Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #46

Etiquette: Cursing

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

[Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen (6/191-192) of Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله]

The Shaikh رحمه الله said:

al-La`n (Curse: اللعن) means: expelling and driving away from the Mercy of Allaah. So when a person says: “O Allaah! Curse so-and-so”, it is meant by it that Allaah تعالى drives away and expels someone from His mercy; and Allaah’s refuge is sought.

Cursing a particular/specific person is from the major sins; meaning: It is not permissible to curse a particular person by saying: “O Allaah! Curse so-and-so”, or saying: “Allaah’s curse be on you” or something similar, even if he is a kaafir and he is alive, it is not permissible for you to curse him. This is because the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, due to what took place, said: “O Allaah! Curse so-and-so, O Allaah! Curse so-and-so” i.e. he صلى الله عليه وسلم was naming individuals, so Allaah تعالى said: {Not for you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) is the decision (it is for Allaah Alone); whether He turns in mercy to (pardons) them or punishes them; verily, they are the Zalimoon (polytheists, disobedients, and wrong-doers, etc.).} [1] 

And there are among men, who would curse a particular person, especially if he was a kaafir, and this is not permissible. You do not know that Allaah might guide him, and how many people were staunch enemies of the Muslims and Islaam and then Allaah تعالى guided and they became one of the best believing slaves of Allaah.

And on (6/202-204) the Shaikh رحمه الله said:

But it is permissible to say: “O Allaah! Curse the oppressors”, making it a general (statement) and not specifying a particular person – so this would include the oppressors as a whole. Moreover, it is affirmed on the authority of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that he cursed the Waasilah and the Mutawassilah (those women who create artificial space between the teeth of others to look beautiful and those who get it done on themselves) – this is for the women. So specifying a person and cursing him particularly is Haraam and not allowed, but as a general, then it is allowed.

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[1] Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (4069, 4559, 4560, 7346)