The weeping of the Salaf when they hears the name of the prophet

May Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon our beloved Prophet

Al-Qaadee 'Iyaadh (d.591H) - rahimahullaah - relates: "Mu'sab ibn 'Abdullaah said: When Imaam Maalik (d.179H) would mention the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, his colour would change and he would have to lean down, and those in his gathering would feel disturbed. So one day, on being asked about this, he said:

 If you had seen what I have seen, you would not have rejected what you had seen.

I have seen Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir (d.130H) - and he was the leader of the Reciters - that he would never be asked about a hadeeth(Prophetic narration), except that he would weep, until we had mercy upon him. 

And I have seen Ja'far ibn Muhammad (d.148H) who used to smile alot. Yet whenever the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam was mentioned to him, he would turn pale. I have never seen him narrating the hadeeth of the Allaah's Messengersallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, except in a state of purification. And when times deteriorated, I never saw him except in one of three conditions: Either Praying, observing silence, or reciting the Qur'aan. He never uttered a word having no significance, and he was one of the Scholars and worshippers who had great fear of Allaah. 

Whenever 'Abdur-Rahmaan ibn al-Qaasim (d.126H) mentioned the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, he turned pale, as if the blood had been drained from his face, and his tongue dried-up due to reverence for Allaah's Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. 

I went to 'Aamir ibn 'Abdullaah ibn az-Zubayr (d.123H), and whenever the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam was mentioned to him, he would weep so much, until he was unable to weep any longer. 

I saw az-Zuhree (d.124H) - and he was from the kindest of people, and closest to them - that when the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam was mentioned to him, he would not be able to recognise you, nor would you be able to recognise him.

I came to Safwaan ibn Sulaym (d.132H) - and he was one of the mujtahid Scholars and worshippers - that whenever he mentioned the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam he would weep, and he would not stop weeping, to the extent that the people would have to get up and leave him."

Source: Al-Istiqaamah Magazine , Issue No.6 - Dhul-Qa'dah 1417H / March 1997, Original source: Ibn Taymiyyah in Kitaabul-Waseelah (p.92)