- The prohibition singled out swearing by one’s forefathers—even though it actually covers every oath directed to anything other than Allah—because invoking one’s fathers was a common pre-Islamic custom. The Prophet therefore mentioned it explicitly, while the audience understood that the ruling is general.
The Prophet ﷺ once caught up with ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab as he was travelling with a caravan and heard him swear by his father; on that occasion he related this very hadith.
Fourth Ḥadīth
Abu Hurayrah—may Allah be pleased with him—reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
‘Solomon son of David (peace be upon them) declared, “Tonight I will go around to ninety women; each one of them will give birth to a boy who will fight in the path of Allah.” He was told, “Say: if Allah wills,” but he did not say it. He went around to them, yet none of them conceived except one woman, who delivered a half-formed child.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ added, “Had he said: if Allah wills, he would not have broken his oath, and that would have enabled him to attain his objective.”
Concerning the phrase: “He was told, ‘Say: if Allah wills,’” — the one who said this to him was an angel.
Unfamiliar expressions
• la-aṭūfanna: the prefixed lām answers an implied oath, as though he said, “By Allah, I will surely go around,” and the final nūn is for emphasis.
• waṭāfa bi-nisā’ihi: literally “he went round to his wives,” meaning he visited them and had marital relations with them.
• darak-an li-ḥājatihi: darak (with a fatḥah on the dāl and the rā’) is a verbal noun from adraka, denoting attainment or the reaching of a goal.
• al-malak: with a fatḥah on the mīm and the lām, meaning an angel.
Overall meaning
Solomon—peace be upon him—was a prophet sent to the Children of Israel, and Allah granted him a dominion unmatched by anyone else. Out of his eagerness to promote good and raise high the word of Allah by battling His enemies, he swore by Allah that he would have intercourse with ninety women that night so that each of them would bear a son who would grow up strong and fight in Allah’s cause. He entered into that desire with a righteous intention, making it an act of worship that would draw him nearer to his Lord. Trusting in Allah, sincere in his aim, and certain that his wish would be fulfilled, he became so absorbed that he forgot to append the exception in sha’ Allah (if Allah wills) to his oath, even though the angel reminded him to do so.
He did indeed go round to his wives, yet none of them conceived except one, who delivered a half-formed child. This was a divinely sent discipline and a lesson for Allah’s friends and chosen servants, calling them back to perfection through reliance on Him, constant remembrance of Him, and vigilance over everything they do or leave. It teaches all people that ultimate authority belongs to Allah alone, that He alone plans and disposes of affairs, and that neither prophet nor angel nor anyone else shares His dominion; He is omnipotent over all things.