to negotiate with the girl’s family so that they might pardon her and accept the blood money (diyah)—or even pardon her without compensation—certain that they would agree. He was not resisting the ruling of Allah and His Messenger; rather, Allah made the matter easy. The girl’s family renounced retaliation, whereupon the Prophet ﷺ said, “Among the servants of Allah are those who, were they to swear by Allah, He would surely bring it to pass.”

There is no doubt that what impelled Anas ibn al-Naḍr was the strength of his hope in Allah and his conviction that Allah would provide the means to prevent the breaking of his sister al-Rubayyiʿ’s tooth.

The second example concerns the person who swears about Allah out of pomposity and pride; such a person will see his expectations frustrated. A case in point is the man who was obedient and devout, yet whenever he passed by a sinner and found him persisting in sin he declared, “By Allah, Allah will never forgive so-and-so.” His words sprang from self-admiration and an attempt to confine Allah’s grace and mercy, as though discounting Allah’s compassion toward His servants.

Allah the Exalted then said, “Who is this who dares to swear concerning Me that I will not forgive so-and-so? I have forgiven him and nullified your deeds.” Reflect on the difference between these two cases.

Thus, in the Prophet’s statement, “Among the servants of Allah…,” the particle min signifies “some of.” In other words, among Allah’s servants are those who, if they swear by Allah, He will certainly fulfill it; this applies to the one who swears with full trust in Allah and in hopeful anticipation of what is with Him.