Cursing and swearing by other than Allah, including by one's parents, and how to advise them
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Question:
Honorable Shaykh! My father and mother have made it a habit to curse and swear oaths by other than Allah. I have tried to advise them, but to no avail, knowing that they do so out of ignorance. Do they sin for this? And how can I call them to abandon these acts of shirk (associating partners with Allah) and bid'ah (religious innovations)?
Answer:
Yes, cursing is haram (forbidden) and a major sin among the major sins. It is not permissible for a Muslim to utter it except against those who deserve it from among those whom the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed; therefore, it is not permissible to utter curses.
Because it is an ugly word, a vile word. The Muslim is not one who abuses, curses, is foul-mouthed, or speaks obscenely. The Muslim is one who is chaste in speech, good in talk, and does not speak ill.
Allah the Exalted says, "And speak to people with good words." And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "A good word is charity." He, Glorified and Exalted is He, says regarding the ascent of good words: "And the good word ascends to Him, and the righteous deed raises it." Then He, Exalted and Majestic is He, says:[Ibrahim 14:24]? [Ibrahim 14:25-27] Good speech is a characteristic of the people of faith, whereas foul speech is a characteristic of the people of hypocrisy and open sinfulness. It is not permissible for a Muslim to habituate his tongue to such speech. As for swearing by other than Allah, it is shirk (associating partners with Allah) by the explicit text of the hadiths. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Whoever swears by other than Allah has committed disbelief or shirk." And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade swearing by fathers, swearing by trust, and swearing by other than Allah, Mighty and Majestic. It is not permissible to swear except by Allah. Whoever is in the habit of swearing should swear by Allah or remain silent.
As for your role with your parents, it is the role of advice. Continue advising them. The best thing is to read to them from the verses and hadiths that prohibit cursing, abusing, and insulting. Read to them from the hadiths and the words of the scholars, perhaps Allah will benefit them thereby. Yes.
Honorable Shaykh! My father and mother have made it a habit to curse and swear oaths by other than Allah. I have tried to advise them, but to no avail, knowing that they do so out of ignorance. Do they sin for this? And how can I call them to abandon these acts of shirk (associating partners with Allah) and bid'ah (religious innovations)?
Answer:
Yes, cursing is haram (forbidden) and a major sin among the major sins. It is not permissible for a Muslim to utter it except against those who deserve it from among those whom the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed; therefore, it is not permissible to utter curses.
Because it is an ugly word, a vile word. The Muslim is not one who abuses, curses, is foul-mouthed, or speaks obscenely. The Muslim is one who is chaste in speech, good in talk, and does not speak ill.
Allah the Exalted says, "And speak to people with good words." And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "A good word is charity." He, Glorified and Exalted is He, says regarding the ascent of good words: "And the good word ascends to Him, and the righteous deed raises it." Then He, Exalted and Majestic is He, says:
Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky?
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاءِ(25) It produces its fruit all the time, by permission of its Lord. And Allah presents examples for the people that perhaps they will be reminded. (26) And the example of a bad word is like a bad tree, uprooted from the surface of the earth, not having any stability. (27) Allah keeps firm those who believe, with the firm word, in worldly life and in the Hereafter. And Allah sends astray the wrongdoers. And Allah does what He wills.
تُؤْتِي أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَا وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ وَمَثَلُ كَلِمَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ كَشَجَرَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ اجْتُثَّتْ مِن فَوْقِ الْأَرْضِ مَا لَهَا مِن قَرَارٍ يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ وَيُضِلُّ اللَّهُ الظَّالِمِينَAs for your role with your parents, it is the role of advice. Continue advising them. The best thing is to read to them from the verses and hadiths that prohibit cursing, abusing, and insulting. Read to them from the hadiths and the words of the scholars, perhaps Allah will benefit them thereby. Yes.
Source
الفوزان -أشرطة- أسئلة وأجوبة من دروس التوحيد - الفوزان - أسئلة وأ،جوبة - 07 — archive.org (1:17:16)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.