Is the story true about the man whom the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, flogged for drinking wine, and then forbade cursing him, saying: "Do not curse him, for by Allah, I only know that he loves Allah and His Messenger," and how can this be reconciled with the Prophet's cursing of the wine drinker, knowing that a servant's love for Allah necessitates obedience to Him?

The authentic Hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari, narrated by Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, states that a man named "Himār" used to drink alcohol and be flogged. When one of the Companions cursed him, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Do not curse him, for by Allah, I only know that he loves Allah and His Messenger." The cursing of a wine-drinker mentioned in Sunan Abi Dawud is a general curse and does not necessitate cursing a specific person, for the threat against a specific individual may not materialize due to repentance or effacing good deeds. Falling into sin does not completely remove the love of Allah from the heart, but rather diminishes it proportionally to the sin. The obligatory love for Allah necessitates performing duties, and sins decrease that love.