"When Abu Musa was close to death, his wife screamed and he said: 'Do you not know what the Messenger of Allah said?" She said: 'Yes, Then she fell silent and it was said to her after that: 'What did the Messenger of Allah say?' She said: 'The Messenger of Allah cursed the one who shaves his head, raises his voice in lamentation or rends his garment."
Hadith Commentary: The Prohibition of Excessive Mourning
This narration from Sunan an-Nasa'i (1867) in The Book of Funerals demonstrates the Islamic position against immoderate expressions of grief. When Abu Musa al-Ash'ari was near death, his wife's initial outcry prompted his immediate reminder of Prophetic guidance.
Scholarly Analysis of the Three Prohibitions
Shaving the head: Classical scholars interpret this as referring to mourners shaving their heads in grief, which imitates pre-Islamic practices of ignorance (Jahiliyyah). Islam teaches patient acceptance of divine decree.
Raising the voice in lamentation: Scholars explain that loud wailing and professional mourning (niyaha) demonstrate dissatisfaction with Allah's decree. The believer should instead recite "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un" and maintain dignified patience.
Rending garments: Tearing clothes in anguish was another Jahiliyyah custom prohibited in Islam. Such dramatic displays contradict the Islamic concept of sabr (patient perseverance) and acceptance of Qadr.
Legal Rulings and Spiritual Wisdom
The collective scholarly opinion (ijma') considers these three acts as major prohibitions when done as expressions of excessive grief. The wisdom behind this prohibition preserves the Islamic concept of dignified acceptance of divine decree while preventing the emotional excesses that characterized pre-Islamic Arabian society.