Why We Cry

I could not explain it before as to why we cry, but I think this scientific research helps us to expain why we Shias mourn everyyear for the tragic death of Imam Hussain.

Quote:

[b]Study may explain roots of empathy [/b]

By Julie Steenhuysen - Sun Jun 17, 2007

When people say "I feel your pain," they do not mean it literally, but certain people really do feel something that appears to be an extreme form of empathy, British researchers said on Sunday.

They said watching someone being touched triggers the same part of the brain as actual touch, and this connection helps explain how we understand what other people are feeling.

People who experience a tactile sense of touch when they see another person being touched -- something called mirror-touch synesthesia -- was first studied in 2005 in one person.

But researchers at University College London have now studied 10 people with the same condition.

"It suggests there is a link between certain aspects of the tactile system and empathy," said Michael Banissy of the university's department of psychology, whose work appears in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

Banissy and colleagues first did a series of experiments to authenticate peoples' claims that they felt something when they saw someone else being touched.

They asked the 10 people with mirror-touch synesthesia to identify when they were being touched on their own body while watching someone else being touched on the cheek.

The actual touch was sometimes in the same spot as the person they watched being touched, and sometimes it was on the other side.

"The idea was to see whether synesthetic and actual touch were confusable in any way," Banissy said in a telephone interview.

He said people with this mirror-touch capability were faster when the touch they saw was in the same location as actual touch.

"When actual touch and synesthetic touch were in different locations, sometimes they would confuse the two and report they were touched on both cheeks," he said.

This confusion did not occur in 20 people without synesthesia who performed the same experiments.

The mirror-touch people also scored higher than others on a questionnaire that measured empathy.

"We often flinch when we see someone knock their arm, and this may be a weaker version of what these synesthetes experience," Dr. Jamie Ward, who led the research team, said in a statement.

Other studies have suggested a link between empathy and mirror systems, but Ward said this was the first to suggest empathy involves more than one mechanism: an emotional gut reaction -- which appears exaggerated in the mirror-touch synesthetes -- and a cognitive process that involves thinking about how someone else feels.

"This appears to be the emotional component of empathy," Banissy said. "It was purely gut instinct."

One of the mirror-touch subjects in the study said the experience is all she has ever known.

"It is -- to me at least -- a perfectly normal response to seeing touch or pain inflicted on another person," she said in a statement.

The researchers are studying this empathy connection further and trying to determine how prevalent mirror-touch synesthesia is.

"It does appear to be more common than we first thought," Banissy said.

I think Christians do remember Jesus, peace be upon him, and his brutal crucifixion at Easter.

But I don't think they cry for him every year.
Maybe they dont love him as they claim they do.

If you love someone, then surely you would weep for them.

[b]Do any of you here on the Revival cry for someone regularly?[/b]

"malik" wrote:

If you love someone, then surely you would weep for them.

Only recently I lost a loved one - someone who was as close to me as my mother.

There were people around me who loved her even more than I did.

Some people when into emotional breakdown, some hardly shed a tear, others went into dperession, some just got on with life as normal, some chose to block out what was happening and refused to acknowledge it, whilst others chose to become more religious.

I don't think its my place to 'judge' anyones love, based on their tears(s) cos everyone deals with grief in their different ways.

As a person, I'm very senstive - I wear my heart on my sleeve. I'm very easily moved and easily hurt.

But just because it doesnt take me long to burst into tears ...this doesnt neccessarily prove that I 'love' someone more than someone else who finds it difficult to shed even a single tear for them.

whilst weeping is a good thing at times, some people do tend to fake it

check this one out:

saw he was on camera, quickly burst into tears! according to the comments, its a shia gathering

The Lover is ever drunk with love;
He is free, he is mad,
He dances with ecstasy and delight.

Caught by our own thoughts,
We worry about every little thing,
But once we get drunk on that love,
Whatever will be, will be.

ɐɥɐɥ

I was reading something the other day about the importance in Islam of crying, and how we should try hard to make ourselves cry (privately and not so we show others), which used a number of ahadith and classical scholarly opinion to back up its argument. Unfortunately I can't remember where the essay was and what context it was in, but it certainly wasn't in relation to a human being's death. It was supposed to be in relation to Allah (swt) Alone, and it was in line with practices of many of the Sahaba.

Well, considering I can't really remember anything about the article, it was pretty pointless me mentioning it!

Don't just do something! Stand there.

I know there are many people who fake almost anything. These are dishonest people who think they can fool God.

But we are not taking about hypocrites among the Shias, Sunnis, Christians, Jews, and other Kaafirs. Every sect and religion have bad apples in their midst.
Allah judges on your intentions.

We are taking only about the sincere people who shed tears for those whom they genuinely love.

