Divine Laws & Ways · Quran topic

Curse

اللعن · La'n

Understanding the gravity of divine expulsion and guarding the tongue against invoking it.

128 verses · 5 parts · 9 min read

Study guide based on

موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم

مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية

«اللعن» · Volume 15

At a glance

In the Quran, cursing (la‘n) is not mere verbal abuse or an emotional outburst. At its core, divine cursing signifies being cast far away, expelled from Allah's boundless mercy, guidance, and divine favor. To be cursed by Allah is the ultimate spiritual deprivation, cutting an individual off from all hope of divine assistance in this life and leaving them to face disgrace and enduring punishment in the hereafter.

While Allah and His angels direct this severe condemnation against persistent transgressors such as unrepentant disbelievers, corrupters, and false accusers, the Quran also reveals the bitter reality of mutual cursing in Hellfire, where misguided followers turn upon their former leaders. Recognizing the profound reality of this term serves as an urgent reminder of our constant need for divine mercy and the critical discipline of guarding our speech from invoking such devastation upon others.

Key verses

Al-Baqarah 2:161: Affirms that those who persist in disbelief and die in that state incur the collective curse of Allah, the angels, and all humanity.
Al-Ahzab 33:64: Declares that Allah has expelled the disbelievers from His mercy and prepared for them a blazing Hellfire where they remain cut off from any protector.
Ali 'Imran 3:86-88: Explains the severe judgment awaiting apostates who reject faith after witnessing clear proofs, while confirming repentance remains open before death.
Hud 11:18: Shows the witnesses on the Day of Resurrection, including the angels and prophets, proclaiming Allah's curse upon the wrongdoers who invented falsehood against Him.
Al-Baqarah 2:159: Warns those who conceal divine guidance and clear signs that they face the curse of Allah along with the curse of all who can curse.
An-Nur 24:23: Highlights the extreme offense of slandering chaste, innocent, believing women, which incurs expulsion from mercy in both this life and the next.
Al-Ahzab 33:66: Depicts the intense regret of the people of the Fire as their faces are turned in torment, wishing they had obeyed Allah and His Messenger.
Al-Ahzab 33:68: Illustrates how misguided followers in Hell will plead with Allah to double the punishment of their deceptive leaders and curse them with a mighty curse.
Al-Hijr 15:33: Records Iblis's arrogant refusal to prostrate to Adam, the fatal defiance that caused him to be permanently banished from Allah's presence.
At-Tawbah 9:68: Pairs hypocrites and disbelievers together under Allah's curse and enduring chastisement due to their shared inward defiance and corruption.
An-Nisa 4:93: Establishes the unmatched gravity of intentionally murdering a believer, an enormity answered by divine wrath, expulsion from mercy, and supreme punishment.
Muhammad 47:22-23: Cautions against spreading corruption across the land and severing family ties, acts that strip a person of spiritual sight and the ability to benefit from truth.

Words to know

اللعن al-la‘n

Expulsion and banishment from goodness and divine mercy, appearing in the Quran as a punishment from Allah and as an invocation from human beings.

Appears 41 times in the Quran.

Most common forms: لَعَنَ (23), لَعْنَة (14), لاعِن (1), مَلْعُونَة (1), مَلْعُون (1)

Root: ل ع ن

السب al-sabb

Severing or reviling, which refers to disparaging someone by uttering words that ascribe defect and contempt.

الشتم al-shatm

Foul and repulsive speech aimed at highlighting the ugliness or shortcomings of the person addressed.

السب والشتم al-sabb wa-al-shatm

The combined practice of reviling and insulting, signifying extensive verbal abuse and prolonged disparagement.

البعد al-bu‘d

Being distanced and driven away from all goodness and divine mercy, often carrying the meaning of destruction and doom.

Root: ب ع د

السحق al-suhq

Absolute remoteness and destruction, signaling an utter distancing from Allah's compassion.

Root: س ح ق

Those who curse in the Quran

From the paper: «اللاعنون في القرآن»

The Quran mentions curses issuing from several distinct sources, each carrying a unique standing and reality:

Allah: The primary and most consequential curse belongs to Allah alone. When Allah curses someone, He casts them far away from His grace, strips them of divine success (tawfiq), and decrees their ruin in both worlds Al-Hijr 15:28-35.
The Angels and Prophets: The angels join in cursing persistent disbelievers and those who lie against Allah Al-Baqarah 2:161, Hud 11:18-19. Their curse functions as a righteous prayer confirming divine justice. Similarly, prophets announced divine curses upon persistent transgressors, as David and Jesus did regarding the defiant among the Children of Israel Al-Ma'idah 5:78.
All Humanity: The entire human collective, or the natural moral disposition of humanity, curses unrepentant apostates and deniers of truth Ali 'Imran 3:85-88.
Followers and Fellow Inmates in Hell: In the Fire, the false bonds of the world shatter. Regretful followers bitterly curse the corrupt elites who deceived them Al-Ahzab 33:64-68, idolaters curse one another Al-Ankabut 29:25, and each entering nation curses the sister nation that preceded it Al-A'raf 7:38.
The Herald and All Who Curse: A dedicated angelic herald calls out between Paradise and Hell to declare Allah's enduring curse upon the oppressors Al-A'raf 7:44, while those who hide divine revelation face the curse of Allah and all who curse Al-Baqarah 2:159.

