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In moments of profound grief, you may have heard someone say, “Don’t cry.”

Though often well-intentioned, this advice can be misguided.

Our emotions are like the warning signals on a car.

When the engine light comes on, we see a mechanic.

If a tire is low on air, we fill it.

Imagine taking the same approach with our bodies, minds, and souls.

Crying is just one way our inner selves express what’s happening within.

Anxiety is not something to be ashamed of.

Anger, when channeled properly, can be productive.

Sadness, too, signals that something is wrong. Crying is an expression of that sadness.

The Prophet ﷺ himself shed many tears throughout his life, including during acts of worship.

The Prophet ﷺ said: "Allah will shade seven people with His Shade on the Day when there is no shade but His Shade. One of them is a person who remembers Allah in solitude, and his eyes overflow with tears." (Bukhari and Muslim)

He also said: "Two eyes will never be touched by the fire of Hell: an eye that weeps out of the fear of Allah, and an eye that spends the night guarding in the cause of Allah." (At-Tirmidhi)

Many narrations tell us how the Prophet ﷺ wept during night prayers or while listening to others recite the Quran.

Yet, if someone cannot cry in these moments, there is no shame in that either.

In the trials of life, the Prophet ﷺ openly expressed his sorrow through tears.

When he visited his mother’s grave decades after her passing, he wept profusely.

After his uncle Hamza, may Allah be pleased with him, was martyred, the Prophet’s ﷺ chest groaned painfully with emotion.

And when his beloved son Ibrahim passed away, he cried deeply.

What did the Prophet ﷺ call his tears after his son’s passing?

A nuisance? A sign? A trial?

No—he called them a mercy (Bukhari).

In fact, the hadith mentions that he pointed to his tears as he spoke about them.

So, how can we use our tears?

1. Identify their source. Are they from exhaustion, fear, or being deeply touched by something?

2. Think about what can ease them. Like the warning signals on a car, you might need to seek professional help, ask for support, or practice self-care.

3. Pay it forward. When you emerge from this experience, use your empathy to help others through their pain.

The Prophet ﷺ understood that crying is a natural part of life.

Despair, however, is not.

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