Curses in Islam
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In Islam, one can pray for God to curse someone. This is done with the Arabic word "La'nat". "La'nat" means deprivation, and can be used in expressions such as "La'anatullah", "May (he/she/it) be deprived of Gods (blessings)". So, the curse is not to be understood as gaining evil, rather of losing the blessings of God.
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[edit] Qur'an and Sunnah
There are in the Qur'an several verses where God deprived human populations from Gods blessings (cursed) because of their sins:
| O our Lord! give them a double punishment and curse them with a great curse.— translated by M. H. Shakir
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| How shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved after their believing and (after) they had borne witness that the Messenger was true and clear arguments had come to them; and Allah does not guide the unjust people. (As for) these, their reward is that upon them is the curse of Allah and the angels and of men, all together.— translated by M. H. Shakir
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The end of the verse can be understood as "As for the unjust, their actions caused them to be deprived from the blessings of God, the angels and humans, all together."
Also, there are hadith where the Prophet Muhammad invoked Gods la'nat upon humans. The most famous hadith regarding invoking Gods curse is the Hadith of Mubahela, also mentioned in the Qur'an:
| But whoever disputes with you in this matter after what has come to you of knowledge, then say: Come let us call our sons and your sons and our women and your women and our near people and your near people, then let us be earnest in prayer, and pray for the curse of Allah on the liars.— translated by M. H. Shakir
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There was an ongoing treaty with the Christians of Najran in the 9 AH. The treaty was regarded of vital importance, it was not the result either of war. it ended in Mubahela between Muhammad and the Christians of Najran.[1]
[edit] Views
[edit] Sunni view
Sunnis do not believe there are any spiritual rewards for cursing.
One of the classic Sunni scholars was asked about cursing Yezid, the tyrant and perpetrator of violence against the Ahlul-Bayt, and replied that he found it better to praise Hussayn, the martyred grandson of the Prophet, than to curse Yezid [citation needed].
The contemporary Sunni Grand Shaykh Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri from Pakistan, however, regards the cursing of Yezid and his ilk as not only permissible but praiseworthy [citation needed].
The Ahbash Sunni movement in Lebanon, too, are reported to allow cursing the enemies of the Ahlul-Bayt, as they are established in Sunni sources as enemies of God [citation needed].
Sunnis are known to have cursed upon Ubaid-Allah ibn Ziyad:
| May Allah curse the son of Ibn Sumiyya (Ibn Ziyad, la’natullahi ‘alayh)!"[2] |
Suyuti, a 15th century Sunni Islamic scholar wrote:
| May Allah's curse be upon the killers of Husayn and Ibn Ziyad.[3] |
Qadi Thanaullah Panipati, a 19th century Sunni Hanafi Islamic scholar wrote:[4]
| The Banu Umayya were initially kaafir, then some of them presented themselves as Muslim. Yazeed then became a kaafir. The Banu Umayya maintained their enmity towards the family of the Prophet (sawas), and killed Husayn in a cruel manner. The kaafir Yazeed committed kufr in relation to the Deen of Muhammad (sawas) proven by the fact that at the time of the killing of Husayn he made a pointed reference to avenging the deaths of his kaafir ancestors slain in Badr. He acted against the family of Muhammad (sawas), Banu Hashim and in his drunken state he praised the Banu Umayya and cursed the Banu Hashim from the pulpit |
Sunni scholar Shah Abdul Aziz:
| The love of Ahle Bait is a part of obligation of the faith and not from the traditional necessities. The love of Ahle Bait entails that Marwan should be abused and cursed. Especially since he misbehaved with Imam Husain (a.s.) and his holy household and was inimical to them. In view of such immoral acts, one's soul detests this man who has satanical characteristics in him.[5] |
[edit] Shi'a view
While some Shia have been cursing due to tabarra, it has sometimes been met with distaste by some Sunnis.
The Shia generally believe it to be reward for disassociating from oppressors. They further argue that the curse is a prayer, hence God is entitled to not accept the prayer and abstain from invoking the deprivation. Further, cursing is a Sunnah established by God himself in the Qur'an, Sunnat Allah. Shia also present hadith where the Shia Imams invoked the curse of Allah upon humans, and Fatimah cursing Umar and Abu Bakr:
A narration attributed to Fatima Zahra reports:
| God be my witness that you two have offended me. In every prayer I curse you and will continue cursing you until I see my father and complain against you." |
Shi'as tend to view this as Sahih.[6]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ ref
- ^ ref
- ^ Tareekh ul Khulafa page 207, Dhikr Shahadath Husayn [1]
- ^ Tafsir al-Mazhari Volume 5 page 21, under the commentary of Surah Ibrahim verse 28 [2]
- ^ Fatawae-Azizi, Kamil, pg. 380-381[3]
- ^ Peshawar Nights [4] on Al-Islam.org
[edit] External links
[edit] Sunni view
- http://mac.abc.se/home/onesr/h/118.html - unsure about legality of Cursing Yazid I
- http://www.sunnipath.com/resources/Questions/qa00002141.aspx - recommending to abstain from cursing Yazid
- http://www.muhammad.net/ebooks/riyad/17/chap264.htm
[edit] Shia view
- answering-ansar - Cursing Sahaba; Shari'i penalty
