Abu Umayr reported,

He was a close friend of Abdullah bin Masud. Abdullah bin Masud once visited him at his home but did not find him there. He asked permission to enter and greeted his family, then asked for something to drink.The maidservant was sent to fetch a drink from the neighbors but was slow in returning, so the woman of the house cursed her. At that, Abdullah left.Then Abu Umayr came home, and he said, "Abu Abdul-Rahman, someone like you should not be made to feel uneasy. Why did you not greet your brother's family, sit down, and have something to drink?"Abdullah replied, "I did. I greeted them, and the servant was sent but was slow in returning, either because the neighbors had nothing or because they wanted to keep what they had for themselves. The servant was slow, and your wife cursed her. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, 'A curse goes to the one against whom it is directed. If it finds a way to reach him or a path into him, it strikes. Otherwise, it says, "Lord, I was sent against so-and-so, but I found no way to reach him and no path into him." Then it is told, "Return whence you came."' So I feared that the servant might have a valid excuse, and the curse would return, and I would be its cause."

حدثنا وكيع حدثنا عمر بن ذر عن العيزار بن جرول الحضرمي

عن رجل منهم يكنى أبا عمير

أنه كان صديقا لعبد الله بن مسعود وإن عبد الله بن مسعود زاره في أهله فلم يجده قال فاستأذن على أهله وسلم فاستسقى قال فبعثت الجارية تجيئه بشراب من الجيران فأبطأت فلعنتها فخرج عبد الله فجاء أبو عمير فقال يا أبا عبد الرحمن ليس مثلك يغار عليه هلا سلمت على أهل أخيك وجلست وأصبت من الشراب قال قد فعلت فأرسلت الخادم فأبطأت إما لم يكن عندهم وإما رغبوا فيما عندهم فأبطأت الخادم فلعنتها وسمعت رسول الله ﷺ يقول إن اللعنة إلى من وجهت إليه فإن أصابت عليه سبيلا أو وجدت فيه مسلكا وإلا قالت يا رب وجهت إلى فلان فلم أجد عليه سبيلا ولم أجد فيه مسلكا فيقال لها ارجعي من حيث جئت فخشيت أن تكون الخادم معذورة فترجع اللعنة فأكون سببها