Is It Permitted to Pray Something Bad to People According to Islam?

Sometimes we stuck in a situation where made us hate people because of their behavior. It could happen anywhere whether around your family, school, or workplace.

And yes, we always find someone that annoyed us. That person could be your sibling, friends, colleagues, or even your parents.

Sometimes their behavior does not only make us hurt but also annoyed us. Unconsciously, we pray something bad for them silently. Instead of find ways to make your heart calm in facing problems and its verses, we cursed them.

Admit it! Even if for once only, you have ever to pray something bad to others. So, how Islam perceived those things? Is that lawful if we pray something bad to people that we don’t like? Indeed, in the Quran surah, Al Baqarah verse 83 says that:

وَاِذْ اَخَذْنَا مِيْثَاقَ بَنِيْٓ اِسْرَاۤءِيْلَ لَا تَعْبُدُوْنَ اِلَّا اللّٰهَ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ اِحْسَانًا وَّذِى الْقُرْبٰى وَالْيَتٰمٰى وَالْمَسٰكِيْنِ وَقُوْلُوْا لِلنَّاسِ حُسْنًا وَّاَقِيْمُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَاٰتُوا الزَّكٰوةَۗ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ اِلَّا قَلِيْلًا مِّنْكُمْ وَاَنْتُمْ مُّعْرِضُوْنَ – ٨٣

“And (remember) when We took the promise from the Children of Israel, “Do not worship other than Allah and do good to both parents, relatives, orphans, and poor people. And say good things to people, perform prayers and pay alms. ” But then you turn away (deny), except for a small part of you, and you (still) become a dissident.”

1. Wishing Evil Thoughts

When you make a wish about someone you hate or annoyed you, that time you were in anger condition. Muslims believe that anger comes from an evil impact. So, that time your head full of evil thoughts. That is why you could not think clearly and unconsciously wishing something bad for them.

This wishing evil thought kind of behavior should be avoided by ever humankind. It will destroy us sooner or later. As we thought more of a bad thing, so bad aura will come to you. It will cause more anxiety and the worst part is depression.

 The Noble Prophet (blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny) has stated:

إِنَّ اللٌّهَ حَرَّمَ عَلى الْمُسْلِمِ دَمَهُ وَ مٌالَهُ وَ عِرْضَهُ وَ أَنْ يَظُنَّ بِهِ سُوءَ الظَّنِ

“Certainly Allah has made sacred the blood, property, and respect of a Muslim (from another Muslim) and he must not even entertain bad thoughts (about the other Muslim).“

2. Wasted Time and Thoughts

Always wishing someone for bad things is exhausted for you. You will always spend your time wishing their bad coming to them. Then become angry or annoyed by them because you thought that they still have a good situation whether you were not. Let’s be honest, it’s tiring, right?

That is why you need to stop. Stop wasting your time and your thought about wishing a bad thing to others. Instead of wishing a bad thing, you can think something useful for you and others. At least, keep your mind in a positive way. In the Quran surah Surah Yunus verse 45

وَيَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ كَاَنْ لَّمْ يَلْبَثُوْٓا اِلَّا سَاعَةً مِّنَ النَّهَارِ يَتَعَارَفُوْنَ بَيْنَهُمْۗ قَدْ خَسِرَ الَّذِيْنَ كَذَّبُوْا بِلِقَاۤءِ اللّٰهِ وَمَا كَانُوْا مُهْتَدِيْنَ – ٤٥

“And (remember) on the day (when) Allah gathered them, (they felt) as if they had never stayed (in the world) except for a moment in the daytime, (when) they met each other. What a loss for people who deny their meeting with God and they do not get a clue.”

3. Wishing a Blessing is Better than Cursing

There is an old proverb that says whatever you wish for others whether is for good or bad, truthfully it will come back for you. That is why Islam always taught us to keep wish for a blessing for others instead of cursing them. Moreover, Allah loves them who do good to others and not harm them. Such as the way on how to collect good deeds in Ramadhan.

In the Quran surah An-Nahl verse 128 mentions this.

اِنَّ اللّٰهَ مَعَ الَّذِيْنَ اتَّقَوْا وَّالَّذِيْنَ هُمْ مُّحْسِنُوْنَ ࣖ ۔ – ١٢٨

“Indeed, Allah is with those who fear Allah and those who do good.”

4. Love Your Enemies

People that hurt you, annoyed you, or even break your heart the most will keep in your mind as the enemy. As your hatred comes bigger than your common sense, you keep the evil thoughts control you. That is why you keep wishing something bad for them even if you don’t want to.

Islam never thought us about that thing. Allah always says in the Quran that we should love each other. Whether we hate them so much, still they’re a Muslim family for us.

In this situation, we need to read surahs in the Quran that peace your soul. We should pray a blessing for them and love our enemies instead of hating them. In the Quran surah, Al Jasiyah verse 14 mentions this.

قُلْ لِّلَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا يَغْفِرُوْا لِلَّذِيْنَ لَا يَرْجُوْنَ اَيَّامَ اللّٰهِ لِيَجْزِيَ قَوْمًا ۢبِمَا كَانُوْا يَكْسِبُوْنَ – ١٤

“Say (Muhammad) to those who believe they should forgive those who do not fear the days of Allah because He will reward people according to what they have done.”

5. Stop Comparing Others and Be Grateful

The truth is when we hate someone we do not really hate them. That because you always busy comparing their life with you. You thought that they have more good life than you.

They can achieve more than you. They seem happier than you. But, you don’t know the truth about their feeling or how they struggle with.

Remember, that everything is not what they seem. That is why we need to be more grateful instead of wishing something bad to them.

Indeed Allah loves them who live in grateful life and there is a lot of benefits of being grateful. In the Quran surah An-Nahl verse 18 mentions this.

وَإِنْ تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ

“And He has given you all that you have asked Him for. And if you count the blessings of Allah, surely you will not be able to count them.”

So, there are 5 things about why we should not pray something bad for people based from the Quran which to have a lot of reasons why the Quran has all life answers. It not only will harm you but ruin your relationship with others. Indeed Allah loves them who keep a brotherhood of fellow Muslims.