More Details about Being Cursed
Published in May 21, 2018
Translated by: Ahmed Fathy
We confine this article to Quranic verses that contain the notion of God's curse falling on some categories of sinners.
Firstly: being cursed is linked to being expelled and moved away from the Lord God:
1- Being cursed is synonymous of being expelled and moved away from the mercy of the Lord God; e.g., the people of Aad are cursed and destroyed by God: "That was Aad; they denied the Verses of their Lord, and disobeyed His messengers, and followed the lead of every stubborn tyrant. And they were pursued by a curse in this world, and on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, Aad disbelieved in their Lord - so away with Aad, the people of Hud." (11:59-60).
2- This is why being moved away means to be cursed, as we infer again from this verse about the people of Aad: "Then the Blast struck them, justifiably, and We turned them into scum. So away with the unjust people." (23:41).
3- Being cursed is synonymous of being moved away in these verses: (A) about the destruction of the people of Noah: "And it was said, "O earth, swallow your waters," and "O heaven, clear up."...and it was proclaimed: "Away with the unjust people."" (11:44), (B) about the destruction of the people of Thamood: "As if they had never prospered therein. Indeed, Thamood disbelieved in their Lord, so away with Thamood." (11:68), (C) about the destruction of the people of Madian: "As though they never flourished therein. Away with Madian, as was done away with Thamood." (11:95), and (D) about the destruction of other nations/peoples: "Then We sent Our messengers in succession. Every time a messenger came to his community, they called him a liar. So We made them follow one another, and made them history. So away with a people who do not believe." (23:44).
Secondly: Being cursed is linked to the wrath of the Dominant Lord God (i.e., God's curse means His wrath):
1- This is inferred implicitly within the following Quranic contexts.
1/1: Within these verses about the disbelievers among the Israelites, we see that being cursed in 5:78 is linked to God's wrath in 5:80: "Cursed were those who disbelieved from among the Israelites by the tongue of David and Jesus son of Mary. That is because they rebelled and used to transgress. They used not to prevent one another from the wrongs they used to commit. Evil is what they used to do. You will see many of them allying themselves to those who disbelieve. Terrible is what their souls prompts them to do. The wrath of God fell upon them, and in the torment they will remain for eternity." (5:78-80).
1/2: Being cursed means to deserve the wrath of the Lord God: "As for those who accuse their own spouses, but have no witnesses except themselves, the testimony of one of them is equivalent to four testimonies, if he swears by God that he is truthful. And the fifth time, that God's curse be upon him, if he is a liar. But punishment shall be averted from her, if she swears four times by God, that he is a liar. And the fifth time, that God's wrath be upon her, if he is truthful." (24:6-9).
2- This is mentioned explicitly within the following Quranic contexts.
2/1: Within the torment of those who kill innocent, peaceful persons: "Whoever kills a believer deliberately, the penalty for him is Hell, where he will remain forever. And God will be angry with him, and will curse him, and will prepare for him a terrible torment." (4:93).
2/2: Within the torment of hypocrites and polytheists: "And He will punish the hypocrites, male and female, and the idolaters, male and female, those who harbor evil thoughts about God. They are surrounded by evil; and God is angry with them, and has cursed them, and has prepared for them Hell - a miserable destination." (48:6).
Thirdly: being cursed is linked to the misguided ones:
This is understood from these verses about cursing the misguided ones, especially the clergymen, who conceal the Truth or God's Verses: "Those who suppress the proofs and the guidance We have revealed, after We have clarified them to humanity in the Book - those - God curses them, and the cursers curse them. Except those who repent, and reform, and proclaim. Those - I will accept their repentance. I am the Acceptor of Repentance, the Merciful." (2:159-160); "Those who conceal what God revealed in the Book, and exchange it for a small price-those swallow nothing but fire into their bellies. And God will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them, and they will have a painful torment. It is they who exchange guidance for misguidance, and forgiveness for torment. But why do they insist on the Fire?" (2:174-175).
Fourthly: being cursed is linked to God's wrath and the misguided ones:
1- This is mentioned explicitly in this verse: "Say, "Shall I inform you of worse than that for retribution from God? He whom God has cursed, and with whom He became angry; and He turned some of them into apes, and swine, and Taghut worshipers. These are in a worse position, and further away from the Right Path."" (5:60).
2- This is why when all of us pray, we implore the Almighty Lord God to guide us to the Straight Path away from the misguided ones who deserve God's wrath: "Guide us to the Straight Path. The Path of those You have blessed, not of those against whom there is anger, nor of those who are misguided." (1:6-7). Hence, the misguided ones are those who deserve God's wrath; e.g., the Muhammadans, the Christians, and the Buddhists.
