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
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
لَيْسَ الْمُؤْمِنُ بِالطَّعَّانِ وَلَا اللَّعَّانِ وَلَا الْفَاحِشِ وَلَا الْبَذِيءِ
The believer does not taunt others, he does not curse others, he does not use profanity, and he does not abuse others.
Source: Sunan At-Tirmidhi 1977, Grade: Hasan
One of the purposes of fasting the month of Ramadan is to train the believers not to indulge in such vile language.
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِذَا أَصْبَحَ أَحَدُكُمْ يَوْمًا صَائِمًا فَلَا يَرْفُثْ وَلَا يَجْهَلْ فَإِنْ امْرُؤٌ شَاتَمَهُ أَوْ قَاتَلَهُ فَلْيَقُلْ إِنِّي صَائِمٌ إِنِّي صَائِمٌ
When one of you awakes in the morning for fasting, then he should not use obscene language or behave ignorantly. If anyone slanders him or tries to argue with him, he should say twice: Indeed, I am fasting.
Source: Sahih Muslim 1151, Grade: Sahih
If a Muslim curses others and those people respond with further curses, then Allah will hold that Muslim responsible because he initiated the abuse.
Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِنَّ مِنْ أَكْبَرِ الْكَبَائِرِ أَنْ يَلْعَنَ الرَّجُلُ وَالِدَيْهِ
Verily, one of the worst sins is that a man curses his own parents.
It was said, “O Messenger of Allah, how can a man curse his own parents?” The Prophet said:
يَسُبُّ الرَّجُلُ أَبَا الرَّجُلِ فَيَسُبُّ أَبَاهُ وَيَسُبُّ أُمَّهُ
He abuses the father of another man and then that man abuses his father and mother.
Source: Sahih Bukhari 5628, Grade: Sahih
It is not permissible to curse even the false idols whom the unbelievers hold as sacred because it will cause them to curse Islam.
Allah said:
وَلَا تَسُبُّوا الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ فَيَسُبُّوا اللَّهَ عَدْوًا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ
Do not insult those they whom they call upon besides Allah, lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge.
Surah Al-An’am 6:108
Instead, Muslims have been commanded to call people to Islam with beautiful preaching and wisdom.
Allah said:
ادْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ
Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best.
Surah An-Nahl 16:125
Those who curse others are in fact cursing themselves, because such curses earn the displeasure of Allah.
Ali ibn Abu Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
لُعِنَ اللَّعَّانُونَ
Those who curse others are themselves cursed.
Source: Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 315, Grade: Hasan
Rather, a Muslim must fear Allah regarding his tongue and speech. Some people are thrown into the Hellfire because of a single evil word they have said.
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَيَتَكَلَّمُ بِالْكَلِمَةِ يَنْزِلُ بِهَا فِي النَّارِ أَبْعَدَ مَا بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ
Verily, the servant may speak a single word for which he descends into the Hellfire farther than the distance between East and West.
Source: Sahih Muslim 2988, Grade: Sahih
Therefore, a Muslim should never use foul language or profanity. Such language is hated by Allah and it causes people to hate Islam. A Muslim must always use dignified language, especially if he is inviting people to accept Islam or educating them about Islam.
Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.
