his hand,”1 and his words: “May Allah curse whoever commits an offense or shelters an offender,”2 and: “May Allah curse the one who consumes usury, the one who pays it, the one who records it, and its two witnesses,”3 and: “May Allah curse the man who marries a thrice-divorced woman merely to make her lawful for her former husband, and the former husband for whom this is done,”4 and: “May Allah curse wine, the one who presses it, the one who has it pressed, the one who carries it, the one to whom it is carried, the one who serves it, the one who drinks it, and the one who consumes the proceeds from its sale.”5

The scholars differed over cursing a particular sinner. Some held that it is permissible, while others held that it is not. The well-known position of Imam Ahmad—may Allah have mercy on him—is that cursing a particular individual is disliked, and that one should instead say, as Allah Most High says: “Surely the curse of Allah is upon the wrongdoers.”6

It is authentically established in Sahīh al-Bukhārī that “a man who was known as Himār used to drink wine and would be brought before the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—who would have him flogged. On one occasion, when he was brought before him, a man said, ‘May Allah curse him! How often he is brought before the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him!’ The Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said, ‘Do not curse him, for he loves Allah and His Messenger.’”7