Chapter: The Prohibition of Cursing a Specific Person or Animal

1551 – Abū Zayd Thābit ibn al-Ḍaḥḥāk al-Anṣārī (may Allah be pleased with him), who took the Pledge of Riḍwān, reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever deliberately swears a false oath by a religion other than Islam is exactly as he has said. Whoever kills himself with something will be tormented with that very thing on the Day of Resurrection. No man is bound by a vow regarding something he does not own. And cursing a believer is like killing him.” Agreed upon.

[Commentary]
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) entitles this section “The Prohibition of Cursing a Specific Human Being or Animal.” The term laʿn (curse) means expulsion and banishment from the mercy of Allah. Thus, when you say, “O Allah, curse so-and-so,” you are asking that Allah drive him far from His mercy—Allah’s refuge is sought.

For this reason, cursing a particular individual ranks among the major sins. It is impermissible to curse someone by name, saying, for example, “O Allah, curse so-and-so,” or, “May Allah’s curse be upon you,” and the like—even if that person is a living disbeliever. When the Prophet ﷺ once began naming certain people and saying, “O Allah, curse so-and-so, O Allah, curse so-and-so,” Allah revealed to him: “You have no share in the matter—whether He turns to them in mercy or punishes them, for they are wrongdoers.” Some people, moved by zeal, will curse a specific man simply because he is a disbeliever, yet this is not permitted, for you do not know—perhaps Allah—