The Ruling on Cursing Abu Talib
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
The questioner asks: Is it permissible to curse Abu Talib, the uncle of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)?
The Shaykh:
The scholars say that one does not curse a specific individual. One does not curse a specific disbeliever unless there is a benefit for the Muslims in cursing him, because he is a caller to misguidance in this world, calling people to misguidance, so he is reviled and criticized to deter people from him. As for Abu Talib, he died upon his disbelief and the religion of his people, and since he has died, he is not to be cursed. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 1936Sahih (Darussalam), and the Prophet interceded for him until he was in a shallow part of the Fire.
He was in the depths of the Fire, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) interceded for him until he was in shallow water of the Fire, from which his brain boiled; we ask Allah for safety. The other wording has the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: “The lightest of them is Abu Talib, who was in shallow water of the Fire, from which his brain boiled,” or as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said. In the other wording, it is said that the lightest of them is the one who has two shoes of fire, from which his brain boils; we ask Allah for safety. Therefore, it is not permissible to curse him, nor is it permissible to curse the dead; because the Messenger saidJami` at-Tirmidhi 2604Sahih (Darussalam)Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2604Sahih (Darussalam).
The questioner:
Regarding the sandals of fire, it is the punishment of those who are eternally abiding in it. This is regarding the eternally abiding ones, that the sandals of fire are a punishment.
The Shaykh:
Yes, we ask Allah for safety.
The questioner asks: Is it permissible to curse Abu Talib, the uncle of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)?
The Shaykh:
The scholars say that one does not curse a specific individual. One does not curse a specific disbeliever unless there is a benefit for the Muslims in cursing him, because he is a caller to misguidance in this world, calling people to misguidance, so he is reviled and criticized to deter people from him. As for Abu Talib, he died upon his disbelief and the religion of his people, and since he has died, he is not to be cursed. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Do not verbally abuse the dead, for they have reached the consequences of what they did.
لا تسبوا الأموات فإنهم قد أفضوا إلى ما قدمواHe was in the depths of the Fire, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) interceded for him until he was in shallow water of the Fire, from which his brain boiled; we ask Allah for safety. The other wording has the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: “The lightest of them is Abu Talib, who was in shallow water of the Fire, from which his brain boiled,” or as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said. In the other wording, it is said that the lightest of them is the one who has two shoes of fire, from which his brain boils; we ask Allah for safety. Therefore, it is not permissible to curse him, nor is it permissible to curse the dead; because the Messenger said
among the inhabitants of the Fire punished least [on the Day of Judgment]
أهل النار عذابا يوم القيامةamong the inhabitants of the Fire punished least [on the Day of Judgment]
أهل النار عذابا يوم القيامةDo not revile the dead, for they have entered into what they sent before them.
لا تسبوا الأموات فإنهم قد أفضلوا إلا ما قدرواThe questioner:
Regarding the sandals of fire, it is the punishment of those who are eternally abiding in it. This is regarding the eternally abiding ones, that the sandals of fire are a punishment.
The Shaykh:
Yes, we ask Allah for safety.
Source
فتاوى الحج 1410 هـ - 12 — archive.org (48:38)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.