Lamentation
Death is an inevitable reality for everyone alive. When we are confronted with such a profound loss of someone we cherish, our reactions vary, reflecting the deep sorrow and grief we feel. For instance, a writer may express their loss through a literary form known as lamentation, which can manifest as either poetry or prose. In this way, the author releases the pent-up emotions from their heart onto paper, as though the very sheets themselves are weeping from the intensity of the writer’s sorrow for their beloved departed. May God grant mercy to our deceased and envelop them in His vast compassion.
Beautiful Expressions of Lamentation in Prose
- Let us all weep together for my father; grant me eyes with which to cry, for my tears have run dry.
- Death—a word composed of just three letters; easy to pronounce yet capable of shaking the hearts of the living and disrupting their rest.
- Perhaps those I held dear have passed before me; they do not attend my mourning nor witness my absence as I did theirs, vanishing twice—on the day of their death and on the day of my own.
- Those who have died should emerge from their graves to see what we have done in their absence and to recognize the words we left unwritten, fearing to touch the pain of loss.
- “Dead” is a term that will eventually be spoken of you; it signifies your end in this life. Are you prepared for what follows?
- We should not mourn our friends, for it is a mercy to lose them through death rather than while they live.
- They were once here and then departed, for their reasons, but life continues; the sun still rises, days march on, and time does not stop. We remain, still filled with blood in our veins and a pulse in our hearts, so why live without vitality or die without meaning?
- Embrace death to receive life; realize that death is unavoidable, occurring only once. If you dedicate it to the path of God, it becomes both a worldly gain and a reward in the hereafter.
- Perspectives on death vary among individuals. Some feel the weight of death with the loss of a loved one, believing their life has come to an end, while others experience a sense of dying when surrounded by failure, feeling paralyzed by despair and believing they no longer have a reason to stay on this earth.
- Death signals the departure of someone from your life permanently, leaving behind only memories, even if that separation happened just hours ago.
Reflections on Lamentation
- O God, instill in us a fear of You! Let us keep death before us; nothing else deserves our tears as much as being deprived of You, and no sadness is legitimate except mourning for You. All things are transient and as fleeting as the wind, except Your face. You are the truth, and You manifest in beauty wherever the eye gazes, the ear listens, or the imagination soars. There is no god but You; glory be to You! Truly, I have been among the wrongdoers.
- How many beloved figures have been humbled by death, once adorned with the banners of glory!
- He who dies by the sword departs, while others succumb to different fates; the causes vary, yet the disease remains the same.
- Indeed, death is the ultimate end for every living being; no ruler has ever gained immortality. This is God’s decree among His creations—and it matters not how one may speak of their existence.
- It is narrated that Noah, the greatest of prophets, encountered the Angel of Death after living for over a thousand years before and after the great flood. When asked how he found life, he replied, “Life is like a house with two doors; I entered through one and exited through the other.”
- Death is certain, but not every young person deserves tears upon their departure.
- He who rests is not truly dead; rather, the dead are those who live without purpose.
- The issue of death is not solely the concern of the deceased; it is a matter that weighs heavy on those left behind.
- When you think of the deceased, consider yourself as one of them.
- Death extinguishes the light of life, and beyond its extinguishing lies darkness.
- The death of the righteous brings rest to their souls, while the passing of the wicked provides relief to others.
- As God granted us life, He cannot take it away through death; hence, death should not be viewed as a loss of life. Instead, it is a transition to another existence beyond this life, followed by resurrection and ascension to infinite realms.
Phrases of Lamentation
- We should contemplate the reality of death when we hear its mention, but the distractions of life often lead us to play and lose focus. O Lord, do not let us suffer the loss of a loved one; make our best deeds be the last we perform.
- I mourn you, O man whose memory is obscured among people. Does it matter to explain what has been lost? He will remain eternal in the shape of someone the world will never see again, noble and distinguished, a presence filled with longings.
- Memories flash back to struggles as we recall the absence of dear ones among us. O heedless one, death is pursuing you! Consider how each hour passes; seek forgiveness from the Merciful, for perhaps the All-Compassionate will forgive our transgressions.
- Brother, do my tears still flow? Will there be reunion in the gardens of paradise? I see you upon thrones in bliss; indeed, you are a splendid offering and the finest dowry.
- Where has he gone? He has passed away! What does that mean? God has chosen him to be alongside Him in paradise.
- My grandfather was beautiful, the spirit so brilliant that the earth could not bear him; thus, it concealed him within its depths.
- I wish I could return briefly after my death—not to see how anyone’s life has changed, but to catch a fleeting glimpse of my belongings, wondering if they are being shared by the living after me.
- What will people do at my funeral? They will drink coffee and tea and discuss rising prices, perhaps a passing woman will ask: “Which one of them has died?”
- Strive to do good and act quickly before you long for a reprieve that will never come. Do not be deceived by a life that leads to death; among its multitude, you see nothing but fragmentation, and in its vastness, you hear only this one is ill and that one has died.