Similarly, swearing by the manifestations of the world of creation can also be noticed in Sūrahs Mursalāt

Similarly, swearing by the manifestations of the world of creation can also be noticed in Sūrahs Mursalāt (77), an-Nāzi‘āt (79), al-Burūj (85), aṭ-Ṭāriq (86), al-Balad (90), aḍ-Ḍuḥā (93), and at-Tīn (95).

There is no doubt that if swearing by other than God is tantamount to polytheism and associating partners to God, the Holy Qur’an which is the charter of monotheism and unity of God would not have resorted to it, and if such a way of swearing is exclusive to God, the verses of the Qur’an would have warned people from doing so lest they should commit mistakes.

2. All Muslims of the world regard the Holy Prophet (ṣ) as their model and consider his conduct and behavior as the criterion for distinguishing right from wrong.

Muslim scholars and compilers of Ṣaḥīḥs and Musnads have mentioned so many instances of the Holy Prophet’s (ṣ) swearing by other than God.

In his Musnad, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, the chief of the Ḥanbalīs, thus narrates from the Messenger of Allah (ṣ):

“.تسكت أن من خيرٌ منكرٍ عن تنهىٰ و بمعروفٍ تتكلّم لأن فلعمري”

“By my life! If you would enjoin good and forbid evil, it will be better than keeping silent.”[1]

In his Ṣaḥīḥ, which the Ahl as-Sunnah consider one of the six authentic compilations of ḥadīth, Muslim ibn al-Ḥajjāj states:

– وسلّم [وآله] عليه الله صلى – النّبي إلى رجل جاء”

أبيك و أما :فقال أجرًا؟ أعظم الصّدقة أىّ الله رسول يا فقال

“.البقاء تأمّل و الفقر تخشى شحيح صحيح أنت و تصدّق أن لتنبانّه

There came a person to the Prophet (ṣ) and asked the Messenger of Allah: “Which charity is the most rewarding?” He said: “By your father, it is the charity which you give in a state when you are healthy and close-fisted, haunted by fear of poverty, and hoping to live (as rich).”[2]

How can those who consider a great part of global Muslims as polytheists because they believe that it is permissible to swear by other than God justify this explicit act of the Prophet (ṣ) (i.e., swearing by a person’s father)?

3. Apart from the Book of God and the Sunnah of the Prophet (ṣ), the conduct of the close Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ṣ) also proves the permissibility of swearing by other than God.

In many parts of his sublime speeches, ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (‘a) swear by his life when he says:

“.أضعافًا بعدي من التّيه لكم ليضعّفنّ ولعمري”

“By my life! After me your wandering about shall be multiplied.”[3]

In another place, he (‘a) says:

“.يطلبونك قليلٍ عن لتعرفنّهم شقاقك و غيّك عن تنزع لم لإن ولعمري”

“By my life, if you do not refrain from hypocrisy, avarice and your rebellious activities, they will soon be known to you.”[4]

All these traditions and reports show clearly that no ijtihād or exigency can be valid, and no other argument can denigrate the position of God in the Glorious Qur’an, the conduct of the Holy Prophet (ṣ) or the conduct his close companions like the Commander of the Faithful (‘Alī) (‘a) if it accuses them of polytheism and associating partners with God.

Conclusion

From the aggregate of the stated proofs, it is evident that from the perspective of the Book of God, the Sunnah of the Prophet (‘a) and conduct of the believers the legitimacy of swearing by other than God is an indisputable principle, and it has no contradiction with monotheism and the unity of God.

Therefore, if the outward meaning of the traditions opposes that which has been confirmed by decisive proofs, it must be justified and interpreted according to this indisputable principle which is derived from the Qur’an and traditions.

Some people cite an ambiguous tradition which is as follows:

ينهاكم الله إنّ فقال أبي و :يقول هو و عمر سمع الله رسول إنّ

.يسكت أو بالله فليحلف حالفًا كان من و بآبائكم تحلفوا أن

Verily, the Messenger of Allah (ṣ) heard ‘Umar swearing by his father. Upon hearing this he said: “Verily, God has prohibited you from swearing by your father, and when one wants to swear one should either swear to God or keep silent.”[5]

Although this ḥadīth cannot challenge the Qur’anic verses and explicit traditions that consider swearing by other than God as permissible, it must, for the sake of reconciling it and the mentioned verses and tradition, be said that the Prophet’s prohibition of ‘Umar’s swearing by his father and forbidding similar people from swearing by their fathers is attributed to the fact that their fathers were idolaters and polytheists. And an infidel or idol-worshipping person is too unworthy to be an object of swearing.