If malediction is practiced by God...

If malediction is practiced by God, then its meaning is that in the next life, one will face the Divine retribution; while in the transient world, it means that the individual will be cut off from being able to accept the mercy [of God] and the Divine providence.

If malediction is employed by an individual, then it means that one makes supplication and imprecation and entreats [God] to bring about damage to the person whom one is praying against.”[^11] Therefore, malediction means to distance one’s self from the despicable actions of an individual and to pray that he is detached from the mercy of God.

Perhaps the best way to phrase this word is to state that it ultimately means: “May God never forgive you.” For example, in some instances it may be said of an individual: “May God never forgive that person whose actions led to the killing of countless innocent people” – this is malediction.

Such phrases can never be considered to be positive or in a person’s benefit [although one is praying “for” someone else]; rather, the supplication against a person (imprecation) is due to the fact that one has committed a contemptible action, and therefore when a person says: “O God! Remove your mercy from such and such person,” what we mean is that we are asking God to leave that person alone on his own and not forgive him for his evil actions. [^1]: Bihar al-anwar, vol. 66, pg.

241 [^2]: Sihah fil lugha, vol. 1, pg. 299 [^3]: Taj al-ʿUrus, vol. 2, pg. 63: السب: الشتم [^4]: Lisan al-ʿArab, vol. 12, pg. 318, الشتم: قبيح الكلام وليس فيه قذف [^5]: Majmaʿ al-bahrayn, vol. 12, pg. 70 [^6]: Al-Qurʾan, Suratul An’am (6), verse 108 [^7]: Sahih al-bukhari, vol. 1, pg. 52; Al-Kafi, vol. 2, pg. 360 [سِبابُ المُسْلمِ فُسُوقٌ] [^8]: Nahj al-balagha, pg.