, for they have gone on to what they sent ahead.” (1)

Indeed, he went so far as to say:

“Do not revile our dead, lest you hurt our living.” (2)

He said this because some people used to revile Abu Jahl and other disbelievers like him whose relatives had embraced Islam; by reviling such men, they caused pain to their relatives.

As for the report he quoted from Ahmad, the established statement transmitted from him by Sālih is that he said: “When have you ever seen your father curse anyone? [When he was asked, ‘Will you not curse Yazīd?’ he replied, ‘When have you ever seen your father curse anyone?’]” (3)

It is also established from him that, when a man mentioned al-Hajjāj or similar oppressors and wished to curse them, he should say (4): “Surely Allah’s curse is upon the wrongdoers.” He disapproved of cursing a particular individual by name.

Another report was transmitted from him concerning the cursing of Yazīd, according to which he said: “Should I not curse one whom Allah has cursed?” He cited the verse as evidence. However, this report has a disconnected chain and is not established from him. Moreover, the verse does not indicate that a particular individual may be cursed. If, whenever the perpetrator of a sin is cursed (5), the particular person who committed it were also to be cursed, then the majority of