Reflection No. 92 on Q 5:83 – Remembering Allah with Emotion

تَرَىٰ أَعْيُنَهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ الدَّمْعِ مِمَّا عَرَفُوا مِنَ الْحَقِّ

you see their eyes overflowing with tears on account of the truth that they recognize
Sura Maidah, verse 83

Tears are an authentic sign of emotional turbulence. When the heart is overwhelmed with emotion, it releases it through tears. That is why psychologists believe it is emotionally healthy to cry and release pent up emotion, rather than suppress it.

Tears have been described as a gift from the Grace of God. It comes from the heart and shows an open softened heart. When tears don’t come easily, it is a sign of a hardened heart. The verse above talks about the Christians who recognised the truth of the message of the Holy Prophet (s) and were overwhelmed with emotion. The flowing of their tears was a sign of their acceptance of the Truth. Tears do not need words. When you weep in compassion with the distressed and bereaved, your tears speak much more to them than any words of consolation.

God loves the tears of a believer. Tears of awe and fear, tears of love for God, of yearning for the return to God- to the place you really belong. The believer’s heart is often sorrowful. This is not in a negative, morbid sense. Affairs of this world don’t matter so much that they would make him sorrowful. But it is the separation from God, the desire to return to Him, the uncertainty of knowing if he has achieved God’s pleasure – all these create a sadness that never really leave the heart. It is a longing that will not be satisfied until you return to God.

Hadith talks highly of even a single tear shed in the remembrance of Allah. It is the key to the mercy of Allah, the path to earning the pleasure of Allah and gaining safety on the Day of Judgment. A single drop is enough to douse out curtains of the fire of Hell.

Remind yourself of this verse when you are on the prayer mat. When you are alone and have some time to do dhikr of Allah in privacy. Remember Allah with emotion and let out the pent up feelings in your heart. You will feel so much lighter, so close to God. The sense of fulfillment will fill your heart with a lot of peace. You don’t need outside counseling and therapy when you can go to God whenever you want and unveil yourself before Him. It is a soothing remedy for the stress and negativity you may be experiencing in life.