Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Is it possible for people to curse someone? Can people actually cause misfortune to happen to others, whether they are muslim or not? 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Possible to curse people

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah and His Messenger (saws) have taught the believers to be good to mankind, and make only good supplications for each other. Among their teachings are to spread the Message of Peace of Salaams when they meet each other, supplicate their brothers when they sneeze, supplicate for them when they part, and supplicate for each other whenever one gets an opportunity.

No believer should curse someone, unless when one has been wronged. The one who has been wronged has a right to invoke a curse on the person who oppresses him.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 148: Allah does not like that a person should utter evil words except when one has been wronged. Allah is indeed All Hearing, All Knowing. If you go on doing good openly and secretly, or at least refrain from evil, you should know that Allah is All Forgiving, whereas He is All Powerful to punish (if He Wills).

The Messenger of Allah (saws) advised Hadrat Muadh ibn Jabal in an authentic narration, when he appointed him a governor over people, “Do not oppress people, and beware of the supplication of the oppressed. There is no veil between the supplication of the oppressed and Allah Subhanah.”

Whether or not a curse actually materializes is in the Sole Domain and Power of Allah Subhanah. Fortune and misfortune will only befalls a person isfthe Lord of the Worlds Wills it. A believer must always fear Allah and neither should he ever curse someone, nor should he fear the curse or evil supplication anyone does on him, unless of course, he has wronged or oppressed someone.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan