8/27. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1532 — Do Not Curse Yourself or Family
The Prohibition Of A Person Supplicating Against His Family And Wealth
Do Not Curse Yourself: A Hadith on Guarding the Tongue in Dua
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1532
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1532
حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ، وَيَحْيَى بْنُ الْفَضْلِ، وَسُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا حَاتِمُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ مُجَاهِدٍ أَبُو حَزْرَةَ، عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ تَدْعُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِكُمْ وَلاَ تَدْعُوا عَلَى أَوْلاَدِكُمْ وَلاَ تَدْعُوا عَلَى خَدَمِكُمْ وَلاَ تَدْعُوا عَلَى أَمْوَالِكُمْ لاَ تُوَافِقُوا مِنَ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى سَاعَةَ نَيْلٍ فِيهَا عَطَاءٌ فَيَسْتَجِيبَ لَكُمْ " . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ مُتَّصِلُ الإِسْنَادِ فَإِنَّ عُبَادَةَ بْنَ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ لَقِيَ جَابِرًا .
Jabir b. 'Abd Allah Narrated from:
Jabir b. 'Abd Allah reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: Do not invoke curse on yourselves, and do not invoke curse on your children, and do not invoke curse on your servants, and do not invoke curse on your property, lest you happen to do it at a time when Allah is asked for something and grants your request. Abu Dawud said: This Hadith has a continuous chain of narrators, 'Ubadah bin Al-Walid bin 'Ubadah (did) met Jabir.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1532In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 117English translation : Book 8, Hadith 1527
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1532
This hadith about not cursing yourself is a strong reminder to guard the tongue during anger and stress. Jabir ibn Abdullah reported that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said not to invoke curse on yourselves, your children, your servants, or your property. The reason given is that a person may say such words at a time when Allah is asked and grants the request. The hadith does not tell us to stop making dua. It teaches us to avoid harmful dua. A believer should be careful with words, especially when upset, because supplication is serious. The safest path is to ask for good, mercy, and protection rather than harm.
What we learn from this hadith
- The hadith forbids invoking curses on oneself, children, servants, or property.
- Words said in anger can be dangerous when they take the form of harmful supplication.
- The hadith directs believers to take dua seriously and guard the tongue.
