The Book of Virtues

Sahih Muslim 2373 d

Contextual Background

This narration concerns an altercation between a Muslim and a Jew, where verbal abuse escalated. The Jew invoked Allah's curse upon those who associate partners with Him, referring to polytheists, while the Muslim responded by cursing those whom Allah has cursed, specifically targeting the Jews.

Scholarly Commentary

The Prophet's ﷺ disapproval of the Muslim's response demonstrates that while defending faith is praiseworthy, one must adhere to prophetic methodology. The Jew's statement, though intended as an insult, contained theological truth about Allah's oneness, making it inappropriate to counter with false cursing.

Imam al-Nawawi explains that cursing specific communities en masse is prohibited unless clearly established through divine texts. The Muslim's generalized curse exceeded proper bounds, whereas the Jew's statement, though malicious, aligned with Quranic teachings against shirk.

Legal and Ethical Implications

This hadith establishes that truth remains truth even when uttered by opponents. Muslims must distinguish between personal disputes and matters of creed, responding with wisdom rather than emotional reactions.

The incident underscores the Islamic principle of justice in speech, prohibiting false accusations even against historical adversaries. It teaches that defending faith requires knowledge and precision, not blanket condemnations unsupported by revelation.