Sūrah Al-Masad The Palm Fibre

Al-Qurṭubī derives from verse 1 "may the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined and ruined is he" the unique Qurʾānic case where a named individual is cursed by divine text. He maps this to the general fiqh ruling on laʿn: cursing a specific named individual is ḥarām based on prophetic prohibition of cursing; the Qurʾānic text cursing Abu Lahab creates an exception for those Qurʾānically named.

Al-Qurṭubī establishes the general rule across four schools: (1) cursing named individuals (alive or recently dead) is ḥarām the person may repent or may have been falsely characterized; (2) cursing categories is permitted "may Allah curse the oppressors," "may Allah curse those who commit x" are general supplications rather than individual curses; (3) cursing the Qurʾānically condemned (Abu Lahab, Pharaoh, Iblīs) is permitted their Qurʾānic condemnation makes the curse accurate and textually grounded. He also derives that cursing a deceased Muslim is ḥarām their account is with Allah; they cannot defend themselves; and their fate is unknown despite their earthly sins.

• Cursing a specific named individual is ḥarām the person may repent, may have been falsely characterized, or their ultimate fate is unknown; cursing presumes knowledge we do not have.
• Cursing categories (oppressors, liars, those who commit specific ḥarām) is permitted general supplications for Allah to curse categories of wrongdoing are established in the Sunnah.
• Cursing Qurʾānically condemned individuals (Abu Lahab, Pharaoh, Iblīs) is permitted their condemnation is divinely established and accurate.
• Cursing a deceased Muslim is ḥarām their account is with Allah; they may have repented; their ultimate fate is unknown regardless of earthly sins.
• Reciting the curse in Al-Masad as tilāwah (Qurʾān recitation) is worship it is not the reader independently cursing Abu Lahab but reciting divine speech.