Who Are Considered the Accursed? And What Are Their Key Traits and Signs?
–How fast and competitive are you in the path toward self-improvement and human spiritual journey?
-How important is it to you that your today should be better than your yesterday?
-Do you know who are considered accursed and why they are deprived of God’s mercy?
Often, we assume that the term “accursed” only applies to those who commit grave crimes, such as devils, disbelievers, those who hide the truth, and those who disobey God as well as Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him and his family) and his Household (Peace be upon them). In addition to them, the corrupters on Earth, oppressors, and murderers are also the ones who are cursed in the Quran. However, the term “accursed” extends beyond these groups. According to God and His Messenger, the answer to “Who is the accursed?” encompasses a much broader scope. In Islamic teachings, a person who progresses slowly or stagnates on their spiritual path toward God is called Maghbun (one who has suffered a loss), while someone who regresses is called Mal’un (accursed). Therefore, anyone whose today is worse than their yesterday is also accursed [1]. The word Mal’un comes from la’n [2], which means being distanced from God’s mercy. But why would someone be distanced from God’s mercy?
The opportunity to live is the greatest and most important asset we have in this world. One day, we will all stand in the presence of God and in the Court of Divine Justice to account for the days and hours we have wasted in negligence and idleness. God created us to be His deputy on earth and to represent Him; therefore, we should not spend our lives in procrastination, play, and negligence like children. A believer must always be concerned with self-purification and their moral, spiritual, and intellective improvement, planning each day so that it is better than the last. On this path, delay, stagnation, or regression is forbidden because our infinity-seeking essence seeks forward movement and cannot tolerate falling behind. On the journey toward God, we are like a cyclist climbing a steep path; if we lapse for even a moment and stop pedaling, our fall is certain.
Why Are the Accursed Deprived of God’s Mercy
Before addressing the questions of who the accursed are and why they are denied divine mercy, we need to step back and examine the Law of Proportion. We stated that the relationship between this world and the hereafter is like the relationship between a mother’s womb and this world. A fetus in the mother’s womb is constantly in a state of becoming, attaining a new stage every forty days and entering a new phase of development. This means that every moment differs from the previous one, and day by day, the fetus acquires qualities that prepare him for life in this world. Now, imagine what would happen if the fetus were to halt his development for even a moment or lose the qualities he had previously acquired. Certainly, his body would not develop in accordance with the conditions of the world, and after birth, he would face numerous difficulties.
Our journey toward the hereafter, like the development of a fetus in the mother’s womb, is a process of constant becoming. Our soul continually changes and takes on new forms under the influence of various inputs. If these inputs are positive, the structure of our soul will align with the conditions of life in the intermediate realm, the Barzakh, and our movement will be one of development to perfection. However, if these inputs are negative and toxic, our journey toward eternal life will be disrupted. In other words, the path toward Allah is an uphill climb. We cannot keep the engine of our soul idling for long periods, nor can we take our foot off the accelerator. We must pursue this path with unwavering dedication and maximum effort.
To become like Allah and attain the heaven whose expanse encompasses all the heavens and the earth, we must be swift [3] and competitive [4]. In fact, the only arena where we are permitted to be competitive and surpass others is in developing a sound heart and becoming like Allah. On this path, anyone who becomes preoccupied with competing and comparing themselves to others in acquiring worldly qualities will fall behind in their spiritual dimension and true self. As a result, instead of moving swiftly forward, they will regress. Such a person is considered accursed in the eyes of God and His Messenger, for they grow further from the purpose of their creation and their true Beloved with each passing day. What greater loss is there than for a person to be worse today than they were yesterday and to look back on their past with regret? To move toward Heaven, such existential assets as happiness and inner peace must increase day by day. Therefore, if someone lacks happiness and peace and is easily shaken by the smallest sorrow or deprivation, it means that their movement toward eternity is either stagnant or regressive.
Now that it has become clear to us “who is the accursed?” let us discuss some of the factors that cause a person to be accursed by God.
Laziness and Apathy Lead to Being Among the Accursed
One of the most significant reasons for our procrastination and regression on the path toward God is laziness and apathy in our actions. Laziness causes us to neglect our duties toward our family and those around us, and whoever behaves in such a manner is considered accursed in the eyes of God and the Prophet and his Household (Peace be upon them) [5].
Laziness causes us to constantly procrastinate, putting off our tasks and responsibilities. Many of the problems we face in our relationships with our spouses or in parenting stem from our laziness and negligence in acquiring communication, emotional, financial, and spiritual skills. On the other hand, the more lazy and sluggish we are in worldly matters, the more lethargic we will be in purifying our souls and preparing for the hereafter. For example, if we need tomake an important decision, repent, abandon a sin or an obstacle, cut ties with Satan, or draw closer to God, we keep delaying and postponing it. In this way, the core and eternal dimension of our being begins to decay and deteriorate due to constant procrastination. As a result, our name will be recorded among the accursed.
In this lesson, we explained who the accursed are, emphasizing that, from the perspective of Almighty God, anyone whose today is worse than their yesterday is accursed and deprived of God’s mercy. We also highlighted that laziness in the path of self-improvement is a significant factor in delaying and neglecting both worldly and spiritual responsibilities.
[1]. Majlisi, Muhammad Baqir. Bihar Al-Anwaar. vol. 75, p. 411.
[2]. Raghib al-Isfahani states, “Malediction means the rejection and distancing of oneself [from something]—angrily. If malediction is practiced by God, then its meaning is that in the next life, one will face 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 Divine providence.” Quoted in Mujtaba Sabouri. “Meanings of Cussing (`Sabb`) and Malediction (`La‘n`) and Their Effects.” Love and Hate for God’s Sake.
[3]. Quran, 3:133
[4]. Quran, 57:21
[5]. Al-Kulayni, Muhammad ibn Ya’qub. Al-Kāfi. vol. 4, book 1, ch. 7.