Imaam Ibn Hajar Al-‘Asqalaani – rahimahullaah – said:
It is reported from Ibn Mas’hud radiyallaahu anhu- who said – The Messenger of Allah -salallaahu alayhi wasallam said:
“Insulting a Muslim is disobedience to Allah, and fighting with him is kufr (disbelief).” Agreed upon.
Transmitted and recorded by Imaam Bukhaari in his “Sahih”#6044 and Imaam Muslim in his “Sahih”#64.
COMMENTARY
The hadith shows the importance of the following:
♦ It shows that insulting a Muslim is an act of immorality. However, it is Permissible to curse or insult those Who Commit disobedience when they are not Personally Identified.
Allah Most High says,
“Behold! The curse of Allah is on those who do wrong!” (Suratul Hud: verse 18).
It is also permissible to curse those who possess blameworthy characteristics, by saying, “Allah curses oppressors,” “Allah curses the corrupt,” “Allah curses picture-makers,”etc.
As for cursing a particular person who commits some act of disobedience, such as adulterer, maker of pictures, thief, or the one who consumes usurious gain; there are difference of opinions between scholars.
The hadith evidence seems to suggest that it is not lawful to do that to a Muslim whose Islam is upright. As for a faasiq( I.e one who indulges in the act of disobedience apparently like smoking etc), there is also different of opinion on its permissibility. Though Imaam Ghazali indicates (and it is the most reliable opinion) that is unlawful unless the person cursed is someone we know has died in a state of unbelief, such as Abu Lahab, Abu Jahl, Pharaoh, Haman, and others like them.
This, Ghazali notes, is because “to curse means to distance another from the mercy of Allah Most High, while we do not know how the particular corrupt person or non-Muslim will end his life.
” As for those the Messenger of Allah salallaahu alayhi wasallam personally cursed such as the tribes of Ri’la, Zakwan and ‘Usiah, perhaps it was because he knew they would die in unbelief.
♦ It illustrates that to fight a Muslim is kufur (disbelief). However, fighting a Muslim does not make one to become a kafir(disbeliever) unless if he makes the act to be HALAL(permissible). In that case, one is out of the fold of Islam.
This is because he has made Halal what Allah and his messenger salallaahu alayhi wasallam did not make Halal (lawful).
In addition, the word ” kufr” in the hadith is indefinite. And scholars made mentioned that if the word “kufr” comes in an indefinite form, then, it is not a kufr (disbelief) that takes one out of the fold of Islam.
♦ It indicates that there is a clear differences between kufr and fisq. And kufr is more than fisq .However, in some cases, fisq (transgression) is used in the place of kufr.
Allah says in suratul Assajadah verse 20
” And as for those who transgress, their abode is the fire; whenever they desire to go forth from it they shall be brought back into it, and it will be said to them: Taste the chastisement of the fire which you called a lie.”
The word ” transgress” here means kufr (disbelief).
Allaahu A’alam!
Baarakallaahu feekum!
