Hadith Commentary: Oaths and Vows (Kitab Al-Aiman Wa Al-Nudhur)

This tradition from Sunan Abi Dawud 3247 addresses two significant matters: the prohibition of swearing by false deities and the prohibition of gambling.

Exposition of the First Part: Swearing by al-Lat

The Prophet (ﷺ) forbade swearing by al-Lat, which was a prominent idol worshipped by pre-Islamic Arabs. This prohibition extends to all false deities and created beings.

The instruction to immediately recite "There is no god but Allah" serves as both a corrective measure and expiation. It reaffirms tawhid (monotheism) and repudiates shirk (polytheism). The scholar Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani explains that such oaths constitute minor shirk and require immediate repentance.

Exposition of the Second Part: Gambling Prohibition

The prohibition against inviting others to gamble demonstrates Islam's comprehensive ban on all forms of gambling (maysir). The instruction to give charity serves as both atonement and a means to purify wealth that might have been acquired through unlawful means.

Classical scholars like Imam al-Nawawi emphasize that this ruling applies to all gambling transactions, regardless of the amount involved. The charity prescribed serves as kaffarah (expiation) for the sin committed by merely proposing such unlawful activity.

Legal Implications and Scholarly Consensus

The majority of classical scholars, including the four Sunni madhahib, agree that swearing by anything other than Allah is prohibited and requires repentance. Similarly, all schools of Islamic jurisprudence unanimously prohibit gambling in all its forms.

This hadith demonstrates the Prophet's methodology in gradually eradicating pre-Islamic practices while providing practical alternatives that reinforce Islamic principles and purify the community from shirk and social evils.