Is it permissible for one grieving the death of a loved one to post thoughts expressing their pain, sorrow, and the difficulty of life after the deceased on social media, and is that considered wailing (niyāḥa)?
Grieving the death of a close relative is natural, and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, grieved the death of his loved ones. The fundamental principle is that a Muslim is required to be patient with Allah's decrees. It is permissible to write reflections about the deceased, provided they are free from lies, complaints, exaggeration, and a lack of submission to divine decree. It is disliked to excessively mention the deceased and repeat it after a long time, as it might suggest dissatisfaction with the divine decree and renew grief. The prohibited wailing (niyaha) is that which involves mentioning the deceased's good qualities in a way that renews sorrows, or false exaggeration in praise, or boasting and showing off, or making it a recurring habit. As for what is free from that, there is no harm in it. And the prohibited elegy (marthiya) is that which incites sadness and renews sorrow, or is performed with a gathering, or is done excessively.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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