Expiation for Cursing One’s Parents and Others

Question:
The questioner asks: What is the expiation for cursing, such as when someone curses his parents, or curses a person whether that person is present or not? Is there an expiation for this?

Answer:
The expiation is repentance, because repentance is the expiation for every sin. So he seeks forgiveness and repents to Allah with sincerity and pure intention, and Allah will accept his repentance. However, cursing one’s parents is very serious, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), as in the hadith of Ali, said: “The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) told me of four phrases: May Allah curse the one who curses his parents, may Allah curse the one who harbors an innovator, may Allah curse the one who alters the landmarks of the earth, and may Allah curse the one who slaughters for other than Allah.” So cursing one’s parents is very serious. But repentance wipes out what came before it. If the parents are alive, he should ask their forgiveness and seek their pardon and mercy. If they are dead, he should seek forgiveness for them and increase in seeking forgiveness and making du'a' (supplication) for them. Yes.