Chapter 01 - Oaths and Vows

1401. Ibn 'Umar narrated, 'The Messenger of Allah caught up with 'Umar bin al-Khattab when he was with a group of camel-riders and 'Umar was swearing by his father, so Allah's Messenger called them and said, "Verily, Allah forbids you to swear by your fathers, so whoever has to take an oath, he must swear by Allah or keep silent." Agreed upon.




 


1402. Abu Dawud An-Nasai'i transmitted on the authority of Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah said, "Do not swear by your fathers or by your mothers, or by rivals to Allah; and swear not by Allah except when you are speaking the truth."







1403. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, "Your oath should be about something regarding which your opponent shall believe you." (424)Related by Muslim.

424. This Hadith is relevant to the intention of the claimant (whether he is a judge or otherwise). The claimant asks the defendant to administer an oath on a certain matter, which he claims to be truthful about. So, in this case the defendant makes an oath with his intention being related to this particular matter which his rival claimed that he is guilty of. This is supported by the following Hadith.







1404. Muslim transmitted, "An oath is to be interpreted according to the intention of the claimant (whether the judge or the defendant's rival demanding an oath concerning a particular matter)."







1405. "Abdur Rahman bin Samurah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, "If you take an oath to do something and later on find something else which is better than that one, make an expiation for (the dissolution of) your oath and then do what you find to be better." Agreed upon.

In the version of Al-Bukhari, ''Do what you find to be better and make expiation for your oath."






1406. Ibn Umar narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, "If anyone says: 'If Allah wills' when swearing an oath, he is not held responsible if he breaks it (i.e. he does not have to provide expiation for breaking it)." Related by Ahmad and the four Imams, Ibn Hibban graded it as Sahih.






1407. Ibn "Umar narrated, 'When the Messenger of Allah took an oath, he used to say, "No, by Him Who turns the hearts," (i.e. who controls the states of one's heart).' Related by Al-Bukhari.






1408. Abdullah Ibn 'Umar narrated, 'A desert Arab came to the Messenger of Allah and said “O Messenger of Allah! What are the most serious sins (the major sins)?' The narrator mentioned the Hadith which says “and the false oath.” (425) I asked (i.e. Ibn 'Umar), 'What is the false oath?' The Messenger of Allah replied, "It is that by which one takes the property of another Muslim, and he is lying about it (intentionally)." Related by Muslim.

425. The false oath is called in Arabic Al-Yamin Al-Ghamus (the engulfing oath), which indicates that it overwhelms the one who look it in sin or in the Hell Fire.lt is one of the Major sins which includes disbelief in Allah, killing, magic, adultery, treating parents badly and drinking alcoholic drinks or narcotics.







1409. 'A'ishah narrated regarding the verse, "Allah will not punish you for what is unintentional in your oaths" (Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:89). 'It was revealed about such phrases as: 'No, by Allah,' and 'Yes, by Allah: Related by Al-Bukhari and Abu Dawud.

1410. Abu Hurairah (RAA) narrated that Allah's Messenger  said, "Allah has ninety-nine names. (426)  He who retains them in his memory" (427) will enter Paradise." Agreed upon. At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Hibban mentioned the ninety nine names, but it is the narrators who mentioned them and not the Prophet  

426. There are also other names which are attributed to Allah.
427.What is meant is not just memorizing them, but, comprehending their meanings  and implications, observing them in one's behavior and acting accordingly etc ..






1411. Usamah bin Zaid   narrated that Allah's Messenger  said, "If one is done a favor and he expresses (his gratitude) to his benefactor by saying, 'May Allah give you a good reward' (Jazak Allah Khairan) he has fully expressed his appreciation. 'Related by At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Hibban graded it as Sahih.






1412. Ibn 'Umar  narrated, 'The Messenger of Allah  forbade making vows (Nadhr)(428) and said, "It will not bring (you) any good but it is only a means by which some of the wealth of the miserly is taken out." Agreed upon.

428. Making obligatory on oneself an act of worship which was not originally made obligatory by Allah such as taking a vow to fast extra days or pray extra supererogatory prayers or pay charity when so) and so happens (if any sick person recovers, if my absent comes back etc.)  