The cursed in the Quran

From the paper: «الملعونون في القرآن الكريم»

The Quran identifies specific categories and individuals whose actions earned divine expulsion:

Iblis (Satan): Banished perpetually to the Day of Judgment for his proud refusal to bow to Adam Al-Hijr 15:28-35, Sad 38:71-78 and his rebellion An-Nisa 4:116-118.
The Defiant among the Jews: Addressed frequently across the Quran due to repeated violations, including breaking covenants Al-Ma'idah 5:13, distorting revelation An-Nisa 4:46, claiming Allah is tight-fisted Al-Ma'idah 5:64, concealing the Prophet's description Al-Baqarah 2:159, and violating the Sabbath An-Nisa 4:47.
Disbelievers, Hypocrites, and Apostates: Those who knowingly abandon faith, reject truth after clear proofs arrive, and die upon falsehood At-Tawbah 9:68, Al-Ahzab 33:64-66, Ali 'Imran 3:86-89.
The Corrupters and Harm-Doers: Those who actively spread mischief, sever ties of kinship Ar-Ra'd 13:25, Muhammad 47:22-23, or deliberately harm Allah and His Messenger through slander and heresy Al-Ahzab 33:57.
Past Destroyed Nations: Ancient communities like ‘Ad Hud 11:50, Hud 11:59-60 and Pharaoh with his hosts Hud 11:96-99, Al-Qasas 28:39-42, who arrogantly defied their messengers and were followed by curses in both lives.
Major Sinners: The intentional killer of an innocent believer An-Nisa 4:93 and those who slander chaste, innocent believing women An-Nur 24:23.
The Tree of Zaqqum: Mentioned as the cursed tree in the Quran Al-Isra 17:60, As-Saffat 37:62-68, Ad-Dukhan 44:43-46, Al-Waqi'ah 56:51-56, described as vile food that boils like molten brass in the bellies of the damned.

Causes of cursing

From the paper: «أسباب اللعن»

Divine expulsion is never arbitrary; it is the exact recompense for grave transgressions. The paper identifies key causes highlighted across the Quran:

Disbelief and Polytheism (kufr and shirk): The greatest of all sins, depriving a person of divine grace when they choose darkness after the light has reached them Al-Baqarah 2:161-162, An-Nisa 4:116, Luqman 31:13.
Injustice and Tyranny (dhulm): Particularly turning others away from Allah's path and seeking to make it appear crooked Al-A'raf 7:44-45, Hud 11:18-19, Ghafir 40:52.
Fabricating Lies against Allah: Distorting sacred scriptures, concealing divine guidance, or uttering blasphemous claims against the Creator Al-Baqarah 2:159-160, An-Nisa 4:46, Al-Ma'idah 5:64.
Misleading Others: Spreading misguidance, leading innocent people astray, and following arrogant leaders who actively corrupt society Al-Hijr 15:39-40, Al-Ahzab 33:66-68.
Spreading Earthly Corruption and Severing Ties: Disrupting social peace, disobeying divine commands, and cutting off what Allah commanded to be joined, especially ties of the womb Ar-Ra'd 13:25, Muhammad 47:22-23.
Violating Sanctities: Committing premeditated murder against a believer An-Nisa 4:93, Al-Furqan 25:68 or maliciously attacking the honor of innocent believers An-Nur 24:23.
Breaching Covenants and Peddling False Rumors: Habitually breaking solemn promises made to Allah and people Al-Ma'idah 5:13, Ar-Ra'd 13:20, Al-Isra 17:34, and manufacturing baseless rumors to cause panic among the community Al-Ahzab 33:60-61.

Mutual imprecation between spouses

From the paper: «الملاعنة بين الزوجين»

A unique legal institution in Islamic law connected to cursing is al-li‘an (mutual imprecation), prescribed in the Quran to address a severe crisis within a marriage An-Nur 24:6-9.

When a husband accuses his wife of adultery but cannot produce four eyewitnesses, the law provides a solemn procedure. The husband testifies four times by Allah that he is truthful, and on the fifth oath invokes the curse of Allah upon himself if he is lying. This solemn procedure lifts the standard punishment for slander from the husband. To avert the penalty for adultery, the wife must swear four times by Allah that her husband is lying, and on the fifth oath invoke the wrath of Allah upon herself if he is telling the truth.

Scholars explain that this is the only instance where a believer is commanded to invoke a curse upon themselves if they are untruthful. It establishes a powerful barrier against casual accusations born of fleeting suspicion. Furthermore, invoking Allah's wrath (ghadab) on the woman's side is even more emphatic than cursing, underscoring the gravity of concealing the truth while taking solemn oaths in Allah's name. Completing the procedure results in an immediate, irrevocable dissolution of the marriage.

