The Grief of the Prophet (SAW)

All praise is due to Allah, the Most Generous, the All Mighty, the Bestower. He made the worldly life an arena of affliction for His allies and a medium for purification of His servants. And a place of delusion for His enemies.

Al Imran (3) 185: And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion.

He, the Almighty, made His trial of His faithful servants a sign of His love for them.

The greatest reward comes with the greatest trial. When Allah loves a people He tests them. [Sunan Ibn Majah 4031, Hassan]

His Prophet Mohammad ﷺ was afflicted, for the sake of Allah Almighty, like no one else has been afflicted. He ﷺ said:
Indeed I have feared for the sake of Allah, such that no one has feared, and I have been harmed for the sake of Allah, such that no one has been harmed.[Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2472]

Be conscious of Allah Almighty and obey Him. And know that affliction in religion and worldly matters is the path of the Messengers (peace be upon them). And that steadfastness through affliction is the way of the successful servants of Allah:
Al Imran (3) 142: Did you think that you would enter Paradise even though Allah has not yet seen who among you strove hard in His way and remained steadfast?

There were periods when the Prophet ﷺ was deeply grieved due to his people denying him, and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) being tormented and killed. And for his loss of supporters among mankind. And due to the hardship and harshness of life. And many instances of his grief were recorded in his fragrant biography after the start of his mission.

And the first grief that befell him ﷺ after start of his mission and the most intense and the greatest was due to the pause in receiving revelation after he received it for the first time. Waraqah bin Nawfal (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
No man has come with what you brought without being harmed. And if your day comes while I am alive, I would support you strongly. But after a few days Waraqa died and the Divine Inspiration was also paused for a while and the Prophet ﷺ became sad. [Sahih al-Bukhari 6982]

And every believer who has a day in which he does not recite anything from the Qur’an must grieve. Because the Prophet ﷺ grieved at the pause in the revelation in spite of it being out of his control. So what about the one who is able to recite the revelation at every moment to nourish his heart, guide his soul and rectify his condition, but falls short in that regard and does not grieve over his shortcomings?!

And when the Prophet ﷺ invited his people to Iman (faith) they denied him. So he grieved deeply over them due to his knowledge of the fate of those who denied. And because he wanted for them Iman (faith) and a conclusion of success and great triumph. Allah Almighty addressed him to lighten his grief:
Al Anam 33: We know that you, [O Mohammad], are saddened by what they say. And indeed, they do not call you untruthful, but it is the verses of Allah that the wrongdoers reject.

Rather, his grief over his people’s denial of him nearly destroyed him, until Allah Almighty prohibited him from devastating himself through extreme grief. Allah said:
Al Kahf (18) 7: Then perhaps you would kill yourself through grief over them, [O Mohammad], if they do not believe in this message, [and] out of sorrow.

That is, perishing out of grief and sorrow for them. And that is because your reward is due from Allah Almighty and if Allah the Most High knew that there was good in them, He would have guided them. But He knew that they are only suited for the fire. Therefore he forsaked them, and they were not guided. So occupying yourself with grief and sorrow for them is of no benefit to you.

The Prophet ﷺ was the most sincere in advice to his ummah (nation) and had the highest compassion for them. He almost perished regretting the misguidance of those among Quraysh who went astray, and they hurt him and tortured his followers!

And every believer should grieve over the disbelief of the disbelievers, and the hypocrisy of the hypocrites and the disobedience of the sinners. Because he desires good for all mankind and hates evil for them. And there is no good better than Iman (faith). It is happiness in this world and the biggest success in the hereafter. And there is no evil greater than disbelief and hypocrisy. For it is misery in this world and eternal torment in the hereafter. For people of Iman (faith) know the truth and have mercy on creation.

Oh Muslims:Be conscious of Allah Almighty and obey Him. For in consciousness of Allah is deliverance from the grief on the Day of Resurrection. And it is the eternal grief that never ceases nor is eased.

Al Araf (7) 35-36: (35) O children of Adam, if there come to you messengers from among you relating to you My verses [i.e., scriptures and laws], then whoever fears Allah and reforms – there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve. (36) But the ones who deny Our verses and are arrogant toward them – those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.

A believer benefits from the prohibition of Allah Almighty to His Prophet ﷺ to not grieve to the point of destroying himself or Impeding him from working for the religion of Allah Almighty and calling to it. Just as the accusations of the disbelievers and hypocrites against the people of faith do not weaken their strength or resolve. This and more happened to the Prophet ﷺ and he armed himself with patience in facing their false claims and slander. And not being deceived by the prominence of the disbelievers and their lead in worldly matters despite their stubbornness and arrogance towards the truth. Indeed, this is from the trial of Allah – the Most High – of them.

Taha (20) 131: And do not extend your eyes toward that by which We have given enjoyment to [some] categories of them, [its being but] the splendor of worldly life by which We test them. And the provision of your Lord is better and more enduring.

And if the caller to the truth is saddened by people’s painful reality and their distance from Allah Almighty, know that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was saddened over that before them. And if they are saddened by the words of the disbelievers and hypocrites and their plotting, know that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was saddened about that before them. And if they are saddened by the worldly prominence of the disbelievers and hypocrites, know that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was saddened about that before them. However, the Prophet ﷺ prevailed and the disbelief, disbelievers and their plotting vanished. And Islam was honored and spread. And the call of the Prophet ﷺ spread all over the earth. And Allah Almighty was most knowledgeable and wise when he forbade his Prophet ﷺ from having intense grief.

We ask Allah Almighty to make us among His obedient, sincere servants who strive hard in His path and call to the truth with patience and steadfastness. Indeed Allah is All Hearing, Answering.

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