✦ Hadith:
Narrated by Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
"By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! I have considered ordering that firewood be gathered, then ordering the call to prayer to be given, then appointing a man to lead the prayer, and then going to the homes of those who stay behind and setting their houses on fire. By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! If any one of them knew that he would find a bone with marrow or two fine pieces of meat, he would certainly attend the ʿIshā’ prayer."
(Muttafaqun ʿalayh — wording of al-Bukhārī)
[Bukhārī: 657, 644; Muslim: 651]
✦ Research and Commentary:
➊ Only oaths taken by Allah’s name, attributes, or essence are permissible. This is the consistent teaching of the Prophets (عليهم السلام), and our noble Prophet ﷺ emphasized this by saying:
"By the One in Whose Hand is my soul!"
Taking oaths by created beings, no matter how honorable, is impermissible.
➋ Whenever the Prophet ﷺ used this style of oath, it conveyed seriousness, dignity, and the importance of the issue being addressed.
➌ Deputization (niyābat) is permissible in Islam — assigning someone else to lead prayer or fulfill duties is valid.
➍ This hadith strongly rebukes those who neglect congregational prayers. The Prophet ﷺ spoke of even burning down their homes, which highlights the grave nature of abandoning the congregation and the immense value placed on collective prayer.
➎ Just as two fat she-camels are considered materially valuable, attending congregational prayer yields greater reward than such worldly possessions. The Prophet ﷺ used terminology familiar to the people of his time to convey the superiority of the spiritual reward.
