The Reward for Those Who Cry Over Ĥusain ibn ‘Ali (a.s.)

I heard Abā ‘Abdillāh (a.s.) say: Crying and jaza’ is disliked for the slaves (of Allāh) over any matter except crying and jaza’ over Ḥusain ibn ‘Ali (a.s.). Verily the one who cries and acts impatiently over Ḥusain (a.s.) will be rewarded.

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said – as part of a longer Ḥadīth: Those who shed tears when Ḥusain (a.s.) is mentioned in front of them will be rewarded by Allāh Himself, even if their tears are as small as the wing of a fly. And Allāh will not be pleased with any reward for them less than Paradise.

I heard ‘Ali ibn Ḥusain (Imam Sajjād (a.s.)) say: One who cries over us and sheds (even) one tear over us will be rewarded by Allāh for that tear; he will be made to dwell in rooms in Paradise where he will stay for long ages and long ages.

Whenever Ḥusain ibn ‘Ali (a.s.) was mentioned in front of Abī ‘Abdillāh, Ja’far ibn Muḥammad (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) during the day, he would not be seen smiling on that day until nightfall.

I accompanied Abā ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) (from Madīnah to Makkah) on a Hajj trip and I asked him, “O son of the Messenger of Allāh! If the grave of Ḥusain ibn ‘Ali (a.s.) was to be disinterred, would anything be found in it?” Imam (a.s.) replied: O son of Bukayr! Your questions are (always) about great matters. Verily Ḥusain (a.s.) along with his father, mother, and his brother (a.s.) are with the Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.) in his house and they are being rewarded and sustained, (just) as the Prophet (s.a.a.w.) is. Verily Ḥusain (a.s.) is hanging on to the right side of the Throne and he says, “O my Lord! Fulfill Your promise to me.” Verily Ḥusain (a.s.) looks at those who go to his Ziyārah and he knows them and he knows their names, the names of their fathers, and that which they carry along with them even better than they know their own sons. Verily he looks at those who cry over him and he seeks forgiveness for them and asks his father (a.s.) to seek forgiveness for them. And he says to them (those who cry over him), “O those who cry (over me)! If you knew about that which Allāh has prepared for you, you would be more happy than you are grieved (over me).” Imam (a.s.) continued, “Verily Ḥusain (a.s.) seeks forgiveness for them for every sin and for every mistake.” 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 Muḥammad ibn ‘Abdillāh ibn Zurārah, from ‘Abdillāh ibn ‘Abdil Raḥmān Al-Asam, from ‘Abdillāh ibn Bukayr, from Abī ‘Abdillāh (a.s.).

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said: The sins of whoever cries, even as little as (the width of) the wing of a fly, when we are mentioned in front of him will be forgiven, even if his sins are greater than the scum in the sea. The above Ḥadīth has also been narrated to me through the following chain: Muḥammad ibn ‘Abdillāh, from his father, from Aḥmad ibn Abī ‘Abdillāh Al-Barqi, from his father, from Bakr ibn Muḥammad, from Abī ‘Abdillāh (a.s.).

Abū Ja’far (Imam Bāqir (a.s.)) said: Any believer who cries over Ḥusain (a.s.) with (even) one tear running down his cheek will be rewarded by Allāh for that tear; he will be made to dwell in rooms in Paradise where he will stay for long ages.

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said: Allāh has made it Ḥarām for Hell to burn the face of anyone who sheds tears (on us) when we are mentioned in his presence.