Source: Sharḥ Kitāb al-Jāmiʿ from Bulūgh al-Marām by Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī
Translation: Ḥāfiẓ ʿAbd al-Salām bin Muḥammad Bhaṭwī
وله من حديث ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه رفعه:
ليس المؤمن بالطعان، ولا اللعان، ولا الفاحش، ولا البذيء
It is narrated from Ibn Masʿūd (رضي الله عنه), raised to the Prophet ﷺ:
“A believer is not one who constantly curses, insults, speaks obscenely, or uses foul language.”
Narrated by al-Tirmidhī — he graded it ḥasan, al-Ḥākim graded it ṣaḥīḥ, while al-Dāraqutnī deemed it mawqūf (a companion’s statement).
The terms ṭaʿʿān and laʿʿān are hyperbolic forms, describing someone who frequently curses or taunts others.
This ḥadīth does not imply that occasional cursing is permissible — rather, it highlights that such behavior is completely unbefitting of a believer.
Allah says:
"وَلَا تَلْمِزُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ"
[al-Ḥujurāt 49:11]
"Do not insult one another."
And the Prophet ﷺ said:
"ومن لعن مؤمنًا فهو كقتله"
"Whoever curses a believer, it is as if he has killed him."
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6048]
Even animals should not be cursed. Once, a woman cursed her camel in the Prophet’s ﷺ presence. He ﷺ ordered:
"Unload her camel and leave it, for it is now accursed."
[Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd, Kitāb al-Jihād / 55]
This was a powerful warning — the animal was left behind, highlighting the seriousness of cursing even inanimate creatures.
The phrase “a believer is not a frequent curser or abuser” is not to suggest that occasional cursing is tolerated. Rather, it serves to:
"وَيْلٌ لِّكُلِّ هُمَزَةٍ لُّمَزَةٍ"
[al-Humazah 104:1]
"Woe to every backbiter and mocker."
"هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّاءٍ بِنَمِيمٍ"
[al-Qalam 68:11]
"A slanderer going about with gossip."
Cursing is permissible only if:
"فَلَعْنَةُ اللَّـهِ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ"
[al-Baqarah 2:89]
"The curse of Allah is upon the disbelievers."
"أَلَا لَعْنَةُ اللَّـهِ عَلَى الظَّالِمِينَ"
[Hūd 11:18]
"Behold! The curse of Allah is upon the wrongdoers."
The Prophet ﷺ also said:
"لعن الله الخمر وشاربها وساقيها..."
"Allah has cursed alcohol, the one who drinks it and the one who serves it..."
[Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd]
"لعن الله السارق..."
"Allah curses the thief..."
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ḥudūd / 13]
One must avoid cursing a specific individual:
Example:
ʿAbdullah nicknamed Ḥimār, who would joke with the Prophet ﷺ and was punished repeatedly for drinking alcohol.
Someone said:
“O Allah, curse him! How many times has he been brought for this?”
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
"Do not curse him, for I know he loves Allah and His Messenger."
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ḥudūd]
This shows mercy and understanding, even toward repeat sinners.
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ would say during the qunūt of Fajr prayer:
"O Allah, curse so-and-so and so-and-so..."
Then Allah revealed:
"لَيْسَ لَكَ مِنَ الْأَمْرِ شَيْءٌ أَوْ يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ أَوْ يُعَذِّبَهُمْ"
[Āl ʿImrān 3:128]
"You have no say in the matter. It is for Allah to forgive them or punish them..."
[See: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4069–4070]
Similarly, when the Prophet ﷺ cursed Ṣafwān ibn Umayyah, Suhail ibn ʿAmr, and Ḥārith ibn Hishām, Allah later granted them guidance and Islam — highlighting the wisdom of leaving judgment to Allah.
✔ A true believer is not abusive, vulgar, or excessive in cursing
✔ Cursing is strictly forbidden, even in jest or anger
✔ Permissible only when Allah and His Messenger ﷺ have done so, and only in general terms
✔ Never curse an individual by name, alive or deceased, especially not a Muslim
✔ Practice restraint, mercy, and make duʿā for reform, not curse for destruction
Translation: Ḥāfiẓ ʿAbd al-Salām bin Muḥammad Bhaṭwī
❖ Ḥadīth
وله من حديث ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه رفعه:
ليس المؤمن بالطعان، ولا اللعان، ولا الفاحش، ولا البذيء
It is narrated from Ibn Masʿūd (رضي الله عنه), raised to the Prophet ﷺ:
“A believer is not one who constantly curses, insults, speaks obscenely, or uses foul language.”
