Those who have wept [excessively] are five – Adam, Ya`qub, Yusuf, Fatima bt. Muhammad (s) and `Ali b. al-Husayn (as). As to Adam, he wept over Paradise until his cheeks became like valleys (i.e. curved, sunk in). As to Ya`qub, he wept over Yusuf until his vision left and until he was told: “By Allah! You shall not cease to remember Yusuf until you become sick to the hilt or you are of those who perish” (12:85). As to Yusuf, he wept over Ya`qub until the inhabitants of the prison were hurt by it and they said: Either you weep by day and be silent at night or that you weep by night and be silent in the daytime. So, he agreed to one of those two with them. As to Fatima bt. Muhammad (s), she wept over the Messenger of Allah (s) until the people of Medina were troubled due to it. And they said to her: “You give us trouble through the excess of your crying.” So, she went out towards the graves of the martyrs and wept until her need was accomplished; then she would depart. And as to `Ali b. al-Husayn, he wept over al-Husayn (as) for twenty years or forty years. And food would not be placed in front of him, but he would weep until a retainer of his said to him: “May I be ransomed for you, O son of the Messenger of Allah! I fear for you lest you be of those who perish (i.e. due to the excessive crying and lack of nutrition).” He said: “I only complain of my sorrow and my grief to Allah, and I know from Allah what you know not. Surely, I do not remember the perdition of the children of Fatima but that I am choked with tears because of that.”