Ayatollah rightly named America as "Great Satan".

hmmm come to think of it... i dont remember when was the last time i ever cryed? :?

I guess im just one of those people who doesnt cry, even at funerals... Not that im a cold guy... quite the opposite.

But i just cant cry...

Back in BLACK

When my dad passed away last year, I didn't cry at all. I was expecting myself to, but i just didn't. at one point I started to get frustrated with myself for not crying, but the tears just wouldn't ever come.

There weirdest thing is I normally feel myself welling up with tears at tiny little things that i never normally would admit to. soppy films etc, and i almost felt myself get teary when i was watching Britain's Got Talent last week when some little girl sang some terrible song lol, how EMBARRASING!! it was mainly at her dad, he looked so proud...

anyway, i'm a MAN ok and MEN DON'T CRY!!

Don't just do something! Stand there.

Yeah, i think people should cry regularly.

Once an adult lifetime is probably regular enough.

"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.

"Ya'qub" wrote:
I was reading something the other day about the importance in Islam of crying, and how we should try hard to make ourselves cry (privately and not so we show others), which used a number of ahadith and classical scholarly opinion to back up its argument. Unfortunately I can't remember where the essay was and what context it was in, but it certainly wasn't in relation to a human being's death. It was supposed to be in relation to Allah (swt) Alone, and it was in line with practices of many of the Sahaba.

Well, considering I can't really remember anything about the article, it was pretty pointless me mentioning it!

Thats true, its a good thing to cry tears in the way of Allah swt, i.e. when asking for forgiveness. However, whether someone can or cant shed tears doesnt neccessarily reflect how saddened they are by someone passing away. People just react differently. A guy genereally is less likely to react by crying to such news. Having said that though, God Forbid, if my parents were to go, it would be a flood.

In islam its said they you should make your heart as soft as wool, a hard heart isnt a good thing. Weeping for Allah (SWT)'s sake is a rewarded act. However, tears should always be sincere

The Lover is ever drunk with love;
He is free, he is mad,
He dances with ecstasy and delight.

Caught by our own thoughts,
We worry about every little thing,
But once we get drunk on that love,
Whatever will be, will be.

ɐɥɐɥ

I cry at least one every two weeks.

Sometimes for really small reasons.

Sometimes for big reasons.

I may not look it by I am a big softie and I can't even stand hearing stories of some people's tragic lives.

"Purity is half of faith.......Prayer is the light...patience is illumination; and the Quran is an argument for or against you. Everyone starts his day and is a vendor of his soul, either freeing it or bringing about its ruin." Muslim

i cry when my parents cry
i cry when my brothers and sisters cry
i cry when something bad happens
sometimes i cry for no apparent reason
sometimes i just feel like having a good cry (lightens the load)
dont think i have ever cried over a movie

No not the gum drop buttons! – Gingy

i cry nearly every day over some thing or the other.

A rose protects its beauty with thorns..a woman protects hers with a veil

"MuslimBro" wrote:
I cry when I yawn.

if you think about it you dont really cry your eyes just kind of water up. Unless you actually do start crying after a yawn then its crying.

No not the gum drop buttons! – Gingy

I have emotional patches when I seem more prone to cry at unpleasantness or even in a movie, although I do a good job of snapping out or not showing it.

[size=10]The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.[/size]
[size=9]Bertrand Russell (1872 - 1970)[/size]

"MuslimBro" wrote:
I cry when I yawn.

So do I, all the time whenever I yawn tears come out for some reason.

"Purity is half of faith.......Prayer is the light...patience is illumination; and the Quran is an argument for or against you. Everyone starts his day and is a vendor of his soul, either freeing it or bringing about its ruin." Muslim

Whilst I dont cry often.

I cry very, VERY easily.

I wear my heart on my sleeve. As a result, if I'm hurt, feel loved, grateful, happy or emphathising with another...I'm quick to cry.

It's embarrassing.

I think its important to be able to hide your emotion.

We Shias cry in a group during Muharram ceremonies in which we remember Imam Hussain and the massacre of Karbala.

Everyone is weeping and wailing loudly. It is so spiritually cleanising.

Ayatollah rightly named America as "Great Satan".

"malik" wrote:
We Shias cry in a group during Muharram ceremonies in which we remember Imam Hussain and the massacre of Karbala.

Everyone is weeping and wailing loudly. It is so spiritually cleanising.

Correct me if i'm wrong but beating yourself and wailing/crying out aloud is not allowed in Islam?!!!!

