What is the authenticity of the hadith: "If you do not weep, then feign weeping," and does a Muslim feign weeping by it when reciting the Qur’an or when supplicating as well? And is the hadith authentic: "Indeed, the Qur’an was revealed with sorrow or upon sorrow, so when you recite it, then feign weeping"?

The hadith: "Indeed, this Qur'an was revealed with sadness. So when you recite it, weep, and if you cannot weep, then pretend to weep," was narrated by Ibn Majah from the hadith of Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him, but there is weakness in its chain of narration. Ibn Majah also narrated the command to pretend to weep, without it being restricted to the recitation of the Qur'an. These hadiths, even though there is weakness in them, praise weeping during the recitation of the Qur'an and weeping out of the fear of Allah. Striving against oneself to pretend to weep in order to achieve softness of heart is a good and praiseworthy matter. This should preferably be done in private to guard against showing off, due to what has been mentioned regarding the virtue of those who weep in private, such as his (peace be upon him) saying: "And a man who remembered Allah in solitude, and his eyes overflowed [with tears]." Weeping during the recitation of the Qur'an is a characteristic of those who know Allah and the شعار (emblem/distinguishing mark) of Allah's righteous servants, as Allah the Almighty said: {And they fall upon their faces weeping, and it increases them in humility.} Many hadiths and narrations from the Salaf have been reported concerning this, such as the weeping of Umar ibn al-Khattab, Ibn Abbas, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, and Muhammad ibn Sirin during the recitation of the Qur'an or in prayer. Weeping is recommended when reciting the Qur'an, and the way to achieve it is for the reciter to contemplate the warnings and threats contained therein, and then to reflect on his own shortcomings in that regard. If he does not weep, then let him weep over the loss of weeping.