Oaths in Islam – Only by Allah’s Name or His Attributes

Oaths Should Only Be Taken in the Name of Allah or His Attributes
By: Imran Ayyub Lahori

1. Definition of Oath​

• Linguistic: The word aymān is plural of yamīn, meaning “oath, power, or right hand.”
  [Al-Munjid, p. 1037; Lisān al-ʿArab 15/457]
• Sharʿi: A firm commitment through which the swearer affirms doing or leaving an act.
  [Al-Mabsūṭ 8/126; Fatḥ al-Qadīr 4/2; Tabyīn al-Ḥaqāʾiq 3/106]

2. Legitimacy of Oaths​

Allah ﷻ Himself has sworn by various creations, and He has also commanded His Prophet ﷺ to swear oaths in specific contexts.


Examples from the Qur’an:

• ﴿وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَىٰ﴾ [Al-Layl: 1] – “By the night as it envelops.”
• ﴿وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا﴾ [Al-Shams: 1] – “By the sun and its brightness.”
• ﴿وَالْفَجْرِ وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ﴾ [Al-Fajr: 1-2] – “By the dawn and ten nights.”
• ﴿وَالتِّينِ وَالزَّيْتُونِ﴾ [Al-Tīn: 1] – “By the fig and the olive.”

Command to the Prophet ﷺ:

• ﴿قُلْ إِي وَرَبِّي إِنَّهُ لَحَقٌّ﴾ [Yūnus: 53] – “Say: Yes, by my Lord, it is the truth.”
• ﴿قُلْ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّي لَتَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ﴾ [Sabaʾ: 3]
• ﴿قُلْ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّي لَتُبْعَثُنَّ﴾ [Al-Taghābun: 7]

3. Oaths of the Prophets and Believers​

• Ibrāhīm (عليه السلام): ﴿وَتَاللَّهِ لَأَكِيدَنَّ أَصْنَامَكُمْ﴾ [Al-Anbiyāʾ: 57]
• Believers: ﴿وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ﴾ [Al-Anʿām: 23]

4. Prophetic Practice​

• The Prophet ﷺ said:
  "فَمَنْ كَانَ حَالِفًا فَلْيَحْلِفْ بِاللَّهِ"
  “Whoever wants to swear an oath should swear by Allah.”
  [Al-Bukhārī: 6646]
• His common oath: "لَا وَمُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ" – “No, by the Turner of hearts.”
  [Al-Bukhārī: 6628]
• Another example: "وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ" – “By the One in Whose Hand is my soul.”
  [Al-Bukhārī: 6629]

5. Prohibition of Swearing by Other Than Allah​

• In Jāhiliyyah, people used to swear by their deities and ancestors. Islam prohibited this.
• The Prophet ﷺ said:
  "مَنْ حَلَفَ بِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ فَقَدْ أَشْرَكَ" – “Whoever swears by other than Allah has committed shirk.”
  [Ṣaḥīḥ: Abū Dāwūd: 2787; Al-Tirmidhī: 1535]

6. Addressing the Objection​

Some may ask: If we cannot swear by creation, why did Allah swear by creation in the Qur’an?
Responses:

1. In such oaths, “By the Lord of…” is implied, e.g., “By the Lord of the Sun.”
2. Only Allah has the right to swear by His creation.
3. Certain narrations like "أفلح وأبيه" are not authentic; the correct version is "أفلح والله" (By Allah, he succeeded).
4. The prohibition applies when swearing by creation is done out of reverence for it; Arab expressions used merely for emphasis are disliked but not shirk.

7. Preferred View (Rājiḥ)​

The stronger opinion is that swearing by anything other than Allah or His attributes is prohibited, and if done out of reverence for the creation, it constitutes shirk.


References: Subul al-Salām 4/187; Qafw al-Athar 5/1677; Al-Rawḍah al-Nadiyyah 2/357.