The Weeping of the Prophet (s.a.w.)

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Shaykh ‘Utsman Nuri Tufbas wrote, in “Islam, Spirit & Form”, that while the Prophet (s.a.w.) was praying, the people around him used to hear a voice of weeping that came out of his chest.  Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abu Thalib (k.w.) remembered his observation in this regard: “I saw the Prophet (s.a.w.) weeping in prayer, under a tree, at the Battle of Badr; insomuch that he spent all night in that position ...”  This is found in Fadha’il al-‘Amal of Mawlana Muhammad Zakariya ibn Muhammad Yaḥya Swiddiqi al-Kandhlawi (r.a.). 

The Prophet (s.a.w.) was even observed in a state in which his heart spread voices as if a stew pot boiled inside.  Sayyidatina ‘Aishah ibn Abu Bakr (r.a.), the wife of the Prophet (s.a.w.), said, “We used to hear some voice coming out of the Prophet’s chest as if a stew pot boiled inside.”  This was recorded by Imam Abu Dawud Sulayman ibn al-Ash’ats as-Sijistani (r.a.), and Imam Abu ‘Abd ar-Rahman Ahmad ibn Shu’ayb an-Nasa’i (r.a.). 

Sayyidatina ‘Aishah (r.a.) also said, “The Prophet always used to have conversations with us.  Yet, when the time for prayer came due, he used to change as if he never knew us, and he used to direct himself to Allah (s.w.t.) ...”  This is also found in Fadha’il al-‘Amal. 

So, availing oneself of this blessing of prayer should be the primary aim of our souls.  Though this cannot always be achieved we should endeavour in this way.  In short, the mood of the Prophet (s.a.w.) in prayer should be our ideal.  The closer we come to this ideal, the more benefit we will receive. 

It must be stated here that no acts of man are to be performed in complete perfection before many trials.  So is it for prayer.  Prayer is done in the form of imitation at first.  The servant needs time to reach perfection in prayer as an artist needs time and experience to produce a perfect work.  Therefore, those who cannot perform their prayer in a perfect way should not lose hope and keep going to reach perfection. 

As one needs to sift tons of earth to gain a gram of gold, one needs to try to reach perfection and peace in prayer with perseverance.  And it is a requirement to have a feeling in prayer described in the following saying of the Prophet (s.a.w.): “When you pray, you do it as if it was your last prayer!  Do not say a thing that you will be sorry for; do not be inclined to things that careless people desire!”  This was recorded by Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Yazid ibn Majah (r.a.).