F i f t h E x a m p l e : The fact that the Prophet’s (PBUH) maledictions against particular persons were accepted and realized in a dreadful way is illustrated by numerous instances. We shall recount three of these by way of example.

The First: He uttered the following curse against ‘Utba b. Abi Lahab: “O God, beset a dog on him from among your dogs!” Some time later ‘Utba went on a journey during which a lion sought him out from among the caravan, and tore him to pieces.(225) This incident was famous and is narrated as authentic by the authorities on Hadith.

The Second: This is Muhallim b. Jaththama: he unjustly killed ‘Amir b. Adbat, but God’s Messenger had sent him as the commander of a force to fight in God’s way. When the news of this reached the Messenger, he was angry and cursed him, saying: “O God, do not grant forgiveness to Muhallim!” Muhallim died a week later. They put him in his grave, but the grave cast him out. They buried him in several different places, but each time the grave rejected him. Finally they built a strong wall between two rocks, and in this way the corpse was housed.(226)

--------------------------------------
(225) See, page 140, fn. 76. Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa: i, 329; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa: i, 664.
(226) Ibn Maja, Fitan 1 no: 3930; Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa: i, 329; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa: i, 665; al-Khafaji, Sharh al-Shifa: iii, 142; Ibn Hisham, Sirat al-Nabi iv, 247; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya wa’l-Nihaya iv, 224-6.