Fifthly: being cursed is linked to Hell-torment:
1- The verses we have quoted above make it clear that being cursed by God is directly linked to Hell-torment on the Day of Resurrection, as we assert further in the points below.
1/1: Being cursed is related to Hell-torment of those who conceal the Quranic Truth: "Those who conceal what God revealed in the Book, and exchange it for a small price-those swallow nothing but fire into their bellies. And God will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them, and they will have a painful torment. It is they who exchange guidance for misguidance, and forgiveness for torment. But why do they insist on the Fire?" (2:174-175).
1/2: Being cursed is related to Hell-torment of those who murder innocent, peaceful people: "Whoever kills a believer deliberately, the penalty for him is Hell, where he will remain forever. And God will be angry with him, and will curse him, and will prepare for him a terrible torment." (4:93). What about those corrupt, sinful caliphs (from Abou Bakr to the last Ottoman caliph) who murdered millions of people? what about tyrants of this world in the West and in the East, in the North and in the South, who murdered many people in our modern era and in the past? What about tyrants of the future who will follow the footsteps of murderous tyrants of the past? God says the following in the Quran: "Do not ever think that God is unaware of what the unjust ones do. He only defers them until a Day when the sights stare. Their necks outstretched, their heads upraised, their gaze unblinking, their hearts void." (14:42-43).
1/3: The cursed Moses' Pharaoh is the imam/leader of all tyrants who have emerged after him; God says the following about his torment along with his people: "He will precede his people on the Day of Resurrection, and will lead them into the Fire. Miserable is the place he placed them in. They were followed by a curse in this, and on the Day of Resurrection. Miserable is the path they followed." (11:98-99); "And We made them leaders calling to the Fire. And on Resurrection Day, they will not be saved. And We pursued them in this world with a curse. And on Resurrection Day, they will be among the despised." (28:41-42).
1/4: We quote the following about the torment and curse which will be inflicted on the disbelievers among the Israelites on the Last Day: "Cursed were those who disbelieved from among the Israelites by the tongue of David and Jesus son of Mary. That is because they rebelled and used to transgress. They used not to prevent one another from the wrongs they used to commit. Evil is what they used to do. You will see many of them allying themselves to those who disbelieve. Terrible is what their souls prompts them to do. The wrath of God fell upon them, and in the torment they will remain for eternity." (5:78-80).
1/5: We quote the following about the torment and curse which will be inflicted on the polytheists and hypocrites on the Last Day: "And He will punish the hypocrites, male and female, and the idolaters, male and female, those who harbor evil thoughts about God. They are surrounded by evil; and God is angry with them, and has cursed them, and has prepared for them Hell - a miserable destination." (48:6).
2- We add the following points to the above-mentioned ones.
2/1: All those who die as disbelievers are cursed and will be tormented in Hell forever relentlessly: " But as for those who disbelieve, and die as disbelievers - those - upon them is the curse of God, and of the angels, and of all humanity. They will remain under it forever, and the torment will not be lightened for them, and they will not be reprieved." (2:161-162); "God has cursed the disbelievers, and has prepared for them a Blaze. Dwelling therein forever, not finding an ally or a savior." (33:64-65).
2/2: We quote the following about those who die as hypocrites who pretended to be believers while they were disbelievers: "God has promised the hypocrite men and hypocrite women, and the disbelievers, the Fire of Hell, abiding therein forever. It is their due. And God has cursed them. They will have a lasting torment." (9:68). Those who repent from their hypocrisy will be saved from Hell: "The hypocrites will be in the lowest level of the Fire, and you will find no helper for them. Except those who repent, and reform, and hold fast to God, and dedicate their religion to God alone. These are with the believers; and God will give the believers a great reward." (4:145-147). We find here warning/preaching addressed to the Muhammadans who falsely claim that they believe in the Quran while they insist on believing in other discourses/narratives/hadiths alongside with it.
2/3: Those who disbelieve in the Quran will be cursed and tormented: "How will God guide a people who disbelieved after having believed, and had witnessed that the Messenger is true, and the clear proofs had come to them? God does not guide the unjust people. Those - their penalty is that upon them falls the curse of God, and of the angels, and of all humankind. Remaining in it eternally, without their torment being eased from them, and without being reprieved. Except those who repent afterwards, and reform; for God is Forgiving and Merciful." (3:86-89). We find here warning/preaching addressed to the Muhammadans so that they might repent, reform, and make amends before their death.
