Majmu' al-Fatawa - Ibn Taimiya - (34/228)

He was also asked—may Allah sanctify his soul:

What is the ruling on someone who insults and reviles another man?

He replied:

If someone wrongs him by insulting and reviling him, he may respond in kind, insulting him in return, provided that his response is not intrinsically forbidden, as lying is. If, however, the insult is intrinsically forbidden, such as slander not involving an accusation of unlawful sexual intercourse, the offender is to receive a severe discretionary punishment that deters him and other foolish people like him. Discretionary punishment is also permissible for the first kind of insult; indeed, this is the prescribed course when his insolence or aggression against someone better than himself is repeated. And Allah knows best.

He was also asked—may Allah Most High have mercy on him:

What is the ruling on someone who insults another man, saying, “You are accursed, a child born of unlawful intercourse”?

He replied:

He must receive a discretionary punishment for these words. He must also receive the prescribed punishment for an accusation of unlawful sexual intercourse if, by this expression, he did not intend what many people intend by it: that the conduct of the person insulted is vile, like that of a child born of unlawful intercourse.

وَسُئِلَ - قَدَّسَ اللَّهُ رُوحَهُ -: عَمَّنْ شَتَمَ رَجُلًا وَسَبَّهُ؟ فَأَجَابَ: إذَا اعْتَدَى عَلَيْهِ بِالشَّتْمِ وَالسَّبِّ فَلَهُ أَنْ يَعْتَدِيَ عَلَيْهِ بِمِثْلِ مَا اعْتَدَى عَلَيْهِ؛ فَيَشْتُمَهُ إذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ ذَلِكَ مُحَرَّمًا لِعَيْنِهِ: كَالْكَذِبِ. وَأَمَّا إنْ كَانَ مُحَرَّمًا لِعَيْنِهِ كَالْقَذْفِ بِغَيْرِ الزِّنَا فَإِنَّهُ يُعَزَّرُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ تَعْزِيرًا بَلِيغًا يَرْدَعُهُ وَأَمْثَالَهُ مِنْ السُّفَهَاءِ وَلَوْ عُزِّرَ عَلَى النَّوْعِ الْأَوَّلِ مِنْ الشَّتْمِ جَازَ؛ وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَشْرَعُ إذَا تَكَرَّرَ سَفَهُهُ أَوْ عُدْوَانُهُ عَلَى مَنْ هُوَ أَفْضَلُ مِنْهُ. وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَسُئِلَ - رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى -: عَمَّنْ شَتَمَ رَجُلًا فَقَالَ لَهُ: أَنْتَ مَلْعُونٌ وَلَدُ زِنًا؟ فَأَجَابَ: يَجِبُ تَعْزِيرُهُ عَلَى هَذَا الْكَلَامِ وَيَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ حَدُّ الْقَذْفِ إنْ لَمْ يَقْصِدْ بِهَذِهِ الْكَلِمَةِ مَا يَقْصِدُهُ كَثِيرٌ مِنْ النَّاسِ مِنْ قَصْدِهِمْ بِهَذِهِ الْكَلِمَةِ أَنَّ الْمَشْتُومَ فِعْلُهُ خَبِيثٌ كَفِعْلِ وَلَدِ الزِّنَا.