Shaykh Al-Islām ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله said:
As for sadness, neither Allah nor His Messenger ﷺ commanded with it. In fact, he had prohibited it in different places, even if it is connected to the religion. Like His statement:
﴾وَلَا تَهِنُوا۟ وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا۟ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلْأَعْلَوْنَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ﴿
“So do not become weak (against your enemy), nor be sad, and you will be superior (in victory) if you are indeed (true) believers.”¹
And His statement:
﴾وَلَا تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا تَكُ فِى ضَيْقٍ مِّمَّا يَمْكُرُونَ﴿
“And grieve not over them (polytheists and pagans, etc.), and be not distressed because of what they plot.”²
And His statement:
﴾إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَـٰحِبِهِۦ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَنَا ۖ﴿
“And he ﷺ said to his companion (Abu Bakr): “Be not sad (or afraid), surely Allah is with us.””³
And His statement:
﴾وَلَا يَحْزُنكَ قَوْلُهُمْ﴿
“And let not their speech grieve you (O Muhammad ﷺ).”⁴
And His statement:
﴾لِّكَيْلَا تَأْسَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلَا تَفْرَحُوا۟ بِمَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمْ﴿
“In order that you may not be sad over matters that you fail to get, nor rejoice because of that which has been given to you.” ⁵
And there are so many examples of this.
And that is because it [i.e., sadness] does not bring about any benefit or prevent any harm. So there is no benefit in it, and Allah does not command with anything that has no benefit in it. Na’m!
Majum’ Al-Fatāwa (10/16)
Translated by Abū Muḥsinah Mubaarak
1. Aal Imran:139
2. Nahl 127
3. Tawbah: 40
4. Yunus: 65
5. Hadīd: 23
