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The question

What is the difference between weeping for the deceased and wailing, and are crying out, expressing grief audibly, and shedding tears considered wailing?

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Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 20261 min readAlso available in العربية
The answer

Weeping is the shedding of tears from the eye, whereas wailing (niyāḥah) relates to speech and sounds made by the wailer, such as lamenting the deceased and enumerating their virtues, or groaning and screaming. Jurists have differed in its definition: - Hanafis: Weeping accompanied by lamenting the deceased, or weeping with sound. - Malikis: Weeping if accompanied by screaming or reprehensible speech. - Shafi'is and some Malikis: Raising the voice with lamentation, even without weeping; it was also said, with weeping. - Hanbalis and some Shafi'is: Raising the voice with lamentation, with a groan or rhymed speech.

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, clarified that Allah does not punish for tears of the eye or sorrow of the heart, but rather punishes for the tongue (wailing), emphasizing that mere weeping and tears from the eye are not forbidden; rather, they are a mercy.

Summary from Ftawy's records · added here

Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.

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Ftawy
Original fatwa ID
25281
Added here
. This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
Text
Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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Read the full answer on Ftawy