Consequences of cursing in this world and the hereafter

From the paper: «آثار اللعن في الدنيا والآخرة»

Being cursed carries devastating outcomes across both worlds. In this worldly life, it strips away divine blessing, blinds a person's inner sight, deprives them of guidance, and results in social disgrace, legal disqualification, and constriction of the soul An-Nisa 4:46, An-Nur 24:23. In the hereafter, the cursed face the worst destitution: being completely abandoned with no protector or helper against Allah's punishment An-Nisa 4:52, Al-Infitar 82:19.

Because the reality of the curse is so catastrophic, the Prophet strictly warned believers against invoking it. The paper cites hadiths affirming that cursing a believer is equivalent to killing them, that true believers are neither slanderers nor frequent cursers, and that habitual cursers will be denied the status of intercessors or witnesses on the Day of Resurrection.

Moreover, an invoked curse travels upward; if it finds no rightful target, it rebounds upon the speaker. The Prophet even rebuked those who cursed inanimate objects, wind, or animals, teaching that a believer's heart must remain an avenue of mercy and prayer rather than destructive imprecation. The true servant flees from every sin that provokes divine anger and strives to remain enveloped in Allah's vast mercy.

Takeaways

Guard your tongue from invoking ruin
Cursing is not a casual expression of anger; it is an invocation for total banishment from divine mercy. The Prophet strictly warned that cursing a believer is like killing them, and that habitual cursers will be stripped of the privilege of intercession.
Protect your kinship and foster social peace
The Quran directly links divine cursing to spreading discord on earth and severing family bonds Muhammad 47:22-23. Preserving family ties and acting as a force for harmony shields you from spiritual blindness and loss of divine blessing.
Refuse to follow leaders blindly into disobedience
The Quran vividly portrays the mutual blaming in the Fire, where people curse the very influencers and leaders they blindly followed Al-Ahzab 33:66-68. Measure every allegiance against Allah's guidance before following anyone into compromise.
Honor the sanctity of innocent reputations
Careless speech regarding people's honor is among the destructive sins that incur expulsion from mercy in both worlds An-Nur 24:23. Always demand verifiable truth and never participate in spreading unverified rumors or slander.
Never despair of Allah's mercy while life remains
Even in the sternest Quranic passages regarding apostasy and transgression, Allah repeatedly notes that genuine repentance, reform, and making amends open the door to His forgiveness and restoration Ali 'Imran 3:89.

Reflect

When anger surges within you, what words naturally rise to your tongue, and how can you replace harsh invocations with prayers for guidance?
Are there family ties in your life that have frayed or been severed, and what step can you take today to reconnect what Allah has commanded to be joined?
Whose opinions and directives do you follow in your daily life, and are they leading you toward divine pleasure or away from it?
How vigilant are you when hearing casual gossip about someone's integrity or private conduct, and do you actively protect their honor?

Go deeper

Linguistic meaning

Linguistically, al-la‘n denotes expulsion, banishment, and being driven far away from all that is good. When used by human beings, it signifies reviling, insulting, or praying for someone's downfall and expulsion.

يقول ابن منظور: «اللعن: الإبعاد والطرد من الخير، وقيل: الطرد والإبعاد من الله، ومن الخلق السب والدعاء، واللعنة الاسم، والجمع لعانٌ ولعناتٌ، ولعنه يلعنه لعنًا طرده وأبعده».

موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم

مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية

Volume 15

Technical meaning

In technical terms, Ibn Taymiyyah and al-Ghazali define divine cursing as expulsion and total banishment from Allah's mercy, guidance, and favor, leading to ruin in this life and torment in the next.

قال ابن تيمية: «اللعن: الإبعاد عن الرحمة».

موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم

مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية

Volume 15

How it differs from related terms

السب Reviling: Reviling (al-sabb) is general verbal abuse and disparagement, whereas al-la‘n is more specific and severe because it represents an explicit invocation for the target to be completely banished from Allah's mercy.
الشتم Insulting: Insulting (al-shatm) focuses on using offensive speech to make the other person appear ugly and deficient, while al-la‘n goes far beyond verbal disrespect by seeking the person's spiritual destruction.
السب والشتم Reviling and Insulting: The combined phrase al-sabb wa-al-shatm refers to prolonged and elaborate verbal degradation. It serves as a broader category of offensive speech, whereas cursing remains a specific, catastrophic supplication for total expulsion from divine grace.
البعد Being Distanced: Being distanced (al-bu‘d) shares the core meaning of being cast away from divine mercy, but it is frequently employed in the Quran to signify imminent destruction, absolute ruin, and the physical wiping out of defiant nations.
السحق Crushing Remoteness: Crushing remoteness (al-suhq) denotes absolute physical and spiritual distancing from good, while al-la‘n is used far more frequently in the Quran and is specifically tied to expulsion from Allah's mercy and benevolence.