by those creatures nearest to Him, or to adjure Him by their deeds and actions?”

The answer is:

This question involves several distinct issues.

The supplications transmitted in the Sunnah include asking Allah by His names and attributes and seeking refuge in His speech. Among the supplications recorded in the Sunan collections are his words:

“O Allah, I ask You by the fact that all praise belongs to You. You are Allah, Originator of the heavens and the earth. O Possessor of Majesty and Honour, O Ever-Living, O Sustainer of all!”

And his words:

“O Allah, I ask You by the fact that You are Allah, the One, the Eternal Refuge, who neither begets nor is born, and to whom none is equal.”

Another example is the supplication recorded in the Musnad:

“O Allah, I ask You by every name belonging to You with which You have named Yourself, which You have revealed in Your Book, which You have taught to any of Your creation, or which You have kept to Yourself in the knowledge of the unseen with You.”

As for the supplications recited by some ordinary people and written out by amulet sellers among the Turuqiyya, which contain such words as:

“I ask You by Ihtiyāt Qāf—which is Yūfi al-Mukhāf—and by Mount Sinai, the Throne, the Footstool, Zamzam, the Station of Abraham, and the Sacred City,”

neither these nor similar supplications have been transmitted from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, from the Companions, or from the imams of the Muslims. No one may swear by these things under any circumstances. Rather, it is authentically established that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Whoever wishes to swear an oath must swear by Allah or remain silent.”

He also said:

“Whoever swears by anything other than Allah has committed shirk.”

Thus, no one may swear by created things at all. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, also said: