Value of tears
Imam Ali (a) said this tradition is genuinely outstanding. There is a short sentence from the commander of the faithful, Ali (a):
“Living with fear is not sweet.”
When I see a person has one good feature, I don’t consider the rest of his bead features. I think he is a good person. I forgive the rest.” See how beautiful, kind, generous, fatherly, and wise he treats others.
That’s why the Prophet (s) said, “Ali and I are the fathers of this nation.”
Imam Ali said this to be an introduction to the following: “But I cannot tolerate a person having these two defects.” If these two features are in a person, no matter what other features he has, it’s useless. Imam Ali was easy about some things but was strict about these two features. What are those two features?
If a person is not religious and wise, I won’t accept him.” Why?
If a person is not religious, he won’t feel secure. Life without a feeling of security is not sweet or enjoyable. How will you tolerate a life that is filled with fear? Why are you used to having these chronic fears? How beautiful!
Put up this sentence from him everywhere. A life with fear is not pleasurable or beautiful. A life of fear is not sweet or enjoyable. One cannot live with fear. Don’t be afraid! What should I do with my fears?” Eliminate your worries by having faith in your God.
Allah (ﷻ), the superpower and the only power in the world, supports me. There is no strength of power except from Allah (ﷻ), who is exalted and great.”
Talk about God’s power. When you say, “There is no strength or power except from God, who is exalted and great,” God will say, “Solve My servant’s problems. Didn’t you see he said that power is in my hands?
Piety in Islam
Why? How does piety fulfill all of one’s needs? It solves problems, increases one’s sustenance, opens one’s mind, cleanses one’s heart, guarantees a good end for a person, and causes one’s actions to be accepted. What is this?
Piety should naturally be attractive to everyone. It is narrated in Misbah al-Shari’ah that Imam Sadiq (a) said piety is something that is attractive to all human beings. If someone sees some manifestations of piety, even if he/she is not Muslim, they will like it and think that this behavior is attractive.
This is very important. For example, if one hears of the traits of the commander of the faithful, Ali (a), they will like it. Even Christians and Sunnis write poems about him. Not just Muslims, even non-Muslims are infatuated with his characteristics. Why? Because he is the Imam of the Pious.
This is one of his names. May Allah (ﷻ) help us see the beauty and glory of piety so that we can sincerely wish for it. Why do you pray to ALLAH (ﷻ) for piety?
Is it because you are good people or that you believe in God? Is it because you’re afraid of Hell and like heaven? Why?
Why do you want piety? It’s for the same reason that a young couple wants each other and the same way that two people from the opposite gender want each other!
It’s for the same reason that a mother wants her child, and a child wants their mother. A mother’s love for her child isn’t because her love brings rewards.
The traditions say that each time a mother nurses her child, she will be purified from the sins, just like the day she was born. But do mothers nurse their children to become purified from sins?
But do mothers nurse their children to become purified from sins?
No, but if they know this, their enthusiasm will increase. She will like God and say, “O God, I’m thankful to you. I’m doing my duties as a mother, but You’re so good that you want to reward me for what I like to do myself.”
This is the way we should ask for piety. We should want piety with our entire being. Piety is desirable. Something must happen within our hearts!
know your worth quotes
- Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ): “None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)
- Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ): “He who knows himself, knows his Lord.” (Attributed, often found in Islamic literature)
- Imam Ali (a): “The worth of a man is according to his courage, his truthfulness according to what he uses to habitually do, his valor according to his self-respect, and his chasteness according to his sense of shame.” (Sermon 80)
- Imam Ali (a): “Do not be a slave to others when Allah (ﷻ) has created you free.” (Letter 31 to Imam Hasan)
Value of Tears
Sometimes, a person cries to calm an emotion. This has a weak extent of reward. Sometimes, a person is hit by someone, and due to pain, they cry. But sometimes, a person cries and sharpens his weapon.
A person who goes to Majlis Imam Husayn (a) and laments must understand what he is doing. Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib’s (a) supplication in Dua Kumayl is, do not waste your tears! These are your weapons. “And whose weapon is tears.”
In Dua Kumayl (Which is recited) on Thursday nights, we are told that these tears are weapons. Sometimes, a person’s foot hurts and cries because of the intensity of the pain. This does not have a reward.
Sometimes, a person is hit by someone, and it hurts. His crying is associated with revenge. This is one degree. Sometimes, a person cries for Husayn (a) ibn Ali (a). What is this for? Is it because his heart ached, and he wanted to satisfy the emotion?
