Do Not Curse The Time
Do not curse the time. Abu Hurairah (ra) reported that the Messenger of Allah (swt) said:
Allah Azza Wa-Jall said: The son of Adam offends Me when he curses the time, for I am the time: the matter is in My Hand 1
And this is from the narration of Ahmad:
Do not curse the time, for indeed Allah Azza Wa-jall said, I am the time: the days and the nights are Mine – I renew them and cause them to decay (i.e., to end); and I bring kings after kings. 2
When people would be afflicted with a calamity during pre – Islamic times – the times of ignorance – it was customary for them to curse the time; some people from this Nation – and they are few – are guilty of the same ignorance. The reason why it is prohibited to curse the time is because it involves cursing the Creator of the time, for He (swt) is the one who makes time pass. Cursing time is prohibited, then, so that one does not, as a direct consequence, curse his Creator – and we seek protection from Allah (swt)
Question : Is it permissible to say, This is a treacherous time, or. What a failure is the time wherein I saw you, or other similar phrases?
Answer : Ibn Uthaimeen – may Allah (swt) have mercy on him – said that such phrases can be said in two different ways :
1) One says such phrases with the intention of cursing time, and that is Haram, for whatsoever occurs in time is from Allah (swt) Therefore, when one curses time, he is in fact cursing Allah (swt) – and we seek refuge in Allah (swt) And that is why Allah (swt) said in a Qudsee Hadeeth:
The son of Adam offends Me when he curses the time for I am the time: the matter is in My Hand – I make the night alter into day.
2) One says such phrases with the intention of imparting information, of expressing the situation of a certain point in time or of a certain era. An example of this is in the following verse, wherein Allah (swt) related from Loot (as)
He said: This is a distressful day. (Quran 11:77)
Everyone says at some time of another, This is a difficult day, or, Such and such happened today, and there is no sin upon people for doing so.
But when one says, This is a treacherous time, then that is a form of cursing that is certainly not permissible. In regards to the phrase, What a failure is the time wherein I saw you, if one intends, What a failure I was, or something similar, then there is nothing wrong with what he said; but if his intention is to curse the actual day or time, then he is cursing time, which is forbidden.
1) Related by Bukhaaree (4826), Muslim (2246), Ahmad (7204), Abu Daawood (5274), and Maalik (1846)
2) Related by Ahmad (10061). Commenting on this narration, Ibn Hajar sid, Its chain is authentic