He who sacrifices his conscience to ambition, burns a picture to obtain the ashes!

assalamu alaikum w.w. Malik
some questions, hope u don't take offense:
-if Hussain (ra) hadn't been killed in Karbala, he would have passed away by now anyway. would Shia still cry in the same manner if he'd died of 'natural' causes in his old age?
-do you cry over the martydoms of any of the other great Sahaba eg Hamza (ra) or Uthman (ra). If not, why not?
-As Muslims, you agree that everything happens only by the will of Allah (swt). why do you cry and show such anguish/remorse at something that Allah (swt) has willed, instead of accepting Allah's (swt) decree with patience and control?
-Am I completely misunderstanding Shia?

jazakAllah for any answers.

Don't just do something! Stand there.

"Ya'qub" wrote:
why do you cry and show such anguish/remorse at something that Allah (swt) has willed, instead of accepting Allah's (swt) decree with patience and control?

We Sunnis also cry and remorse (however silently and in a different way) for what happened in Qarbala as we pity the pain and humiliation the Holy Prophet's (upon who me be peace) grandsons and family had to endure. It was Allah's (swt) will and test, and the family of the Holy Prophet accepted the pain and endured it however we should feel pain and pity for what happened as they should be more dearer to us than most of our family.

"Purity is half of faith.......Prayer is the light...patience is illumination; and the Quran is an argument for or against you. Everyone starts his day and is a vendor of his soul, either freeing it or bringing about its ruin." Muslim

"mmm" wrote:
Correct me if i'm wrong but beating yourself and wailing/crying out aloud is not allowed in Islam?!!!!

I think that they have heard this said to them again and again however they have their own proofs and evidences to support these acts.

We should really not question or insult the Shia aqeedah as it their opinion and we have no right to change it. We must open our minds, look ahead and seek for unity.

"Purity is half of faith.......Prayer is the light...patience is illumination; and the Quran is an argument for or against you. Everyone starts his day and is a vendor of his soul, either freeing it or bringing about its ruin." Muslim

"Ya'qub" wrote:
assalamu alaikum w.w. Malik
some questions, hope u don't take offense:
-if Hussain (ra) hadn't been killed in Karbala, he would have passed away by now anyway. would Shia still cry in the same manner if he'd died of 'natural' causes in his old age?
-do you cry over the martydoms of any of the other great Sahaba eg Hamza (ra) or Uthman (ra). If not, why not?
-As Muslims, you agree that everything happens only by the will of Allah (swt). why do you cry and show such anguish/remorse at something that Allah (swt) has willed, instead of accepting Allah's (swt) decree with patience and control?
-Am I completely misunderstanding Shia?

jazakAllah for any answers.

yes, you are indeed completely misunderstanding Shias.

we would not cry for Imam Hussain had he died on his bed, and we dont cry other sahaba because their martyrdom is not like that of Imam Hussain peace be upon him.
When Prophet's uncle Hamza was killed he also cried even though it was Allah's will. Weeping over the deaths of lvoed ones is Sunnah of Prophet peace be upon him.

Ayatollah rightly named America as "Great Satan".

please don't take offense, i don't mean to challenge ur beliefs. but you say that the Martyrdom of Hussain (ra) is different from other memebers of the Sahaba (ra) Is this simply because it was committed by other Muslims, or are there other reasons that this martyrdom was 'different'?

Also , my understanding was that while it is permissable to mourn someone for a short time, you should stop mournign after a while.

Will there be a time in the future that Shia stop mourning Hussein (ra), or will it continue indefinately?

jazakAllah

Don't just do something! Stand there.

Islam allows us to mourn as much as we like. Therefore, we will carry on forever.
It is said that true believers all will do matam for Imam Hussain on the Day on Judgement. Men women anc children will cry for Imam Hussain for a long time. Angels and Prophet will all mourn for Imam Hussain on that day. We believe they even today they cry for Imam Hussain in the sky. Imam Mehdi and Jesus Christ are coming back to this earth and they will conduct jaloos and lead matami tolas everywhere.

Imam Hussain's martyrdom is greatest martydom in history. No one else can equal the Karbala sacrifice.

Ayatollah rightly named America as "Great Satan".

ok thank you

Don't just do something! Stand there.

"malik" wrote:
It is said that true believers all will do matam for Imam Hussain on the Day on Judgement. Men women anc children will cry for Imam Hussain for a long time. Angels and Prophet will all mourn for Imam Hussain on that day. We believe they even today they cry for Imam Hussain in the sky. Imam Mehdi and Jesus Christ are coming back to this earth and they will conduct jaloos and lead matami tolas everywhere.

:shock: :shock: :shock:

Whatever you say, everybody has their own opinions but I find that a tad unrealistic :roll: .

"Purity is half of faith.......Prayer is the light...patience is illumination; and the Quran is an argument for or against you. Everyone starts his day and is a vendor of his soul, either freeing it or bringing about its ruin." Muslim

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