Chapter: What Has Been Reported About the One Who Is Not Satisfied with an Oath Sworn by Allah

Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Do not swear by your fathers. Whoever swears by Allah must tell the truth; whoever is sworn to by Allah should accept it; and whoever does not accept has no share with Allah.” (1) Reported by Ibn Mājah with a ḥasan chain.

Relation of this chapter to the Book of Tawḥīd: Refusing to be content with an oath sworn by Allah contradicts the perfection of monotheism, for it points to a weak sense of reverence for the Lord, exalted is He.

“Concerning the one who … etc.”: that is, the threat mentioned.

al-ḥalf: an oath.

“Do not swear by your fathers”: a prohibition against swearing by one’s forefathers, because that was their common practice. The wording does not imply exclusivity, for the Prophet had already prohibited swearing by anything other than Allah in absolute terms.

“Let him tell the truth”: an obligation imposed out of reverence for an oath made in Allah’s Name; truthfulness is obligatory even without an oath—so how much more so when one has sworn by Him!

“Let him accept it”: likewise obligatory, out of veneration for an oath sworn by Allah.

“Has no share with Allah”: a threat, meaning that Allah disowns such a person.

Overall meaning of the ḥadīth: The Prophet ﷺ forbids swearing by one’s fathers because swearing