The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) found 'Umar al-Khattab in a caravan while he was swearing by his father. So he said: Allah forbids you to swear by forefathers. If anyone swears, he must swear by Allah or keep silence.
Hadith Text and Context
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) found 'Umar al-Khattab in a caravan while he was swearing by his father. So he said: Allah forbids you to swear by forefathers. If anyone swears, he must swear by Allah or keep silence.
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud 3249 from "Oaths and Vows (Kitab Al-Aiman Wa Al-Nudhur)"
Prohibition of Swearing by Forefathers
This hadith establishes the clear prohibition against swearing by anyone or anything other than Allah. The scholars explain that swearing by created beings constitutes shirk (associating partners with Allah) in worship, as it attributes divine honor to created entities.
Ibn al-Qayyim states: "Swearing by other than Allah is a form of minor shirk, for it elevates the created to the status of the Creator in matters of reverence and veneration."
The Two Permissible Alternatives
The Prophet (ﷺ) provided only two valid options: either swear by Allah alone or remain silent. This demonstrates the comprehensive nature of the prohibition and leaves no room for alternative oaths.
Al-Nawawi comments: "The command to 'keep silence' indicates that unnecessary oaths are discouraged even when sworn by Allah, and that silence is preferable to frivolous swearing."
Legal Implications and Scholarly Consensus
All four schools of Islamic jurisprudence agree that oaths sworn by other than Allah are invalid and constitute sinful acts. Such oaths do not require expiation (kaffarah) if broken, as they are not considered legally binding oaths in the first place.
Ibn Taymiyyah explains: "The oath sworn by other than Allah is null and void, and the one who swears it has committed a sin that requires repentance, but no expiation is due upon him."
Spiritual Wisdom Behind the Prohibition
This prohibition preserves the unique majesty and sovereignty of Allah, preventing the human tendency to attribute divine qualities to created beings, whether prophets, parents, or sacred places.
Al-Ghazali observes: "The heart naturally attaches honor to whatever it swears by. Therefore, restricting oaths to Allah alone protects the heart from directing its ultimate reverence toward created beings."