Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) called upon his son Ibrahīm while he was breathing his last. The eyes of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) began to shed tears. ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf said to him: "And you too, O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "O Ibn ‘Awf, this is a mercy." Then he followed it by saying: "Indeed, the eyes shed tears and the heart is grieved, and we do not say except what pleases our Lord. And indeed, over your departure, O Ibrahīm, we are grieved."
GradingAuthentic hadith
AttributionNarrated by Bukhari & Muslim
Explanation
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) called upon his son Ibrahīm when he was near death. The eyes of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) started to flow with tears. ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf said in astonishment: "And you too O Messenger of Allah?" Meaning: The people are not patient in the face of calamities, and are you too doing as they do? It was as if he was surprised to see the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in such a state, as he had always been known to encourage patience and forbid impatience. So, he answered him by saying that it was a mercy, meaning: the condition in which you see me is the softness of my heart towards the boy. He followed this with another statement: “Indeed, the eyes shed tears and the heart is grieved, and we do not say except what pleases our Lord,” meaning: we do not show displeasure, rather we show patience. “And indeed, over your departure, O Ibrahīm, we are grieved.” Therefore mercy does not contradict patience or belief in the divine decree.