`Ali’s Clear Prohibition Against Cursing and Maligning
The Origins to the Practice of Cursing the Sahabah
October 23, 2015Members of the Ahl al-Bayt Who Held Identical Names as the Sahabah
October 23, 2015BACK⇒ Return to Table of contents
‘Ali’s Clear Prohibition Against Cursing and Maligning
The Arabic word sabb (cursing) is defined as:
Such strong language which asserts ideas forcefully and often contains cursing.
Both Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and the Ahlul Bayt did not have this quality; rather, they had the purest of speech, they were the most eloquent and maintained the highest level of decorum. In fact, ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu narrates that Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was the most generous-hearted of men, the most truthful of them in speech, the most mild-tempered of them, and the noblest of them in lineage. Whoever saw him unexpectedly was in awe of him. And whoever associated with him immediately fell in love with him.[1]
Hassan ibn ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhuma said:
And then I asked my father (‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu) about how the Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam conducted himself among his close associates and servants.” He (‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu) said: “The Rasul of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was unfailingly cheerful, easy-going by nature, and mild-mannered. He was neither crude nor obstinate. He was neither a clamorous loudmouth nor a repeater of obscenities.”[2]
In Nahj al Balaghah, Subhi al Salih relates:
Whosoever is able to meet Allah Ta’ala without having spilt the blood of a fellow believer, or traduced his honour and dignity should try and do so.[3]
During the Battle of Siffin, it was brought to the attention of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu that some of his companions were cursing the people of Sham. He responded to them by saying:
I dislike the fact that you curse others; even though, your position (today) is more correct than the others. Instead of cursing them, you should have rather supplicated for them by saying: “O Allah! Spare our blood and theirs! Reunite us and remove their confusion with Your divine guidance so that the truth can manifest itself among all and hostilities can cease.[4]
NEXT⇒ The Origins to the Practice of Cursing the Sahabah
[1] Al Tirmidhi
[2] Al Nabahani: Wasa’il al Wusul ila Shama’il al Rasul
[3] Nahj al Balaghah p. 254
[4] Op. cit. p. 323
BACK⇒ Return to Table of contents
‘Ali’s Clear Prohibition Against Cursing and Maligning
The Arabic word sabb (cursing) is defined as:
Such strong language which asserts ideas forcefully and often contains cursing.
Both Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and the Ahlul Bayt did not have this quality; rather, they had the purest of speech, they were the most eloquent and maintained the highest level of decorum. In fact, ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu narrates that Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was the most generous-hearted of men, the most truthful of them in speech, the most mild-tempered of them, and the noblest of them in lineage. Whoever saw him unexpectedly was in awe of him. And whoever associated with him immediately fell in love with him.[1]
Hassan ibn ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhuma said:
And then I asked my father (‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu) about how the Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam conducted himself among his close associates and servants.” He (‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu) said: “The Rasul of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was unfailingly cheerful, easy-going by nature, and mild-mannered. He was neither crude nor obstinate. He was neither a clamorous loudmouth nor a repeater of obscenities.”[2]
In Nahj al Balaghah, Subhi al Salih relates:
Whosoever is able to meet Allah Ta’ala without having spilt the blood of a fellow believer, or traduced his honour and dignity should try and do so.[3]
During the Battle of Siffin, it was brought to the attention of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu that some of his companions were cursing the people of Sham. He responded to them by saying:
I dislike the fact that you curse others; even though, your position (today) is more correct than the others. Instead of cursing them, you should have rather supplicated for them by saying: “O Allah! Spare our blood and theirs! Reunite us and remove their confusion with Your divine guidance so that the truth can manifest itself among all and hostilities can cease.[4]
NEXT⇒ The Origins to the Practice of Cursing the Sahabah
[1] Al Tirmidhi
[2] Al Nabahani: Wasa’il al Wusul ila Shama’il al Rasul
[3] Nahj al Balaghah p. 254
[4] Op. cit. p. 323