In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
Imam al-Mundhiri recorded the chapter in his book Inspiring Hope and Inciting Fear:
الترهيب من السباب واللعن لا سيما لمعين آدمياً كان أو دابة وغيرهما والترهيب من سبّ الدهر
Discouragement from disparaging and cursing, especially if it is a specific human being, an animal, or anything else, and discouragement of cursing time.
Source: al-Targhīb wal-Tarhīb 3/466
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
الْمُسْتَبَّانِ مَا قَالَا فَعَلَى الْبَادِئِ مَا لَمْ يَعْتَدِ الْمَظْلُومُ
If two people exchange harsh words, it is against the instigator as long as the one wronged does not transgress.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2587, Grade: Sahih
In another narration, the Prophet said:
مِنْ الْكَبَائِرِ السَّبَّتَانِ بِالسَّبَّةِ
Among major sins is to insult twice in response to one insult.
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4877, Grade: Sahih
Imam al-Nawawi commented:
مَعْنَاهُ أَنَّ إِثْمَ السِّبَابِ الْوَاقِعِ مِنَ اثْنَيْنِ مُخْتَصٌّ بِالْبَادِئِ مِنْهُمَا كُلُّهُ إِلَّا أَنْ يَتَجَاوَزَ الثَّانِي قَدْرَ الِانْتِصَارِ فَيَقُولُ لِلْبَادِئِ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا قَالَ لَهُ وَفِي هَذَا جَوَازُ الِانْتِصَارِ وَلَا خِلَافَ فِي جَوَازِهِ … وَمَعَ هَذَا فَالصَّبْرُ وَالْعَفْوُ أَفْضَلُ
It means that the sin of using harsh words falls specifically and entirely on the instigator, unless the second person exceeds the limits of retaliation, such that he says to the instigator worse than what was said to him. In this is permission to retaliate, and there is no disagreement on its permission… But despite this, patience and forgiveness are better.
Source: Sharḥ al-Nawawī ‘alá Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 16/141
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
سِبَابُ الْمُسْلِمِ فُسُوقٌ وَقِتَالُهُ كُفْرٌ
Disparaging a Muslim is an act of wickedness, and fighting him is an act of unbelief.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 7076, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
سِبَابُ الْمُؤْمِنِ كَالْمُشْرِفِ عَلَى الْهَلَكَةِ
Cursing a believer is like being on the brink of destruction.
Source: Kashf al-Astār ‘an Zawā’id al-Bazzār 2036, Grade: Sahih
‘Iyad ibn Himar reported: I said, “O Messenger of Allah, what do you think of a man who insults me in a gathering beneath me, so I reciprocate him. Is there any blame on me?” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
الْمُسْتَبَّانِ شَيْطَانَانِ يَتَهَاتَرَانِ وَيَتَكَاذَبَانِ
Two people who insult each other are like two devils accusing and denouncing each other.
Source: al-Adab al-Mufrad lil-Bukhārī 428, Grade: Sahih
Jabir ibn Sulaym reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِنْ امْرُؤٌ شَتَمَكَ وَعَيَّرَكَ بِمَا يَعْلَمُ فِيكَ فَلَا تُعَيِّرْهُ بِمَا تَعْلَمُ فِيهِ فَإِنَّمَا وَبَالُ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهِ
If a man insults you and disparages you for what he knows about you, do not disparage him for what you know about him. Verily, the penalty will only be against him.
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4084, Grade: Sahih
In another narration, the Prophet said:
إِنْ امْرُؤٌ شَتَمَكَ وَعَيَّرَكَ بِأَمْرٍ يَعْلَمُهُ فِيكَ فَلَا تُعَيِّرْهُ بِأَمْرٍ تَعْلَمُهُ فِيهِ فَيَكُونَ لَكَ أَجْرُهُ وَعَلَيْهِ إِثْمُهُ وَلَا تَشْتُمَنَّ أَحَدًا
If a man insults you and reviles you for something he knows about you, do not disparage him for something you know about him. You will have his reward and he will have his sin, so do not insult anyone.
