What is the "nāʿi" that is prohibited?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
How do we reconcile the evidence that commands mentioning the virtues of the deceased with the evidence that prohibits nāʿi?
Answer:
Nāʿi is raising the voice in wailing; this is nāʿi. Nāʿi is when a person announces the death of a deceased person, raising his voice in the announcement or going around the tribes saying, "So-and-so has died," as was the custom of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance.
As for crying without nāʿi, there is nothing wrong with it; it is not called wailing, nor is it called "nāʿi." Ordinary crying, such as when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cried for his daughter, and when he cried for his daughter's son (peace and blessings be upon him), and he said:Sahih Ibn Hibban 11:272, and when his son Ibrahim died, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih al-Bukhari 1303. This is part of human nature. When he visited a daughter of his and her son who was on the verge of death, and the child's body was convulsing as the soul was leaving, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cried. Some of those present, Saʿd ibn ʿAbadah and those with him, said to him: "What is this, O Messenger of Allah?" He said: Sunan Abi Dawud 3125Sahih (Al-Albani).
How do we reconcile the evidence that commands mentioning the virtues of the deceased with the evidence that prohibits nāʿi?
Answer:
Nāʿi is raising the voice in wailing; this is nāʿi. Nāʿi is when a person announces the death of a deceased person, raising his voice in the announcement or going around the tribes saying, "So-and-so has died," as was the custom of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance.
As for crying without nāʿi, there is nothing wrong with it; it is not called wailing, nor is it called "nāʿi." Ordinary crying, such as when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cried for his daughter, and when he cried for his daughter's son (peace and blessings be upon him), and he said:
Indeed, Allah does not punish for the tears of the eye or the sorrow of the heart; but He punishes for this, or shows mercy, and he pointed to his tongue.
إن الله لا يعذب بدمع العين ولا بحزن القلب؛ ولكن يعذب بهذا أو يرحم، وأشار إلى لسانهThe eyes are shedding tears and the heart is grieved, and we will not say except what pleases our Lord, O Ibrahim ! Indeed we are grieved by your separation.
العين تدمع والقلب يحزن ولا نقول إلا ما يرضي الرب، وإنا بفراقك يا إبراهيم لمحزونونAllah shows compassion only to those of His servants who are compassionate.
إنها رحمة، وإنما يرحم الله من عباده الرحماء
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.