al-Haafith ‘Abdul-Ghanee visited me in Asbahaan, and [whilst here] he would only sleep a little at night; instead [spending most of his time] praying and reciting [the Qur.aan] or weeping.
Tag: weep
He would weep
If Sa’eed ibn Abdil-Azeez [ever] missed the congregational prayer, he would weep.
Privately, he would weep profusely
When Abu Waa.il would pray [a voluntary prayer] in his home, he would weep profusely; [and such was the level of his humility that] if the entire world was offered to him to do [the same] so someone could see him – he would not do so.
Never once saw him praying a voluntary prayer
I accompanied Muhammad ibn Aslam for more than 20 years, and never once saw him praying a voluntary prayer except on the day of Jumu’ah; [I understood why, when] I once heard him saying: ‘If I was able to pray a voluntary prayer such that my two angels could not see me, I would have done so – out of fear of showing off’.
If anyone did speak to him, he would respond to them
al-Awzaa’ee would not speak to anyone after the fajr prayer until [after] he had engaged himself in the remembrance of Allaah; And if anyone did speak to him, he would respond to them.
Relentless weeping
I was unable to listen to the recitation of ath-Thowree due to his relentless weeping.
Knowledge which does not benefit
‘Abdul-A’laa said to me: Certainly he who has been given knowledge which does not cause him to weep, then it is feared he has not been given knowledge which benefits him.
He would weep whilst standing in prayer at night
Sa’eed ibn Jubayr would weep [whilst standing in prayer] at night until his eyes became bleary and he was unable to see clearly.
The weepers shall weep
Indeed, the people of the Fire [of Hell] shall be weeping in the Fire [of Hell, so much so] that if ships were set to sail upon their tears, they would sail.
Missing a prayer in congregation
Sa’eed ibn ‘Abdil-‘Azeez would weep if he missed a prayer in congregation (i.e. the obligatory congregational prayer).