The prohibition of cursing

We relate in the Ṣaḥīḥ of Muslim that Abū Hurayrah reported that Allah’s Messenger said: “It does not become a truthful person to be constantly cursing.” ^[2].

We also relate in the Ṣaḥīḥ of Muslim that Abū ad-Dardā’ reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “Those who curse others will not be intercessors or witnesses on the Day of Judgment.” ^[3].

We relate in the Sunan of Abū Dāwūd and at-Tirmidhī that Samurah ibn Jundub related that the Messenger of Allah said: “Do not curse one another with the curse of Allah or His wrath, or with Hell-Fire.” ^[4].At-Tirmidhī says that this hadith is ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ.

We relate in the book of at-Tirmidhī that Ibn Mas‘ūd reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “The believer is not one who defames, curses, uses foul language or is obscene.” ^[5].At-Tirmidhī says that this is a ḥasan hadith.

We relate in the Sunan of Abū Dāwūd that Abū ad-Dardā’ reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “When a servant [of Allah] curses something, his curse goes up to Heaven, but the doors of Heaven are closed to it. Then it descends to Earth, but the doors are closed to it. Then it starts to go left and right, and if it does not gain access it returns to the one who was cursed, and if he is deserving of it. . .. If he is not, it returns to him who said it.” ^[6].

We relate in the books of Abū Dāwūd and at-Tirmidhī that Ibn ‘Abbās related that the Messenger of Allah said: “When someone curses something that is not deserving of it, the curse will return to him.” ^[7].

‘Imrān ibn al-Ḥuṣayn narrated that on one of the Messenger of Allah’s journeys there was a woman from the Anṣār, riding a she-camel. She became annoyed and cursed it. The Messenger of Allah heard her and said: “Take what is on it and leave it, for it is accursed.” ‘Imrān said: “It is as if I can see her walking among the people, and no-one paid any attention to her.” ^[8].

I say that the learned differ as to whether Ḥuṣayn—the father of ‘Imrān—was a Muslim and a Companion; but the sound position is that he was a Muslim and a Companion, and it is for this reason that I said , ‘may Allah be pleased with both of them’.

We also relate in the Ṣaḥīḥ of Muslim that Abū Barzah reported that while a young girl was on her she-camel on which was some travellers’ baggage she saw the Messenger of Allah . The mountain pass became narrow for them. She said: “Ḥal! O Allah, curse her [the she-camel].” The Messenger of Allah said: “No camel that has a curse on it may accompany us.” According to another report he said: “No riding animal that has a curse on it from Allah may accompany us.” ^[9].

I say that ḥal, with a fatḥah on the ḥā’ and a sukūn on the lām, is a word used when driving a camel on.

It is established from well-known and authentic hadiths that the Messenger of Allah said: “May Allah curse those who join hair and those who ask for it to be length ened. . .;” ^[10].and that he said: “May Allah curse those who consume usury. . .;” ^[11].and that he said: “May Allah curse those who draw pictures;” ^[12].and that he said: “May Allah curse those who alter the land’s landmarks. . .;” ^[13].“May Allah curse the thief who steals [even] an egg;” ^[14].and that he said: “May Allah curse those who curse their parents and those who slaughter animals in the name of others besides Allah;” ^[15].and that he said “Whoever invents an innovation in it or gives refuge to an innovator, upon them be the curse of Allah, the angels and all mankind” ^[16].; and that he said “O Allah, curse Ri‘l, Dhakwān and ‘Uṣayyah; they disobeyed Allah and His Prophet” ^[17].(these were three Arab tribes); and that he said “May Allah curse the Jews; fats were made unlawful for them, but they melted them down and sold them;” ^[18].and that he said “Allah curse the Jews and the Christians: they took the graves of their prophets as places of worship;” ^[19].and that he said: “Allah curse men who imitate women and women who imitate men.” ^[20].

All these wordings are from the Ṣaḥīḥs of al-Bukhārī and Muslim. Some of them are from both and some are from one of the two. I have only indicated them and have mentioned their lines of transmission in order to be brief.

We relate in the Ṣaḥīḥ of Muslim that Jābir related that the Messenger of Allah saw a donkey that was branded on the face and he said: “May Allah curse the one who branded it.” ^[21].