Source: Musnad Aḥmad 20632, Grade: Sahih li ghayrihi
Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِنَّ مِنْ أَكْبَرِ الْكَبَائِرِ أَنْ يَلْعَنَ الرَّجُلُ وَالِدَيْهِ
Verily, one of the major sins is that a man curses his own parents.
It was said, “O Messenger of Allah, how can a man curse his own parents?” The Prophet said:
يَسُبُّ الرَّجُلُ أَبَا الرَّجُلِ فَيَسُبُّ أَبَاهُ وَيَسُبُّ أُمَّهُ
He insults the father of another man and then that man insults his father and his mother.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5973, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
لَا يَنْبَغِي لِصِدِّيقٍ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَعَّانًا
It is not befitting the truthful that they are in the habit of cursing others.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2597, Grade: Sahih
In another narration, the Prophet said:
لا يَجْتَمعُ أنْ تكونوا لعَّانِينَ صِدِّيقينَ
You cannot be in the habit of cursing and among the truthful at the same time.
Source: al-Mustadrak ‘alá al-Ṣaḥīḥayn 148, Grade: Sahih
Aisha reported: Abu Bakr once cursed some of his slaves. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ اللَّعَّانِينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ كَلاَّ وَرَبِّ الْكَعْبَةِ
O Abu Bakr! Those who curse, or those who are true? No, by the Lord of the Ka’bah!
The Prophet said it two or three times. On that day, Abu Bakr freed some of his slaves. Then, the Prophet came to him, saying:
لا أَعُودُ
Do not do it again.
Source: al-Adab al-Mufrad lil-Bukhārī 319, Grade: Sahih
Abu Darda reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
لَا يَكُونُ اللَّعَّانُونَ شُفَعَاءَ وَلَا شُهَدَاءَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ
Those in the habit of cursing others will not be intercessors or witnesses on the Day of Resurrection.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2595, Grade: Sahih
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
لَيْسَ الْمُؤْمِنُ بِالطَّعَّانِ وَلَا اللَّعَّانِ وَلَا الْفَاحِشِ وَلَا الْبَذِيءِ
The believer does not insult others, he does not curse others, he is not vulgar, and he is not shameless.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 1977, Grade: Sahih
Ibn Umar reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
لَا يَكُونُ الْمُؤْمِنُ لَعَّانًا
The believer is not in the habit of cursing others.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2019, Grade: Sahih
Jurmuz al-Hujaymi reported: I said, “O Messenger of Allah, advise me.” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
أُوصِيكَ أَنْ لا تَكُونَ لَعَّانًا
I advise you not to curse others.
Source: Musnad Aḥmad 20678, Grade: Qawi
Samurah ibn Jundab reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
لَا تَلَاعَنُوا بِلَعْنَةِ اللَّهِ وَلَا بِغَضَبِهِ وَلَا بِالنَّارِ
Do not curse each other with the curse of Allah, nor His wrath, nor the Hellfire.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 1976, Grade: Sahih
Thabit ibn al-Dahhak reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
لَعْنُ الْمُؤْمِنِ كَقَتْلِهِ وَمَنْ رَمَى مُؤْمِنًا بِكُفْرٍ فَهُوَ كَقَتْلِهِ
Cursing a believer is like killing him, and accusing a believer of unbelief is like killing him.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6105, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Salamah ibn al-Akwa’, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
كُنَّا إِذَا رَأَيْنَا الرَّجُلَ يَلْعَنُ أَخَاهُ رَأَيْنَا أَنَّهُ قَدْ أَتَى بَابًا مِنَ الْكَبَائِرِ
If we saw a man curse his brother, we considered it as if he had come to a door of mortal sin.
