Kitaab At-Tawheed, Chapter: 41 What Has Been Said Concerning One Who is Not Satisfied With an Oath Sworn in
Allah's Name
It is reported on the authority of Ibn `Umar (ra ) that the Messenger of Allah (saas ) said:
"Do not swear by your fathers: Whoever swears by Allah (swt ), let him speak the truth and the one for whom the oath is taken in the Name of Allah (swt ) should be satisfied with it; and whoever is not satisfied with it, is not (one of the slaves) of Allah (swt )."
(Narrated by Ibn Majah, with a good Sanad)
In this Hadith, the Messenger of Allah (saas ) forbids the swearing of oaths in other than Allah's Name, because this entails glorifying Allah's creatures and humility towards them and Islam does not permit humility towards other than Allah (swt ). Then He (saas ) commands those who swear in Allah's Name to speak the truth, because truth is a virtue at all times, even in ordinary speech, so what may be said of speech reinforced by an oath in Allah's Name?. Then He (saas ) orders the one to whom an oath in Allah's Name is made, to believe his Muslim brother, unless it is proved that he has not spoken the truth, for it is incumbent upon the Muslim to think well of his brother and whoever does not do so, Allah (swt ) has nothing to do with him.
Benefits Derived From This Hadith
1. The forbiddance of swearing by other than Allah.
2. The permissibility of swearing by Allah, so long as one is truthful.
3. The prohibition of swaering by Allah upon a lie.
4. The obligation to accept the word of one who swears by Allah (swt ), unless it is proved that he has lied.
Relevance of This Hadith to the Subject of the Chapter
That the Hadith proves the obligation to accept the word of one who swears by Allah (swt ).
Relevance of This Hadeeth to the Subject of Tawheed
That it proves the obligation to accept the word of one who swears by Allah (swt ), because by doing so, one is glorifying Allah (swt ) and that is part of the completeness of Tawheed.