We relate in the Ṣaḥīḥs [of al-Bukhārī and Muslim] that Ibn ‘Umar passed by some boys from Quraysh who had tied up a bird and were throwing stones at it. Ibn ‘Umar said: “May Allah curse those who do this. Allah’s Messenger said: ‘May Allah curse him who uses anything that has a spirit as a target.’” ^[22].

Know that to curse an innocent Muslim is ḥarām according to the consensus of the Muslims. It is permissible to curse those who have blameworthy qualities, as by saying: ‘May Allah curse wrongdoers,’ ‘May Allah curse the disbelievers,’

‘May Allah curse the Jews and the Christians,’ ‘May Allah curse deviants,’ and the like, as we said in the previous chapter.

Cursing a specific person for any act of disobedience that he is characterised by, such as being a Jew, Christian, oppressor, adulterer, sculptor or picture-painter, thief, or consumer of usury, is not ḥarām from the apparent meaning of the hadiths. Al-Ghazālī indicates that it is ḥarām except in the case of those whom we know to have died as disbelievers, like Abū Lahab, Abū Jahl, Fir‘awn (Pharaoh), and Hāmān. He says: “For cursing is rendering a person far from the mercy of Allah , but we do not know what will be the final destiny of such a deviant or disbeliever.” He said: “Those whom the Messenger of Allah cursed specifically, it is conceivable that he knew that they would die as disbelievers.” He adds, “It is close to cursing to pray for evil to befall a person, even if the person be a wrongdoer, by saying for example ‘May Allah not cure his body,’ or ‘May Allah not grant him safety’ and the like. All this is blameworthy. Likewise, cursing any animal or any object is reprehensible.”

Abū Ja‘far cited that one of the ‘ulamā’ said, “If someone curses something that does not deserve to be cursed then he should hasten to add, ‘Unless it does not deserve it.’”

It is permissible for anyone when commanding the right and forbidding the wrong, and for any teacher, to say to the one he is addressing: ‘Woe to you!’, ‘O weak person,’ ‘O you who have little regard for yourself,’ ‘O you who harm yourself,’ and so on. This applies as long as he does not lie and there is no element of slander, whether explicit or implied, even if what he says is true. [To use the kind of expression] we have just mentioned is only permissible if the objective is to discipline and rebuke someone, and so that it may be more effective.

We relate from the Ṣaḥīḥs of al-Bukhārī and Muslim that Anas narrated that the Messenger [of Allah] saw a man leading his camel [for slaughter in Makkah]. He said: “Ride it.” He said: “It is a camel [for slaughter].” He said: “Ride it.” He said: “It is a camel [for slaughter].” The third time he said: “Ride it, woe to you!” ^[23].

We relate in the same two Ṣaḥīḥs that Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī related: “While we were with the Prophet and he was distributing some shares, Dhū al-Khuwayṣirah—a man from Banū Tamīm—came and said: “Messenger of Allah, be fair.” Allah’s Messenger said: “Woe to you! Who will be fair if I am not fair?” ^[24].

We relate in the Ṣaḥīḥ of Muslim that ‘Adī ibn Ḥātim narrated that a man gave a khuṭbah in front of the Messenger of Allah and said: “Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has been guided; and whoever disobeys them has gone astray.” The Messenger of Allah said: “You are a poor orator. Say: ‘And he who disobeys Allah and His Messenger.’” ^[25].

We relate in the Ṣaḥīḥs of al-Bukhārī and Muslim that Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh related that a slave belonging to Ḥāṭib came to the Messenger of Allah and complained about Ḥāṭib. He said: “Messenger of Allah, Ḥāṭib will enter Hell.” Allah’s Messenger said: “You lie; he will not enter Hell, for he took part in Badr and Ḥudaybiyah.” ^[26].

We relate in the Ṣaḥīḥs of al-Bukhārī and Muslim what Abū Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddīq said to his son ‘Abd ar-Raḥmān when he found out that he had not served his guests supper: “O Ghunthar.” This hadith was explained in the chapter on names. ^[27].

We relate in the same two Ṣaḥīḥs that Jābir [once] performed ṣalāh in a single garment, with his clothes lying next to him. When asked about it he replied: “I am doing this so that the ignorant like you can see.” According to another report he said: “So that fools like you can see.” ^[28].