The hadith states that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ called Sayyiduna Muawiyah, and when he did not come, the Prophet ﷺ said, "May his (Amir Muawiyah's) stomach not be filled." From this hadith, it appears that the Prophet ﷺ uttered words of curse against Amir Muawiyah.
First of all, consider the mentioned hadith:
عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ كُنْتُ أَلْعَبُ مَعَ الصِّبْيَانِ فَجَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَتَوَارَيْتُ خَلْفَ بَابٍ قَالَ فَجَاءَ فَحَطَأَنِي حَطْأَةً وَقَالَ اذْهَبْ وَادْعُ لِي مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ فَجِئْتُ فَقُلْتُ هُوَ يَأْكُلُ قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِيَ اذْهَبْ فَادْعُ لِي مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ فَجِئْتُ فَقُلْتُ هُوَ يَأْكُلُ فَقَالَ لَا أَشْبَعَ اللَّهُ بَطْنَهُ
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 2604)
Translation: It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما that I was playing with the boys when suddenly the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came. I hid behind the door. He came and lightly struck me between my two shoulders with his open hand (intended as an expression of affection) and said: "Go, bring Muawiyah to me." I came to you and said: He is eating. You again said to me: "Go, bring Muawiyah." I came again and said: He is eating, so you said: "May Allah not fill his stomach."
First Point
The words mentioned in the hadith are not a curse but are used as an idiomatic expression in the speech of the Arabs, as explained by the scholars of Arabic linguistics. See:
Reference: Al-Shifa by Al-Qadi Iyad (2/197), Sharh Al-Nawawi (16/152)
.Another proof of this is that the Prophet ﷺ did not say these words to Sayyiduna Muawiyah due to any mistake on his part; further explanation is coming ahead.
Second Point
The scholars have established the principle that to correctly understand any issue, all relevant verses and hadiths should be collected. Therefore, when we look at a hadith of the Prophet ﷺ in which he said:
Whoever I curse or send a curse upon or supplicate against unjustly, O Allah! Make my action a means of purification, reward, and mercy for him.
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 2603)
According to this hadith, these words become a prayer in favor of Sayyiduna Muawiyah. This is the reason that scholars have brought this narration in the virtues of Sayyiduna Muawiyah. As Imam Muslim, may Allah have mercy on him, immediately after this hadith, brought a hadith related to Sayyiduna Muawiyah.
Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, says that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ's prayer benefited Sayyiduna Muawiyah in this world and will benefit him in the Hereafter as well.
Reference: (Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah: 8/128)
Hafiz Al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
لعلّ هذه منقبة لـمعاوية
Reference: (Tadhkirat al-Huffaz: 2/195)
Translation: It is hoped that this is in praise of Sayyiduna Muawiyah.
Imam Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
وأما دعاؤه على معاوية أن لا يشبع حين تأخر ففيه الجوابان السابقان أحدهما: أنه جرى على اللسان بلا قصد، والثاني: أنه عقوبة له لتأخره وقد فهم مسلم رحمه الله من هذا الحديث أن معاوية لم يكن مستحقا للدعاء عليه فلهذا أدخله في هذا الباب، وجعله غيره من مناقب معاوية لأنه في الحقيقة يصير دعاء له
Reference: (Sharh al-Nawawi: under the hadith: 2603)
Translation: As far as the curse of the Prophet ﷺ on Muawiyah is concerned, that when he delayed, he said that his stomach may not be filled, there are two previous answers to this. One is that it was uttered without intention, and the other is that it was a punishment for his delay. Imam Muslim, may Allah have mercy on him, understood from this hadith that Muawiyah was not deserving of this curse, which is why he included it in this chapter and mentioned it in the virtues of Muawiyah, because in reality, it becomes a prayer for him.
Allama Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
وقد يستغل بعض الفرق هذا الحديث ليتخذوا منه مطعنا في معاوية رضي الله عنه ، وليس فيه ما يساعدهم على ذلك ، كيف وفيه أنه كان كاتب النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ؟! ولذلك قال الحافظ ابن عساكر” إنه أصح ما ورد في فضل معاوية ” فالظاهر أن هذا الدعاء منه صلى الله عليه وسلم غير مقصود، بل هو ما جرت به عادة العرب في وصل كلامها بلا نية
Reference: ( سلسلة الصحیحة:حديث 82 )
Translation: Some sects use this as evidence to object to Sayyiduna Muawiyah رضي الله عنه, while there is nothing of that sort in it, and how could there be when he was the scribe of the Holy Prophet ﷺ? For this reason, Hafiz Ibn Asakir said: "Of all that has been narrated regarding the virtue of Muawiyah, this is the most authentic." Thus, it is clear that this prayer was not intended for him ﷺ, but rather it is a common custom among the Arabs to say such things without any intention.