2/4: The clergymen who conceal the Truth will be cursed and the witnesses will bear testimony against them on the Last Day: "Most surely We will support Our messengers and those who believe, in this life, and on the Day the witnesses arise. The Day when their excuses will not profit the unjust ones, and the curse will be upon them, and they will have the Home of Misery." (40:51-52); "Who does greater wrong than he who fabricates lies about God? These will be presented before their Lord, and the witnesses will say, "These are they who lied about their Lord." Indeed, the curse of God is upon the unjust ones. Those who hinder others from the Path of God, and seek to make it crooked; and regarding the Hereafter, they are in denial." (11:18-19).
2/5: Those who have insulted/harmed God and His messenger in all eras (i.e., those who fabricate and spread lies/hadiths and ascribe them to God's Religion and Celestial Revelation) will be cursed and tormented: "Those who insult God and His Messenger, God has cursed them in this life and in the Hereafter, and has prepared for them a demeaning torment." (33:57).
3- These sinners will be cursed inside Hell as well.
3/1: They are cursed by angels of the Lord when they are inside Hell: "And the inhabitants of the Garden will call out to the inmates of the Fire, "We found what our Lord promised us to be true; did you find what your Lord promised you to be true?" They will say, "Yes." Thereupon a caller will announce in their midst, "The curse of God is upon the unjust ones."" (7:44)
3/2: The dwellers of Hell will curse one another while being tormented for eternity.
3/2/1: Abraham said the following to his people: "And he said, "You have chosen idols instead of God, out of affection for one another in the worldly life. But then, on the Day of Resurrection, you will disown one another, and curse one another. Your destiny is Hell, and you will have no saviors."" (29:25).
3/2/2: The unjust ones will curse one another while being thrown into Hell: "He will say, "Join the crowds of jinn and humans who have gone into the Fire before you." Every time a crowd enters, it will curse its sister-crowd. Until, when they are all in it, the last of them will say to the first of them, "Our Lord, these are the ones who misled us, so inflict on them a double punishment in the Fire." He will say, "Each will have a double, but you do not know."" (7:38).
3/2/3: The weak disbelievers will curse their maters/clergymen while both are tormented inside Hell: "The Day when their faces are flipped into the Fire, they will say, "If only we had obeyed God and obeyed the Messenger." And they will say, "Lord, we have obeyed our superiors and our dignitaries, but they led us away from the way. Lord, give them double the torment, and curse them with a great curse."" (33:66-68).
Sixthly: types of cursed people:
Cursing disbelievers among the People of the Book:
1- God has told the People of the Book to believe in the Quran which endorsed their Scriptures, but they disbelieved in it and they are thus cursed by God: "And they said, "Our hearts are sealed." Rather, God has cursed them for their disbelief. They have little faith. And when a Book came to them from God, confirming what they have - although previously they were seeking victory against those who disbelieved - but when there came to them what they recognized, they disbelieved in it. So God's curse is upon the disbelievers." (2:88-89); "O you who were given the Book! Believe in what We sent down, confirming what you have, before We obliterate faces and turn them inside out, or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath-breakers. The command of God is always done." (4:47).
2- Some of the People of the Book distorted God's words/commands and this incurred upon them God's curse: "Among the Jews are some who take words out of context, and say, "We hear and we disobey", and "Hear without listening", and "Observe us," twisting with their tongues and slandering the religion. Had they said, "We hear and we obey", and "Listen", and "Give us your attention," it would have been better for them, and more upright. But God has cursed them for their disbelief; they do not believe except a little." (4:46).
3- Some of the People of the Book falsely claimed that the Qorayish disbelievers are more 'guided' than the early believers: "Have you not considered those who were given a share of the Book? They believe in Gypt and Taghut, and say of those who disbelieve, "These are better guided on the way than the believers." Those are they whom God has cursed. Whomever God curses, you will find no savior for him." (4:51-52).
4- Some of the People of the Book insulted God within uttering blasphemous words: "The Jews say, "God's hand is tied." It is their hands that are tied, and they are cursed for what they say..." (5:64).
5- Some of the People of the Book broke the covenant made with the Lord God: "Because of their breaking their covenant, We cursed them, and made their hearts hard..." (5:13)
Cursing the disobedient ones among the so-called companions:
1- Some of the so-called companions slandered chaste women in Yathreb and accused them of committing fornication; God curses such slanderers in all eras as a general rule: "Those who slander honorable, innocent, believing women are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter. They will have a terrible torment." (24:23).
2- God has predicted that the so-called companions will be cursed as they rejected the Quran and will commit the crime known as the Arab civil war; this applies in particular to the leaders of such civil war: Ali, Mu'aweiya, and Al-Zubayr who never cared about their familial ties and relations and they spread corruption and fighting everyone: "If you turn away, you are likely to spread corruption on earth, and sever your family ties. Those are they whom God has cursed. He made them deaf, and blinded their sight." (47:22-23).