protective amulets and hayākil (charms) written by the turuqiyya and practitioners of incantations. Indeed, it may further be argued: if petitioning Allah and adjuring Him by these things is permissible, then doing so with created beings is all the more permissible. The incantations and adjurations used to adjure the jinn would then be sanctioned in the religion of Islam. This position entails disbelief and departure from the religion of Islam—indeed, from the religion of all the prophets.

If someone says, “Rather, I petition Him or adjure Him by certain revered created beings, but not others: by the prophets alone, or by one prophet rather than another—as some have permitted swearing by such a prophet—or by the prophets and the righteous, but not others,” the reply is:

Although some created beings are superior to others, they all share this: none may be made a rival to Allah Most High. None may be worshipped, relied upon, feared, or held in awe; none may be fasted for, prostrated to, or turned to in hope. Nor may an oath be sworn by any created being, as established in an authentic report from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“Whoever wishes to swear an oath, let him swear by Allah or remain silent.”

He also said:

“Do not swear except by Allah.”

And in the Sunan collections, he is reported to have said:

“Whoever swears by other than Allah has associated partners with Him.”

Authentic, explicit texts from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, thus establish that it is impermissible to swear by any created being. In this respect, there is no distinction between angels, prophets, the righteous, and others, nor between one prophet and another. Likewise, Allah Most High has treated all created beings alike in condemning the association of them as partners with Him, even when they are revered.

Allah Most High says:

“It is not for a human being to whom Allah gives the Scripture, wisdom, and prophethood