Third Point
Some people say that the reason for this curse was that Sayyiduna Muawiyah رضي الله عنه forbade coming, but this is against the truth because the hadith does not mention Sayyiduna Muawiyah’s refusal; it only mentions that Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas went and informed that they were eating, which also suggests that Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas may not have informed Sayyiduna Muawiyah of the Prophet’s ﷺ message upon seeing him eating.
Final Point
Scholars have given multiple responses regarding this hadith: For example, the five responses presented by Allama Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, may Allah have mercy on him, are as follows. He writes about this hadith: "No fault is attributed to Sayyiduna Muawiyah from this hadith because:
➊ This hadith does not mention that Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas رضي الله عنهما conveyed the message of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to Sayyiduna Amir Muawiya رضي الله عنه that the Prophet ﷺ was calling him and that he delayed in coming. Rather, it is likely that Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما saw him eating and could not deliver the Prophet’s ﷺ message, and feeling shy, he returned and informed the Prophet ﷺ that he was eating. The same happened the second time as well. Therefore, in this case, the cause of this curse was Sayyiduna Muawiya’s prolonged eating. Furthermore, there is no religious harm in this curse because it is only a curse related to excessive eating, and it only indicates that he will face hardship and fatigue in this world, not in the Hereafter. And something that does not cause harm in the Hereafter cannot be contrary to perfection.
➋ Stating the second reason: (Suppose if Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, conveyed the message of the Prophet ﷺ to Amir Muawiya, it is possible that Sayyiduna Amir Muawiya, may Allah be pleased with him, understood that there was room for delay in the implementation of the Prophet’s ﷺ command and that immediate compliance was not necessary, but there was allowance to complete the meal. Here the question arises that if the Prophet ﷺ commands something, it must be done immediately, even if it is prayer!! The answer to this is that Sayyiduna Amir Muawiya would not have been aware of this. Even in this case, his excuse is clear).
➌ The third reason stated by Raqm Tiraaz is: (When saying these words, there should be no intention or desire for a curse, just as you ﷺ said to some of your noble companions, may Allah be pleased with them all: "May your hands become dusty." Or to some of the Mothers of the Believers, may Allah be pleased with them, you said: "May your feet be cut off and your head be shaved." Such words used to come out of the mouths of the Arabs as a habit, and their intended meaning was not the apparent one).
➍ Stating the fourth reason, he says: (Imam Muslim himself has explained in his Sahih that Sayyiduna Amir Muawiya رضي الله عنه was not deserving of this curse because he brought this hadith under the title: "Those people whom the Prophet ﷺ cursed or supplicated against, although they were not deserving of it, so this will be a cause of purification, reward, and mercy for them." Imam Muslim رحمه الله’s indication is very clear because I have already explained that there are possibilities that Sayyiduna Amir Muawiya رضي الله عنه might have received the call from the Prophet ﷺ but understood that immediate attendance was not required, or he might have thought that this command was not immediately necessary, as is the belief of most scholars of principles. Given these possibilities, which are befitting of Sayyiduna Amir Muawiya رضي الله عنه’s excellence, jurisprudence, and status, it is clear that he was not deserving of this curse. Therefore, this curse will be a cause of purity and reward for him. The Prophet ﷺ said: "I also get angry as you get angry, so whoever I curse or send a curse upon or supplicate against and he is not deserving of it, O Allah! Make my action a cause of purification, reward, and mercy for him."
➎ The fifth reason is stated: (This blessed hadith is among the virtues of Sayyiduna Amir Muawiyah رضي الله عنه because it has become clear from my previous statement that it is a supplication for Sayyiduna Amir Muawiyah رضي الله عنه and not a curse, and Imam Nawawi رحمه الله has clarified this).
See:
Reference: (Tathir al-Jinan wa al-Lisan 'an Khuturat wa al-Tafwah bi Salb Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan رضي الله عنه, by Imam Abu al-Abbas Shihab al-Din Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Hajar al-Haytami al-Makki, under "Chapter Three in the Response to Matters," pp. 102 to 104, printed by Dar al-Sahaba for Heritage in Tanta, first edition 1413 AH / 1992)
