“Boys Don’t Cry”

We really need to stop telling boys, “boys don’t cry”.

Boys don’t cry? Well, clearly this is just something that has been passed on through generations in some parts of the world. But are we the people who blindly follow previous generations? Clearly the answer is no. Let us see what the Sunnah (the way) of the Prophet (sallAllahu alaihi wasallam) is. And subhanAllah, the most beautiful of humans, despite being the most courageous, the manliest, the strongest that this world has seen, showed us this:

Real men cry… it is a sign of the softness of the heart…

Narrated Anas bin Malik: We went with Allah’s Messenger (s) to the blacksmith Abu Saif, and he was the husband of the wet-nurse of Ibrahim (the son of the Prophet). Allah’s Prophet (s) took Ibrahim and kissed him and smelled him, and later we entered Abu Saif’s house, and at that time Ibrahim was in his last breaths, and the eyes of Allah’s Apostle (p.b.u.h) started shedding tears. ‘Abdur Rahman bin ‘Auf said, “O Allah’s Apostle, even you are weeping!” He said, “O Ibn ‘Auf, this is mercy.” Then he wept more and said, “The eyes are shedding tears and the heart is grieved, and we will not say except what pleases our Lord, O Ibrahim ! Indeed, we are grieved by your separation.” (Book #23, Hadith #390).

“…The Prophet got up, and so did we. When he sat there (at the house of his daughter), the child (grandson) was brought to him, and he took him into his lap while the child’s breath was disturbed in his chest. The eyes of Allah’s Messenger started shedding tears. Sa’d said, “What is this, O Allah’s Apostle?” The Prophet said, “This is mercy which Allah has lodged in the hearts of whoever He wants of His servants, and verily Allah is merciful only to those of His servants who are merciful (to others).’ (Book #78, Hadith #649).

Narrated Abdullah bin Masud: Allah’s Messenger(s) said to me, “Recite (of the Qur’an) for me,” I said, “Shall I recite it to you although it had been revealed to you?” He said, “I like to hear (the Qur’an) from others.” So I recited Surat-an-Nisa’ till I reached: “How (will it be) then when We bring from each nation a witness, and We bring you (O Muhammad) as a witness against these people?” (4.41) Then he (the Prophet (s) said, “stop there, that is enough.” And I saw, his eyes were overflowing with tears.” (Book #60, Hadith #106).

Allah’s Messenger said, ‘Once Moses, Allah’s Apostle, preached to the people till their eyes shed tears and their hearts became tender, whereupon he finished his sermon….”

Until we look at the Sunnah of our Prophet (s) in every single thing we face in this world, we will never truly be successful.

And Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) says in the Quran:

Say (O Prophet): If you really love Allah, then follow me, and Allah shall love you and forgive you your sins. Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful..[3:31].

It is the best model, the most beautiful example in the life of the Prophet (s) that Allah wants us to emulate. It is the model that the Companions of the Prophet (s) emulated, out of love for him, that made them such humans that people looked at them and said, “we want to be like you.”Today,  we have forgotten the way of the Prophet (s).

And this is the reason we have failed to become beloved in the Eyes of Allah (SWT). This is the real reason for our decline. The real reason the ummah is in tatters.

May Allah (s) Grant us all soft hearts, Sound hearts. Ameen.