Abu Umair says that Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) had a friend. Once, he went to visit him at his house, but could not meet him there. He sought permission from his family and greeted them with salam, and asked them for some water to drink. The family sent a maid to the neighbors to fetch water. She delayed in returning, so the woman cursed her. Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) immediately left the house. In the meantime, Abu Umair arrived and said: O Abu Abdur Rahman! There is no need for modesty when a person like you comes to the house (because we have complete trust in you). Why did you not enter your brother’s house and sit down, and why did you not drink water, etc.? Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: That is exactly what I did. The family sent a maid to bring water. She was delayed in coming back, perhaps because those to whom she was sent did not have water either, or because they had little and needed it themselves. Meanwhile, the family cursed her, and I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say:“When a curse is sent upon someone, it heads towards him. If it finds a way to reach him, it falls upon him; otherwise, it turns to Allah and says: O Lord! I was directed towards so-and-so, but I found no way to reach him. What should I do now? It is said to it: Return to where you came from.”I feared that perhaps the maid had some excuse, and the curse would return here and I would become its cause.