and from him shall emanate such a stench that the inhabitants of the Fire (1) will seek refuge with their Lord from its terrible foulness. He shall abide therein forever, tasting (2) the painful punishment. Whenever their skins are burned through, Allah will replace their skins so that they may taste the punishment. It will not be eased for them for a single hour, and he shall be given (3) scalding water from Hell to drink. Woe to them because of the punishment of Allah, Mighty and Majestic.” He—blessings and peace be upon him—also said: “The wrath of Allah and my own wrath are fierce against anyone who sheds the blood of my family and harms me through my progeny.””

The answer is that what is said about cursing Yazīd is the same as what is said about cursing rulers like him—among the caliphal kings (4) and others.

Yet Yazīd was better than others: he was better than al-Mukhtār ibn Abī Ubayd al-Thaqafī, the governor of Iraq who publicly sought vengeance against al-Husayn’s killers, for al-Mukhtār claimed that Jibrīl came to him. He was also better than al-Hajjāj ibn Yūsuf, who was more oppressive than Yazīd by consensus.

Even so, it may be said that, at worst, Yazīd and rulers like him were flagrant sinners. One is not commanded to curse a particular sinner. The Sunnah contains curses (5) directed only at general categories, as in the Prophet’s words—may Allah bless him and grant him peace: “May Allah curse the thief: he steals an egg and, as a result, suffers the amputation of