1413. 'Uqbah bin 'Amir  narrated that the Messenger of Allah   said, "The expiation for a vow (Nadhr) is the same as for an oath." Related by Muslim. At-Tirmidhi has in his version. "If he did not specify it."







1414. Abu Dawud transmitted on the authority of Ibn Abbas , 'Allah's Messenger   said, "If anyone makes a vow but does not fulfill it, its expiation is the same as that for an oath; if anyone makes a vow to do an act of disobedience, its expiation is the same as that of an oath, if anyone makes a vow which he is unable to fulfill, its expiation is the same as that of an oath." Its chain of narrators is Sahih but the scholars of Hadith said that it is not connected to the Prophet  but it is only the narration of Ibn 'Abbas  






1415. Al-Bukhari transmitted on the authority of 'A'ishah , "If anyone vows to disobey Allah, let him not disobey Him."







1416. Muslim transmitted on the authority of 'Imran, that 'Allah's Messenger   said, "A vow to do an act of disobedience must not be fulfilled."








1417. 'Uqbah Ibn -Amir   narrated, 'My sister made a vow to walk to the Ka 'bah for pilgrimage onfoot, and she ordered me to consult the Prophet   so he consulted him and the Messenger of Allah   said, "Let her walk and ride." Agreed upon, and it is Muslim's version.







1418. Ahmad and the four Imams also reported that he   said "Allah, the Most High will not do anything with the afflictions your sister imposes on herself, command her to put on her Hijab (429) (scarf) and to ride, and to fast three days."

429. It is mentioned in another narration that she made a vow to walk to the Ka’bah. while taking her Hijab off, and that is why the Prophet   ordered  her to wear her Hijab  and to make expiation as this is an act of disobedience.







1419. Ibn 'Abbas   narrated, 'Sad bin 'Ubadah asked Allah’s Messenger   for a ruling regarding a vow made by his mother who had died before fulfilling it, and he  replied "Fulfill it on her behalf." Agreed upon.






1420, Thabit bin ad-Dahhak   narrated, 'During the lifetime of the Prophet   a man made a vow to slaughter camels at Bawanah and he came to Allah's Messenger   and asked him, Allah’s Messenger  asked, “Were there any idols worshipped at that place (in the time of Jahiliyah}?" He said, 'No.' The Messenger of Allah    asked again, "Was any Jahiliyah festival celebrated there?" He replied, 'No.' The Messenger of Allah   then said to the man, "Fulfill your vow, for there is no fulfillment of a vow to do an act of disobedience to Allah, neither to break the ties of kinship, nor to do something which a human being does not possess (or has no control over)." Related by Abu Dawud and At-Tabarani and it is his version; it is narrated with a sound chain of narrators.







1421. There is a similar narration on the authority of Kardam transmitted by Ahmad.







1422. Jabir  narrated, 'A man said on the Day of the Conquest of Makkah, "0 Messenger of Allah, I vowed that if Allah opens Makkah for you, I shall pray in Jerusalem." The Messenger of Allah   replied, "Pray here." He asked him again and the Prophet   again replied, "Pray here." The man asked the third time, and the Messenger of Allah then said to him, "It is up to you then." Related by Ahmad and  Abu Dawud and Al-Hakim graded it as Sahih.







1423. Abu Said al-Khudri   narrated that the Messenger of Allah   said, "No (religious) journey is to be undertaken except for prayer in one of the three Masajid: Al-Masjid Al-Haram, (The Sacred Mosque in Makkah), the Aqsa Masjid (in Jerusalem), and this Masjid of mine (in al-Madinah)," Agreed upon and it is Al-Bukhari's version.








1424. 'Umar  narrated, I said: “0 Messenger of Allah! I made a vow at the time of Jahiliyah  to perform I’tikaf (430) for one night at the Sacred Masjid (in Makkah) The Messenger of Allah  said to him, "Fulfill your vow." Agreed upon. Al-Bukhari in his version had the addition, 'He ('Umar) spent a night in I’tikaf at the Sacred Masjid in Makkah.'

430. I’tikaf means remaining in a masjid (preferably a congregational Masjid) for a certain period of time with the intention of remaining in seclusion from worldly matters and keeping oneself busy with acts of worship such as praying, fasting, reciting Qur'an, Dhikr etc