Written by: Fadheelat Ash-Sheikh Abdul Salam bin Muhammad (may Allah preserve him)
"It is one of the major sins for a man to curse his parents."
It was asked, "O Messenger of Allah, can a person curse his own parents?"
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, "Yes, he curses someone else's father, and in return, that person curses his father; and he curses someone else's mother, and in return, that person curses his mother." [Bukhari and Muslim]
"Do not say to them [so much as], 'Uff,' and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word." [Surah Al-Isra: 23]
If merely saying "Uff" is forbidden, then cursing is far worse.
➋ Even if a person does not directly curse their parents, if their actions cause others to curse their parents, this is also forbidden. For example, if a person curses someone else’s parents, that person may respond by cursing the parents of the one who initiated the insult.
➌ Any action that is likely to lead someone into sin is also considered impermissible. For instance, cursing someone's parents creates a situation where the other person may be provoked to curse your parents in return, even if it is not guaranteed to happen. This is known as "blocking the means" (sadd al-dhara'i), which is supported by the Quranic verse:
"Do not insult those they invoke besides Allah, lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge." [Surah Al-An'am: 108]
Another example of this principle is found in a Hadith where the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her):
"O Aisha, had your people not been recent converts from disbelief, I would have demolished the Kaaba and rebuilt it on the foundations of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), making two doors, one on the east and one on the west." [Bukhari, Book of Hajj, 42]
Here, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) refrained from rebuilding the Kaaba, even though there were many benefits to doing so, because he feared that the newly converted Muslims might not understand and be led into confusion or doubt.
However, it should be noted that the principle of avoiding an action to prevent others from sinning only applies to non-obligatory matters. If fulfilling a command of Allah (such as inviting someone to prayer) results in the other person responding with insults or sin, this should not stop the fulfillment of that command. Imam Bukhari mentioned this principle in the chapter "Whoever left some optional acts for fear that some people may not understand and fall into something worse."
In summary, cursing one’s parents, whether directly or indirectly through one’s actions, is a major sin. Additionally, believers should avoid any behavior that might provoke others to sin, except in matters of obligation where Allah’s commands must be upheld regardless of others' reactions.
Hadith:
Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:"It is one of the major sins for a man to curse his parents."
It was asked, "O Messenger of Allah, can a person curse his own parents?"
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, "Yes, he curses someone else's father, and in return, that person curses his father; and he curses someone else's mother, and in return, that person curses his mother." [Bukhari and Muslim]
Reference: [Bukhari, Book of Manners, Chapter: A man should not curse his parents 404/10], [Muslim, Kitab Al-Iman 146]
Explanation and Benefits:
➊ In the Quran, Allah commands not to even say "Uff" to one's parents or rebuke them, let alone curse them. Allah says:"Do not say to them [so much as], 'Uff,' and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word." [Surah Al-Isra: 23]
If merely saying "Uff" is forbidden, then cursing is far worse.
➋ Even if a person does not directly curse their parents, if their actions cause others to curse their parents, this is also forbidden. For example, if a person curses someone else’s parents, that person may respond by cursing the parents of the one who initiated the insult.
➌ Any action that is likely to lead someone into sin is also considered impermissible. For instance, cursing someone's parents creates a situation where the other person may be provoked to curse your parents in return, even if it is not guaranteed to happen. This is known as "blocking the means" (sadd al-dhara'i), which is supported by the Quranic verse:
"Do not insult those they invoke besides Allah, lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge." [Surah Al-An'am: 108]
Another example of this principle is found in a Hadith where the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her):
"O Aisha, had your people not been recent converts from disbelief, I would have demolished the Kaaba and rebuilt it on the foundations of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), making two doors, one on the east and one on the west." [Bukhari, Book of Hajj, 42]
Here, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) refrained from rebuilding the Kaaba, even though there were many benefits to doing so, because he feared that the newly converted Muslims might not understand and be led into confusion or doubt.
However, it should be noted that the principle of avoiding an action to prevent others from sinning only applies to non-obligatory matters. If fulfilling a command of Allah (such as inviting someone to prayer) results in the other person responding with insults or sin, this should not stop the fulfillment of that command. Imam Bukhari mentioned this principle in the chapter "Whoever left some optional acts for fear that some people may not understand and fall into something worse."
In summary, cursing one’s parents, whether directly or indirectly through one’s actions, is a major sin. Additionally, believers should avoid any behavior that might provoke others to sin, except in matters of obligation where Allah’s commands must be upheld regardless of others' reactions.