Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
In Islam, wishing harm to non-Muslims—or anyone—is not permissible. The teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emphasize kindness and compassion even toward enemies. His actions, such as praying for guidance for those who opposed him, highlight the importance of fostering understanding and promoting good. Muslims are called to embody these values, presenting Islam in its truest form: a religion of mercy, empathy, and respect for all.
In responding to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:
Did Prophet Muhammad Wish Harm to His Opponents?
It was never reported that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), any Companion, or any scholar wished harm to anyone, even the severest enemy.
Rather, the Prophet, when contradicted and severely opposed by the pagans of Makkah, wished from Allah Almighty to guide them to the Right Path.
Lessons from At-Taif: Compassion Over Revenge
A good pioneering model of this is what happened when he was returning from At-Taif; thrown with stones and extremely exhausted by the long tiring journey, Allah has sent him Gabriel accompanying the Angel of mountains who greeted him and said, “Oh Muhammad, Allah Almighty has heard what your people has said to you and sent me to order me to do whatever you want; if you want me to turn the two mountains (surrounding Makkah) upside down on them, I will do it.” The Prophet said, “No, but I wish that Allah will create from their offspring who will worship Him.” (Al-Bukhari)
Is Wishing Harm to Non-Muslims Permissible in Islam?
Therefore, it is not Islamic to wish any harm to anyone, even non-Muslims. Rather, we are to treat them kindly showing them the clear image of Islam and wishing them to be guided to the Right Path. This is the best way in offering Islam.
A Muslim cannot rejoice at the suffering of others. He should be reminded of one of the eminent Companions of the Prophet who cried to see those who were defeated by Muslims; when asked why he was crying, he said, “This fate has befallen them because of their disobedience; it could befall us too, if we do the same!”
Continue your learning journey with these helpful links:
- Can We Wish Non-Muslim on Their Festivals?
- Can Muslims Be Friends with Non-Muslims?
- Are Muslims Allowed to Cooperate with Non-Muslims?
- Do Muslims Hate Non-Muslims?
- Can You Make Dua for Non-Muslims?
Almighty Allah knows best.
Editor’s note: This fatwa is from Ask the Scholar’s archive and was originally published at an earlier date.