Written by: Fazeelat-us-Sheikh Hafiz Abdul Sattar Hamad (Hafidhahullah)
الْكَبَائِرُ: الْإِشْرَاكُ بِاللَّهِ، وَعُقُوقُ الْوَالِدَيْنِ، وَقَتْلُ النَّفْسِ، وَالْيَمِينُ الْغَمُوسُ
“Major sins are: associating partners with Allah, disobedience to parents, unlawful killing of a soul, and taking a false oath intentionally.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Ayman wa al-Nudhur: 6675)
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) described "Yamin Ghamus" as follows:
“A false oath through which a Muslim’s wealth is unjustly taken.”
① Disrespecting Allah’s majesty and greatness: Swearing falsely in His name.
② Oppressing oneself: By committing a grave sin and inviting Allah’s punishment. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Istitabah al-Murtaddin: 6920)
③ Injustice towards others: By unlawfully taking their property.
“Indeed, those who exchange the covenant of Allah and their oaths for a small price will have no share in the Hereafter, and Allah will neither speak to them nor look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them, and they will have a painful punishment.”
(Surah Aal-e-Imran: 77)
“A man displayed his goods in the marketplace and swore falsely to deceive a Muslim by claiming that he had been offered a specific price for it, even though this was untrue. Subsequently, Allah revealed the above verse.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Tafsir: 4551)
✔ Understand that a false oath not only disrespects Allah but also results in oppression towards oneself and others.
✔ Reflect on the severe warnings in the Quran and Hadith regarding this sin and strive to maintain honesty and justice in all dealings.
May Allah protect us from such grievous sins and guide us toward truthfulness in our words and actions.
الْكَبَائِرُ: الْإِشْرَاكُ بِاللَّهِ، وَعُقُوقُ الْوَالِدَيْنِ، وَقَتْلُ النَّفْسِ، وَالْيَمِينُ الْغَمُوسُ
“Major sins are: associating partners with Allah, disobedience to parents, unlawful killing of a soul, and taking a false oath intentionally.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Ayman wa al-Nudhur: 6675)
Key Points:
Intentionally lying under oath is among the gravest sins, referred to in Islamic terminology as "Yamin Ghamus" (a false oath that immerses one in sin).The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) described "Yamin Ghamus" as follows:
“A false oath through which a Muslim’s wealth is unjustly taken.”
The Severity of Lying Under Oath:
Taking a false oath and seizing another’s wealth involves three major crimes:① Disrespecting Allah’s majesty and greatness: Swearing falsely in His name.
② Oppressing oneself: By committing a grave sin and inviting Allah’s punishment. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Istitabah al-Murtaddin: 6920)
③ Injustice towards others: By unlawfully taking their property.
Quranic Warning Against False Oaths:
Allah (SWT) warns in the Quran:“Indeed, those who exchange the covenant of Allah and their oaths for a small price will have no share in the Hereafter, and Allah will neither speak to them nor look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them, and they will have a painful punishment.”
(Surah Aal-e-Imran: 77)
Real-Life Example of a False Oath:
Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abi Awfa (RA) narrated:“A man displayed his goods in the marketplace and swore falsely to deceive a Muslim by claiming that he had been offered a specific price for it, even though this was untrue. Subsequently, Allah revealed the above verse.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Tafsir: 4551)
Takeaways:
✔ Avoid swearing falsely under any circumstances, particularly to gain material benefit.✔ Understand that a false oath not only disrespects Allah but also results in oppression towards oneself and others.
✔ Reflect on the severe warnings in the Quran and Hadith regarding this sin and strive to maintain honesty and justice in all dealings.
May Allah protect us from such grievous sins and guide us toward truthfulness in our words and actions.