Narrated by al-Tirmidhī — he graded it ḥasan, al-Ḥākim graded it ṣaḥīḥ, while al-Dāraqutnī deemed it mawqūf (a companion’s statement).
Referencing
- [Tirmidhī 1977]
- [al-Ḥākim 1/12]
- [al-Bayhaqī 10/193]
- Shaykh al-Albānī authenticated it in Ṣaḥīḥah 320
- See also: Tuhfat al-Ashrāf 7/104
✿ Key Points & Benefits
➊ Cursing and Abusing Are Prohibited for Believers
The terms ṭaʿʿān and laʿʿān are hyperbolic forms, describing someone who frequently curses or taunts others.
This ḥadīth does not imply that occasional cursing is permissible — rather, it highlights that such behavior is completely unbefitting of a believer.
Allah says:
"وَلَا تَلْمِزُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ"
[al-Ḥujurāt 49:11]
"Do not insult one another."
And the Prophet ﷺ said:
"ومن لعن مؤمنًا فهو كقتله"
"Whoever curses a believer, it is as if he has killed him."
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6048]
Even animals should not be cursed. Once, a woman cursed her camel in the Prophet’s ﷺ presence. He ﷺ ordered:
"Unload her camel and leave it, for it is now accursed."
[Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd, Kitāb al-Jihād / 55]
This was a powerful warning — the animal was left behind, highlighting the seriousness of cursing even inanimate creatures.
➋ Why Use Emphatic Forms (مبالغہ)?
The phrase “a believer is not a frequent curser or abuser” is not to suggest that occasional cursing is tolerated. Rather, it serves to:
- Emphasize that such vile habits are associated with disbelievers, not believers.
- Reflect Quranic phrasing that uses similar emphatic language to describe the wicked:
"وَيْلٌ لِّكُلِّ هُمَزَةٍ لُّمَزَةٍ"
[al-Humazah 104:1]
"Woe to every backbiter and mocker."
"هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّاءٍ بِنَمِيمٍ"
[al-Qalam 68:11]
"A slanderer going about with gossip."
➌ Who May Be Cursed?
Cursing is permissible only if:
- It is directed at a category that Allah and His Messenger ﷺ have cursed — e.g.:
"فَلَعْنَةُ اللَّـهِ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ"
[al-Baqarah 2:89]
"The curse of Allah is upon the disbelievers."
"أَلَا لَعْنَةُ اللَّـهِ عَلَى الظَّالِمِينَ"
[Hūd 11:18]
"Behold! The curse of Allah is upon the wrongdoers."
The Prophet ﷺ also said:
"لعن الله الخمر وشاربها وساقيها..."
"Allah has cursed alcohol, the one who drinks it and the one who serves it..."
[Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd]
"لعن الله السارق..."
"Allah curses the thief..."
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ḥudūd / 13]
➍ Cursing Specific Individuals Is Not Permissible
One must avoid cursing a specific individual:
- Even if he is Muslim and commits sinful acts — he still remains within the fold of Islam.
- Even if he is a disbeliever, but still alive, one cannot curse him by name. Allah may guide him before death.
Example:ʿAbdullah nicknamed Ḥimār, who would joke with the Prophet ﷺ and was punished repeatedly for drinking alcohol.
Someone said:
“O Allah, curse him! How many times has he been brought for this?”
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
"Do not curse him, for I know he loves Allah and His Messenger."
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ḥudūd]
This shows mercy and understanding, even toward repeat sinners.
➎ Even the Prophet ﷺ Was Prohibited from Cursing Certain Individuals
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ would say during the qunūt of Fajr prayer:
"O Allah, curse so-and-so and so-and-so..."
Then Allah revealed:
"لَيْسَ لَكَ مِنَ الْأَمْرِ شَيْءٌ أَوْ يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ أَوْ يُعَذِّبَهُمْ"
[Āl ʿImrān 3:128]
"You have no say in the matter. It is for Allah to forgive them or punish them..."
[See: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4069–4070]
Similarly, when the Prophet ﷺ cursed Ṣafwān ibn Umayyah, Suhail ibn ʿAmr, and Ḥārith ibn Hishām, Allah later granted them guidance and Islam — highlighting the wisdom of leaving judgment to Allah.
Summary
✔ A true believer is not abusive, vulgar, or excessive in cursing
✔ Cursing is strictly forbidden, even in jest or anger
✔ Permissible only when Allah and His Messenger ﷺ have done so, and only in general terms
✔ Never curse an individual by name, alive or deceased, especially not a Muslim
✔ Practice restraint, mercy, and make duʿā for reform, not curse for destruction
