Refrain from Cursing

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would not abuse others, he would not use obscene words, and he would not curse others. If he wanted to admonish anyone of us, he used to say: What is wrong with him? His forehead be dusted!

Everywhere around us, we see people cursing each other as a pastime; the Ummah is not an exception. Muslims of different categories  are involved, Imams, Islamic teachers, students of Arabic and Islamic schools, parents on their children, husbands and wives, masters on servants, citizens on their leaders , leaders on their citizens and many others.

Allah Aza wajaAllah admonish against such traits. O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them; nor let women ridicule [other] women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames. Wretched is the name of disobedience after [one’s] faith. And whoever does not repent – then it is those who are the wrongdoers Surat Al-Ĥujurāt – 11

There are other references from Hadith, which strongly goes against such practices that is rampant amongst us. Abdullah ibn Umar reported: He heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, raising his head from the last bowing in dawn prayer and saying: You do not have any decision in the matter whether He will forgive them or punish them. Verily, they are oppressors. (3:128).

After this incident, the Prophet would not curse people by name and he encouraged us not to indulge in curses. Anas ibn Malik reported: On one occasion, the Prophet refused to curse the idolaters who were persecuting the Muslims at the time. Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was told, “O Messenger of Allah, pray against the idolaters!” So the Prophet said: Verily, I was not sent to invoke curses, but rather I was only sent as a mercy: Sahih Muslim 2599.

A Muslim should never desire for others to be destroyed. The Prophet taught us to love for our neighbours what we love for ourselves, so we should never love destruction upon others. Ibn Mas’ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, “A true believer is not involved in taunting, or frequently cursing (others) or in indecency or abusing.”[At-Tirmidhi].

The seriousness of abstaining from curses can also be best understood when Muslims realised that it is not even permissible for a Muslim to curse a specific person, animal, or object. Abu Barzah Al-Aslami reported: A young woman was riding a camel on which was the people’s luggage. When she saw the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and the pass of the mountain became narrow, the woman said to the camel, “Go ahead.” When it did not move, she said, “O Allah, curse it!” The Prophet said: We will not be accompanied by a camel that has been cursed. Source: Sahih Muslim 2596.

Those who indulged in curses will not be granted the honour of interceding or witnessing on the Day of Resurrection. Abu Ad-Darda reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Those who indulge in curses will not be intercessors or witnesses on the Day of Resurrection. Similarly, if a Muslim curses another person who does not deserve it, then that curse will return against him. Abu Ad-Darda reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Verily, when a servant curses something, the curse rises to the heaven and the gates of heaven close upon it. It turns right and left and if it does not find somewhere to go, it will return to that which was cursed only if it deserved to be curse, otherwise the curse will return to the one who made it.

In conclusion, Muslims must be very cautious about indulging in curses. It is not lawful to curse a specific person or animal, and whoever does so should expiate that deed by offering a positive supplication. Umar ibn Al-Khattab, May Allah be pleased with him, said: Let not your hatred be your destruction, which meant, when you hate someone and you love to see such person destroyed.

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