The ruling on the statement that a woman is held accountable for her tears

Question:
Umm Rashid sent a set of questions, saying in the first question: May Allah reward you with good, O honorable Shaykh! I ask and say: In the school where we study, our teacher told us that we are held accountable for our tears, and that we will be questioned about every tear. Does this forbid us from crying? Sometimes a woman is weak, and she is made to cry by beating, or pain, or wounded feelings, or anything else, or by someone who wronged her. Does that mean that tears in this case are forbidden? But we women are weak—as they say—the woman’s weapon is tears. Indeed, tears are a release and an outlet for some sorrows. Is it reasonable that we should never cry except in the presence of Allah? We ask the Shaykh’s magnanimity for an answer?

Answer:
There is no harm in that. The teacher’s statement has no basis and no foundation. There is no harm in crying when there is a need, and tears when there is a need are not a problem. If a woman or anyone else is afflicted with something that hurts her, and her eyes water, there is nothing wrong with it. What is forbidden is wailing and lamentation, striking the face, tearing the garment, and pulling out hair. As for her crying… her eyes watering, this does not harm when there is a need, when something saddens her, when she is beaten, or otherwise. There is no harm in this, and praise be to Allah.

The presenter : May Allah reward you with good, Your Eminence the Shaykh.