Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Whoever takes a false oath so as to take the property of a Muslim (illegally) will meet Allah while He will be angry with him." Al-Ash'ath said: By Allah, that saying concerned me. I had common land with a Jew, and the Jew later on denied my ownership, so I took him to the Prophet who asked me whether I had a proof of my ownership. When I replied in the negative, the Prophet asked the Jew to take an oath. I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! He will take an oath and deprive me of my property." So, Allah revealed the following verse: "Verily! Those who purchase a little gain at the cost of Allah's covenant and their oaths." (3.77)
Khusoomaat - Sahih al-Bukhari 2416, 2417
This narration from the blessed Prophet (ﷺ) addresses the grave sin of taking false oaths to usurp property unlawfully. The Hadith establishes that such an act incurs the divine wrath of Allah Almighty, indicating the severity of this transgression in Islamic law.
Scholarly Commentary on the Prohibition
The statement "will meet Allah while He will be angry with him" signifies a terrifying spiritual state where the sinner faces divine displeasure in the Hereafter. This anger manifests through severe punishment, as false oaths combine multiple sins: dishonesty, injustice, and taking Allah's name in vain.
Al-Ash'ath's practical case demonstrates how this prohibition applies to real disputes. When he lacked evidence for his claim over shared land with a Jew, the Prophet (ﷺ) followed standard judicial procedure by requiring the defendant to take an oath when the plaintiff lacks proof.
Legal and Ethical Implications
Islamic jurisprudence rules that when a plaintiff cannot produce evidence, the defendant may be asked to swear by Allah regarding their innocence. However, exploiting this legal provision through false swearing constitutes a major sin.
The Quranic verse (3:77) revealed in this context condemns those who trade their oaths for small worldly gains, emphasizing that such individuals will have no share in the Hereafter. Classical scholars explain this includes both Muslims and non-Muslims who violate sworn agreements.
Spiritual Consequences
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani comments in Fath al-Bari that this Hadith highlights how property rights are sacred in Islam. Usurping property through false oaths not only violates human rights but also constitutes betrayal of one's covenant with Allah.
Al-Nawawi notes in his commentary that the divine anger mentioned here applies specifically to those who knowingly swear falsely to take what rightfully belongs to others, distinguishing this from cases of mistaken belief or forgetfulness.