Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
What is the ruling on swearing by other than Allah?
Swearing an oath by anything other than Allah, including by the Prophet ﷺ, the Kaʿbah, trust (amānah), one’s life, body, soul, or wealth, is strictly prohibited in Islam.
Only oaths sworn by Allah or His Names and Attributes are considered valid and permissible.
❀ Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh bin ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما reported:
During a journey, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard ʿUmar bin al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه swearing by his father. The Prophet ﷺ said:
"أَلَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَنْهَاكُمْ أَنْ تَحْلِفُوا بِآبَائِكُمْ، فَمَنْ كَانَ حَالِفًا فَلْيَحْلِفْ بِاللَّهِ أَوْ لِيَصْمُتْ"
“Behold! Allah forbids you from swearing by your forefathers. Whoever wants to swear, let him swear by Allah, or remain silent.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 6646 | Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1646
❀ Sayyidunā ʿAbd al-Raḥmān bin Samurah رضي الله عنه narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"لَا تَحْلِفُوا بِآبَائِكُمْ وَلَا بِالطَّوَاغِيتِ"
“Do not swear by your forefathers, nor by the false gods (ṭawāghīt).”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1648
❀ Sayyidunā Buraydah رضي الله عنه reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"مَنْ حَلَفَ بِالْأَمَانَةِ فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا"
“Whoever swears by trust (amānah) is not one of us.”
Musnad Aḥmad: 5/352 | Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 3253 – Authentic
✔ Authenticated by Imām Ibn Ḥibbān (4363), Imām al-Ḥākim (4/298), and confirmed by Ḥāfiẓ al-Dhahabī as ṣaḥīḥ.
❀ Imām ʿAlī bin Abī Bakr al-Marghīnānī رحمه الله (d. 593 AH) wrote:
"مَنْ حَلَفَ بِغَيْرِ اللهِ لَمْ يَكُنْ حَالِفًا كَالنَّبِيِّ وَالْكَعْبَةِ"
“Whoever swears by other than Allah, such as the Prophet ﷺ or the Kaʿbah, his oath is invalid and unacceptable.”
Al-Hidāyah: 2/318 – Beirut Edition
❀ Imām Ibn Nujaym al-Ḥanafī رحمه الله (d. 970 AH) wrote:
"لِأَنَّ الْحَلِفَ بِالنَّبِيِّ وَالْكَعْبَةِ حَلِفٌ بِغَيْرِ اللهِ تَعَالَى"
“Because swearing by the Prophet ﷺ or the Kaʿbah is swearing by something other than Allah.”
Al-Baḥr al-Rā’iq: 4/311
① Swearing by anything other than Allah is harām (forbidden).
② This includes swearing by the Prophet ﷺ, forefathers, Kaʿbah, trust, life, etc.
③ The Prophet ﷺ clearly forbade such practices.
④ Oaths are only valid when sworn by Allah, His Names, or His Attributes.
⑤ Swearing by other than Allah is not a binding oath, and may even lead to sin.
❖ Question:
What is the ruling on swearing by other than Allah?
✿ Answer:
Swearing an oath by anything other than Allah, including by the Prophet ﷺ, the Kaʿbah, trust (amānah), one’s life, body, soul, or wealth, is strictly prohibited in Islam.
Only oaths sworn by Allah or His Names and Attributes are considered valid and permissible.
❖ Evidences from the Sunnah:
❀ Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh bin ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما reported:
During a journey, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard ʿUmar bin al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه swearing by his father. The Prophet ﷺ said:
"أَلَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَنْهَاكُمْ أَنْ تَحْلِفُوا بِآبَائِكُمْ، فَمَنْ كَانَ حَالِفًا فَلْيَحْلِفْ بِاللَّهِ أَوْ لِيَصْمُتْ"
“Behold! Allah forbids you from swearing by your forefathers. Whoever wants to swear, let him swear by Allah, or remain silent.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 6646 | Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1646❀ Sayyidunā ʿAbd al-Raḥmān bin Samurah رضي الله عنه narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"لَا تَحْلِفُوا بِآبَائِكُمْ وَلَا بِالطَّوَاغِيتِ"
“Do not swear by your forefathers, nor by the false gods (ṭawāghīt).”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1648❖ Prohibition of Swearing by Trust (Amānah):
❀ Sayyidunā Buraydah رضي الله عنه reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"مَنْ حَلَفَ بِالْأَمَانَةِ فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا"
“Whoever swears by trust (amānah) is not one of us.”
Musnad Aḥmad: 5/352 | Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 3253 – Authentic✔ Authenticated by Imām Ibn Ḥibbān (4363), Imām al-Ḥākim (4/298), and confirmed by Ḥāfiẓ al-Dhahabī as ṣaḥīḥ.
❖ Statements of Ḥanafī Scholars:
❀ Imām ʿAlī bin Abī Bakr al-Marghīnānī رحمه الله (d. 593 AH) wrote:
"مَنْ حَلَفَ بِغَيْرِ اللهِ لَمْ يَكُنْ حَالِفًا كَالنَّبِيِّ وَالْكَعْبَةِ"
“Whoever swears by other than Allah, such as the Prophet ﷺ or the Kaʿbah, his oath is invalid and unacceptable.”
Al-Hidāyah: 2/318 – Beirut Edition❀ Imām Ibn Nujaym al-Ḥanafī رحمه الله (d. 970 AH) wrote:
"لِأَنَّ الْحَلِفَ بِالنَّبِيِّ وَالْكَعْبَةِ حَلِفٌ بِغَيْرِ اللهِ تَعَالَى"
“Because swearing by the Prophet ﷺ or the Kaʿbah is swearing by something other than Allah.”
Al-Baḥr al-Rā’iq: 4/311
Conclusion:
① Swearing by anything other than Allah is harām (forbidden).
② This includes swearing by the Prophet ﷺ, forefathers, Kaʿbah, trust, life, etc.
③ The Prophet ﷺ clearly forbade such practices.
④ Oaths are only valid when sworn by Allah, His Names, or His Attributes.
⑤ Swearing by other than Allah is not a binding oath, and may even lead to sin.