Source: al-Mu’jam al-Awsaṭ lil-Ṭabarānī 6674, Grade: Sahih
Abu Darda reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا لَعَنَ شَيْئًا صَعِدَتْ اللَّعْنَةُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَتُغْلَقُ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ دُونَهَا ثُمَّ تَهْبِطُ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ فَتُغْلَقُ أَبْوَابُهَا دُونَهَا ثُمَّ تَأْخُذُ يَمِينًا وَشِمَالًا فَإِذَا لَمْ تَجِدْ مَسَاغًا رَجَعَتْ إِلَى الَّذِي لُعِنَ فَإِنْ كَانَ لِذَلِكَ أَهْلًا وَإِلَّا رَجَعَتْ إِلَى قَائِلِهَا
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 a place to go, it will return to that which was cursed, only if it deserved to be cursed. Otherwise, the curse will return upon the one who made it.
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4905, Grade: Jayyid
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِذَا وُجِّهَتْ اللَّعْنَةُ تَوَجَّهَتْ إِلَى مَنْ وُجِّهَتْ إِلَيْهِ فَإِنْ وَجَدَتْ فِيهِ مَسْلَكًا وَوَجَدَتْ سَبِيلًا حَلَّتْ بِهِ وَإِلَّا جَاءَتْ إِلَى رَبِّهَا فَقَالَتْ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ فُلَانًا وَجَّهَنِي إِلَى فُلَانٍ وَإِنِّي لَمْ أَجِدْ عَلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا وَلَمْ أَجِدْ فِيهِ مَسْلَكًا فَمَا تَأْمُرُنِي فَقَالَ ارْجِعِي مِنْ حَيْثُ جِئْتِ
When a curse is uttered, it is directed to the one for whom it was uttered. If it finds a path and a way, it is allowed to proceed. Otherwise, it returns to its Lord, saying: O Lord, such a person directed me to another, but I did not find a way and a path, so what do you command? Allah will say: Return against the one from whom you came.
Source: Musnad Aḥmad 3876, Grade: Hasan li ghayrihi
‘Imran ibn Husayn reported: We were with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, during one of his journeys while a woman from the Ansar was on a camel. She disparaged it and cursed it. When the Prophet heard it, he said:
خُذُوا مَا عَلَيْهَا وَدَعُوهَا فَإِنَّهَا مَلْعُونَةٌ
Unload the camel and set it free, for it has been cursed.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2595, Grade: Sahih
Anas reported: A man was riding with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and he cursed his camel. The Prophet said:
يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ لا تَسِرْ مَعَنَا عَلَى بَعِيرٍ مَلْعُونٍ
O servant of Allah, do not ride with us upon a cursed camel!
Source: Musnad Abī Ya’lá 3565, Grade: Jayyid
Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was riding on a journey and a man cursed his she-camel. The Prophet said:
أَيْنَ صَاحِبُ النَّاقَةِ
Where is the owner of the she-camel?
The man said, “It is me.” The Prophet said:
أَخِّرْهَا فَقَدْ أُجِبْتَ فِيهَا
Leave her behind, for your curse has been answered.
Source: Musnad Aḥmad 9522, Grade: Sahih li ghayrihi
Zayd ibn Khalid reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
لَا تَسُبُّوا الدِّيكَ فَإِنَّهُ يُوقِظُ لِلصَّلَاةِ
Do not disparage the rooster, as it wakes you up for prayer.
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 5101, Grade: Sahih
Ibn Abbas reported: A man cursed the wind in front of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. The Prophet said:
لَا تَلْعَنْ الرِّيحَ فَإِنَّهَا مَأْمُورَةٌ وَإِنَّهُ مَنْ لَعَنَ شَيْئًا لَيْسَ لَهُ بِأَهْلٍ رَجَعَتْ اللَّعْنَةُ عَلَيْهِ
Do not curse the wind, for it only acts as it was commanded. Verily, whoever curses anything that does not deserve it, the curse will backfire against him.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 1978, Grade: Sahih
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُؤْذِينِي ابْنُ آدَمَ يَسُبُّ الدَّهْرَ وَأَنَا الدَّهْرُ بِيَدِي الْأَمْرُ أُقَلِّبُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ
Allah Almighty said, ‘The son of Adam insults Me. He curses time, but I am time, for in My hand are the night and day.’
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4826, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.
