A similar outcome appears in another account. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, once entered upon Abu Salama—may Allah be pleased with him—whose eyes had become fixed; his soul had just departed. The Prophet closed his eyes and said, “When the soul is taken, the eyes follow it. When your soul leaves the body, the eyesight, by Allah’s permission, sees it and follows it.” When the members of the household heard this, they realised that Abu Salama had died and they began to wail. The Prophet said, “Only supplicate good for yourselves, for the angels say ‘Āmīn’ to whatever you utter.” He then prayed: “O Allah, forgive Abu Salama, raise his rank among the rightly guided, widen his grave for him and fill it with light, and look after those he has left behind among later generations.”

Five petitions—weightier than the whole world and everything in it: “O Allah, forgive Abu Salama, raise his rank among the rightly guided, widen his grave for him, fill it with light, and be the guardian of his descendants.” One of these prayers we have witnessed, and, Allah willing, the rest have likewise been answered: the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, assumed responsibility for Abu Salama’s family—he married his widow and reared his children, so they grew up in the care of the Messenger of Allah.

The point is that, whatever the calamity, a person must remain patient, recite the words of return—“Allahumma, reward me for my affliction and replace it with something better”—and understand that natural tears unaccompanied by wailing are permissible, for even the best of creation, Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, wept in that way. Allah alone grants success.