Or no, are these tears weapons?
When religion says to struggle (against oneself), did it tell us what weapon should be used?
There are many verses and narrations that invite us to struggle. The blessed Prophet (s) said: “Struggle against your (evil) impulses the way you struggle against your enemies.”
Fight against your evil impulses. Fight against your inappropriate desires. Fight against ostentation (Riya). When religion says to fight (against these), did it say which weapon to use? Has it given us the weapon?
It is not the case that religion would tell us to fight (against ourselves) and not give us a weapon. We have been given the weapon- it is tears! On your prayer rug before dawn- fight. Fight before the time of dawn. Find your weapons.
An armed person (with tears) will not go astray, nor will they block anyone’s way. So this religion (also) told us about an internal and external enemy who is waiting in ambush.
قَالَ فَبِمَآ أَغۡوَيۡتَنِي لَأَقۡعُدَنَّ لَهُمۡ صِرَٰطَكَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ
Qaala fabimaaa aghway tanee la aq’udanna lahum Siraatakal Mustaqeem
Because Shaytan Said, I will surely lie in ambush for them”
He said I am waiting in ambush on the path. [Shaytan said] I will shoot them with an arrow whenever I see that they are inattentive.
In our narrations, the Imams (a) have said: “A [prohibited] glance is a poisoned arrow of Iblis.” Looking at a non-mahram is an arrow. A [Prohibited] glance is a poisoned arrow of Iblis.”
This is what (inappropriately looking at a non-mahram is. Every haram is like this. Ok, we have an enemy (i.e., Shaytan) who shoots with arrows and waits in ambush. We must be armed. One part of our weapon is crying. According to narrations, one part of our weapon is “supplication is the weapon of the believer.”
So, in this way, a person must be armed. A person who is armed with lamentation will not commit oppression. A person who is armed with lamentation will not look at a non-mahram.
“Supplication is the weapon of the believer.” This part is from the narrations. In Dua Kumayl, it says, “And whose weapon is tears.” Lamentation and tears. So where does it say what kind of tears?
One of the best examples of these weapons is the tears shed over the oppression of Imam Husayn (a). Therefore, we have the best and most weighty resources for knowledge during Muharram. We must seize it.
This crying has rewards in the transitory world, the hereafter, and Barzakh. When we cry, we must examine. When we go home after shedding four drops of tears, we must see whether these tears became four arrows.
Tears that do not become arrows are not useful tears. The first arrow must be shot at our evil (impulses, our arrogance, our selfishness, our greed. So when we leave the mourning ceremonies, we must examine whether we found 4-5 arrows.
Then, we must put these arrows on the bow and shoot them at our arrogance. Because mourning for the Master of Martyrs (Imam Husayn) [a} is a school, it is a university. When we cry, God-willing, we receive rewards.
However, we must examine if these tears produced arrows and where we shot these arrows. Did we shoot our tongue, our eyes, our ears?
Therefore, one of the best periods of our education is the Ashura of Husayn ibn Abi Talib (a). We cry, and we cry entirely, but what we get from mourning and crying is a sharp arrow in our hand. And so we can learn to shoot the arrow. We also learn where to shoot. This is the effect of these mourning ceremonies.
Know your value
Amir al-Momineen (a) says you do not know what is occurring in heaven if you know where a person goes after death, where a person’s soul will go, what heaven really means, and what the eternal world really means.
You would never be willing to stay in this gathering (Dunya). You would have eagerly moved toward the line of those interested in death. Imam Ali (a) says to try to look to the future so that this transitory world does not trick you.
Everything that occupies you with itself is Duniya. And before you can leave it, it will leave you. Do not sell yourself for a cheap price. This is from the saying of Amir al-Momineen (a) and also from the sayings of Imam al-Kadhim (a) where he says that you do not know how valuable you are.
“Your bodies have no price but heaven. Do not sell them for anything less.”
He (a) said that your bodies are worth the price of heaven. Do not sell it for anything less than heaven because you will be at a loss. The late Muhaqqiq Damad, in his commentary of Usul al-Kafi, said that the 7th Imam (a) makes such a subtle point.
He (a) is saying that your body is worth heaven, but only God knows how much your soul is worth. Because you have the Paradise of Tryst (Jannat al-liqa’) ahead of you, try so that you are found in that paradise of Tryst.
The call has come from there, and this path is open. He (a) says that if you sell yourself for anything less than heaven, you will have suffered loss. “Do not sell it for anything less.” And this is the value of your body, but your soul has a different value.
