) started to cry and said: O Abā Basīr! When I look at the children of Hussain (a.s), grief overcomes me when I remember what was done to them and to their father (a.s.). O Abā Basīr! Verily Fāťimah (s.a.) cries and sobs over Ḥusain (a.s.). (When Hell hears her voice) it sighs in such an intense way, that if the keepers of Hell – who also hear her voice – did not prepare themselves to restrain it, Hell would burn all of the inhabitants of the earth with its blazing fires and its sparking fumes. They (the keepers) contain and restrain it and hold its doors tightly closed for as long as Fāťimah (s.a.) cries. They do this because of their fear for the inhabitants of the earth. However, Hell is not pacified until the voice of Fāťimah (a.s) subsides. Verily the seas almost split apart and then collide (when they hear the weeping of Fāťimah (a.s)). There is a dedicated angel responsible for every drop of water. When these angels hear the voice of Fāťimah (a.s), they prevent every drop of water from boiling with their wings; they keep the water together because of their fear for (this) world and everything in it, (specifically) the people of the earth. The angels remain in fear (for the people when they hear the voice of Fāťimah (a.s)) and cry for her crying. And then they pray to Allāh and beseech Him, after which the inhabitants of the Throne and those who are around it beseech Allāh. Then the voices of the angels are raised in glorification of Allāh, all because of their fear for the people of the earth. Even if one of their voices reached the earth, all of the inhabitants of the earth would swoon away, the mountains would crumble, and the earth would shake (under) its inhabitants. I (Abū Basīr) said, “May I sacrifice myself for you! This is such a great matter.” Imam (a.s.) replied, “That which you have not heard is even greater than this. O Abā Basīr! Do you not want to be among those who support Fāťimah (s.a.)?!” When I heard this, I cried so much that I could not speak any longer nor could the Imam (a.s.) speak because (of how intensely) he was crying. Then he (the Imam (a.s.)) moved toward his prayer mat and started to supplicate to Allāh, and I left him in that state. I could not eat nor sleep that night. The next morning I was fasting and I was in extreme fear when I went to the Imam (a.s.). When I saw that he had calmed down, I also calmed down and praised Allāh because no chastisement had befallen me.