Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (15/119)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

The meaning of breaking an oath is that one does what one swore to refrain from, or refrains from what one swore to do. For example, if a man says, “By Allah, I will not visit so-and-so,” then visits him, this is called breaking his oath, because he has done what he swore not to do. Or if he says, “By Allah, I will visit so-and-so today,” and the sun sets without his having visited him, then he has broken his oath, because he has refrained from what he swore to do.

His statement, “The oath for which expiation is required if one breaks it is an oath sworn by Allah,” means by this wording. It may also mean swearing by any one of His names, and this is better, since it is more comprehensive and general.

Examples include: “By Allah, I shall certainly do it”; “By the Most Merciful, I shall certainly do it”; “By the Lord of the worlds, I shall certainly do it”; “By the All-Creating, All-Knowing, I shall certainly do it”; and “By the Bestower of favors, I shall certainly do it.” All of these are oaths, because I have sworn by one of Allah’s names.

His statement, “or by one of His attributes,” includes whether that attribute is an affirmative attribute, an essential attribute of meaning, or an attribute of action. For example, if one says, “I swear by the Face of Allah that I shall certainly do it,” this is valid, because the Face is one of Allah’s attributes.

Likewise, if one says, “I swear by the greatness of Allah that I shall certainly do it,” this is valid.

And if one says, “I swear by Allah’s coming to judge between His servants that I shall judge justly between the two of you,” this is valid, because he has sworn by one of Allah’s attributes of action.

The oath should be sworn by a name appropriate to that which is being sworn about. Thus, in the oaths found in the Quran, one finds a meaningful connection between that by which Allah swears and that concerning which He swears. Whoever wishes to learn more about this should consult Ibn al-Qayyim’s book, al-Tibyān fī Aqsām al-Qurʾān (Clarification of the Oaths in the Quran).

His statement, “or by the Quran”: an oath sworn by the Quran is binding, because

ومعنى حنث، أي: فعل ما حلف على تركه، أو ترك ما حلف على فعله، كأن يقول رجل: والله لا أزور فلاناً، ثم زاره فإن هذا يسمى حنثاً؛ لأنه فعل ما حلف على تركه، أو قال: والله لأزورن فلاناً اليوم، فغابت الشمس ولم يزره، فإنه يحنث؛ لأنه ترك ما حلف على فعله. وقوله: «واليمين التي تجب بها الكفارة إذا حنث هي اليمين بالله» أي: بهذا اللفظ، ويحتمل أن يكون المراد بأي اسم من أسمائه، وهذا أحسن؛ لأنه أشمل وأعم. مثال ذلك: والله لأفعلن، والرحمن لأفعلن، وربِ العالمين لأفعلن، والخلاقِ العليمِ لأفعلن، والمنانِ لأفعلن، فكلها أيمان؛ لأنني حلفت باسم من أسماء الله ﷿. قوله: «أو صفة من صفاته» سواء أكانت هذه الصفة خبرية، أم ذاتيةً معنوية، أم فعلية، مثل أقسم بوجه الله لأفعلن، فيصح؛ لأن الوجه صفة من صفات الله ﷿. ولو قال: أقسم بعظمة الله لأفعلن يصح. ولو قال: أقسم بمجيء الله للفصل بين عباده لأعدلن في القضاء بينكما، فيصح؛ لأنه قسم بصفة فعلية لله ﷿. وينبغي أن يكون القسم باسم مناسب للمقسم عليه، ولهذا تجد في الإقسامات الموجودة في القرآن بين المقسم به والمقسم عليه ارتباطاً من حيث المعنى، ومن أراد الاستزادة من ذلك فعليه مراجعة كتاب ابن القيم ﵀: «التبيان في أقسام القرآن». قوله: «أو بالقرآن» الحلف بالقرآن تنعقد به اليمين؛ وذلك