Muhammads treatment of military widows

Today we have a lesson in compassion. With so much conflict in the world today especially in Muslim majority countries it is an unfortunate fact that many soldiers die fighting and that many women will be left widowed.

So what should you do if you meet someone who is in clear upset, shock and uncontrollable wailing sadness about the loss of their husband? Well thankfully, Muhammad has the answer to this:

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Amrah narrated that she heard A’isha say: When news of the killing of ibn Haritha, Ja’far b. Abu Talib and Abdullah b. Rawaha reached the messenger of Allah, the messenger of Allah sat down and grief could be seen on his face. She said: I was watching through the crack of the door and a man came to him and said: ‘O messenger of Allah, the womenfolk of Jafar…’ and he mentioned their crying. He told him to go and tell them not to do that. So he went, then he came back and told him that they had paid him no heed. He told him a second time to go and tell them not to do that, and he went, then he came back and said: ‘by Allah, they will not listen to us, o messenger of Allah’. And she said that the messenger of Allah said: “go and throw sand in their mouths“. Aisha said: “I said: ‘May Allah rub your nose in the dust you did not do what the messenger of Allah commanded you, and you did not stop annoying the messenger of Allah‘”. 

Sahih Muslim 935a 

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So basically, simply follow this two step guide: first; tell them to be quiet, second; do it again if they still can’t get over it, third;if this doesn’t work then attack them with sand… But don’t feel guilty. after all, as Aisha said they’re “annoying”.