Forty Hadith on Good Character

Did the Prophet Muhammad Use Curses and Profanity?

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

The Messenger of Allah did not swear, cuss, use profane language, curse others, or spread obscenity. Rather, he warned us about such language and he counseled us to uphold the integrity and dignity of the believer by avoiding such behavior.

Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

مَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ أَغْيَرُ مِنَ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ حَرَّمَ الْفَوَاحِشَ

None has more self-respect than Allah, so He has made obscenities unlawful.
Source: Sahih Bukhari 4847, Grade: Sahih

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

لَا يَنْبَغِي لِصِدِّيقٍ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَعَّانًا

It is not befitting the truthful that they curse others.
Source: Sahih Muslim 2597, Grade: Sahih

Aisha reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

عَلَيْكِ بِالرِّفْقِ وَإِيَّاكِ وَالْعُنْفَ وَالْفُحْشَ

Your duty is to be gentle and beware of harshness and bad words.
Source: Sahih Bukhari 5683, Grade: Sahih

Anas ibn Malik reported:

لَمْ يَكُنْ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سَبَّابًا وَلَا فَحَّاشًا وَلَا لَعَّانًا كَانَ يَقُولُ لِأَحَدِنَا عِنْدَ الْمَعْتِبَةِ مَا لَهُ تَرِبَ جَبِينُهُ

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would not abuse others, he would not use obscene words, and he would not curse others. If he wanted to admonish anyone of us, he used to say:

What is wrong with him? His forehead be dusted!
Source: Sahih Bukhari 5684, Grade: Sahih

Ibn Umar reported:

وَلَمْ يَكُنْ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَاحِشًا وَلَا مُتَفَحِّشًا

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was never obscene, nor would he spread obscenity.
Source: Sunan At-Tirmidhi 1975, Grade: Sahih

Read more: Several Hadiths about dangers of cursing mocking and profanity

Aisha reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

Verily, Allah is kind and he loves kindness. He rewards for kindness what is not granted for harshness and he does not reward anything else like it.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ رَفِيقٌ يُحِبُّ الرِّفْقَ وَيُعْطِي عَلَى الرِّفْقِ مَا لَا يُعْطِي عَلَى الْعُنْفِ وَمَا لَا يُعْطِي عَلَى مَا سِوَاهُ

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2593, Grade: Sahih

Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

The faith of a servant is not upright until his heart is upright, and his heart is not upright until his tongue is upright. A man will not enter Paradise if his neighbor is not secure from his evil.

لَا يَسْتَقِيمُ إِيمَانُ عَبْدٍ حَتَّى يَسْتَقِيمَ قَلْبُهُ وَلَا يَسْتَقِيمُ قَلْبُهُ حَتَّى يَسْتَقِيمَ لِسَانُهُ وَلَا يَدْخُلُ رَجُلٌ الْجَنَّةَ لَا يَأْمَنُ جَارُهُ بَوَائِقَهُ

Source: Musnad Aḥmad 12636, Grade: Hasan

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُمْ

Verily, Allah does not look at your appearance or wealth, but rather he looks at your hearts and actions.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2564, Grade: Sahih