Chapter: Reports on Swearing an Oath upon Allah
Jundub ibn ʿAbd Allah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “A man once declared, ‘By Allah, Allah will never forgive so-and-so.’ Thereupon Allah, Blessed and Exalted, said, ‘Who is this who presumptuously swears that I will not forgive so-and-so? Indeed, I have forgiven him, and I have rendered your deeds void.’” (1) Reported by Muslim.
In the narration of Abu Hurayrah it is stated that the speaker was a devout worshipper. (2)
Abu Hurayrah remarked, “He uttered a word that destroyed his worldly life and his Hereafter.” (3)
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The reason this chapter appears in the Book of Tawḥīd is that when someone swears an oath upon Allah, if
(1) Reported by Muslim, no. 2621.
(2) Abu Dawud reported, no. 4901, on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say: “There were two men among Bani Israel who were like brothers. One of them committed sins, while the other was diligent in worship. Whenever the diligent one saw the other committing a sin, he would say, ‘Desist.’ One day he found him committing a sin and said, ‘Desist.’ The other replied, ‘Leave me with my Lord. Have you been sent as a watcher over me?’ He said, ‘By Allah, Allah will not forgive you, nor will He admit you into Paradise.’ Their souls were then taken, and they came together before the Lord of the worlds. He said to the diligent worshipper, ‘Did you have knowledge of Me, or did you have power over what is in My hand?’ And He said to the sinner, ‘Go and enter Paradise by My mercy.’ Then He said regarding the other, ‘Take him to the Fire.’”
(3) Al-Tirmidhi reported, no. 2320, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “A man may utter a word, not thinking that it will reach the extent that it does, and Allah records His wrath against him because of it until the day he meets Him.” Al-Tirmidhi said: “This hadith is sound and authentic.”