Abu ‘Umayr reported: He was friends with Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, and Ibn Mas’ud visited his household but did not find him, so he sought permission to enter, greeted them with peace, and requested a drink. They dispatched a servant girl to bring him a drink from the neighbors, but she was slow to return. The people cursed her, so Ibn Mas’ud left them. Abu ‘Umayr came after him, and he said, “O Abu Abdur Rahman, no one makes a foray like you! Would that you greet my brother’s people, sit with them, and let them pour you a drink?” Ibn Mas’ud said, “I had done so. They sent the servant, but she was slow to return so they cursed her. I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say: Verily, when a curse is directed at its target, it either strikes it on the way or finds another path, or else it says, ‘O Lord, I was directed at such a person, but I did not find a way or another path.’ It will be said to it, ‘Return from where you came.’” Ibn Mas’ud continued, “I was afraid that the servant had an excuse, then the curse would return to its people, and it would be my fault.”
Source: Musnad Aḥmad 23578
Grade: Hasan (fair) according to Al-Albani
عَنْ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ أَنَّهُ كَانَ صَدِيقًا لِعَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ زَارَهُ فِي أَهْلِهِ فَلَمْ يَجِدْهُ قَالَ فَاسْتَأْذَنَ عَلَى أَهْلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَاسْتَسْقَى قَالَ فَبَعَثَتِ الْجَارِيَةَ تَجِيئُهُ بِشَرَابٍ مِنَ الْجِيرَانِ فَأَبْطَأَتْ فَلَعَنَتْهَا فَخَرَجَ عَبْدُ اللهِ فَجَاءَ أَبُو عُمَيْرٍ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ لَيْسَ مِثْلُكَ يُغَارُ عَلَيْهِ هَلَّا سَلَّمْتَ عَلَى أَهْلِ أَخِيكَ وَجَلَسْتَ وَأَصَبْتَ مِنَ الشَّرَابِ قَالَ قَدْ فَعَلْتُ فَأَرْسَلَتِ الْخَادِمَ فَأَبْطَأَتْ فَلَعَنَتْهَا وَسَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ إِنَّ اللَّعْنَةَ إِذَا وُجِّهَتْ إِلَى مَنْ وُجِّهَتْ إِلَيْهِ فَإِنْ أَصَابَتْ عَلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا أَوْ وَجَدَتْ فِيهِ مَسْلَكًا وَإِلَّا قَالَتْ يَا رَبِّ وُجِّهْتُ إِلَى فُلَانٍ فَلَمْ أَجِدْ عَلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا وَلَمْ أَجِدْ فِيهِ مَسْلَكًا فَيُقَالُ لَهَا ارْجِعِي مِنْ حَيْثُ جِئْتِ قَالَ فَخَشِيتُ أَنْ تَكُونَ الْخَادِمُ مَعْذُورَةً فَتَرْجِعَ اللَّعْنَةُ فَأَكُونَ سَبَبَهَا
3876 مسند أحمد بن حنبل
502 المحدث الألباني خلاصة حكم المحدث حسن في صحيح الجامع