(302) Chapter: Prohibition of Bewailing the Deceased

Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) said:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) visited Sa'd bin 'Ubadah during his illness. He was accompanied by 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Auf, Sa'd bin Abu Waqqas and 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with them). When they entered his house, they found him unconscious. The Messenger of Allah asked, "Has he died?" They replied: "No, O Messenger of Allah." Hearing this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) began to weep. When his Companions saw this, they also began to weep too. He said, "Listen attentively: Allah does not punish for the shedding of tears or the grief of the heart, but takes to task or show mercy because of the utterances of this (and he pointed to his tongue)."

[Al- Bukhari and Muslim].

Commentary: We learn from this Hadith that grief and tears which occur involuntarily are not forbidden because they are quite natural, but if one starts crying and bewailing on such occasions, he will be sinful. The only permissible way of expressing one's grief in words is to say "Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji`un'' which means "Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.'' (2:156).

To visit the sick is a meritorious act as well as a right of a Muslim upon another Muslim. Depending upon the occasion, one is also recommended to offer sincere advice and Islamic teachings.