The Chapter of Nezirs – 5: The Undesirability of Swearing in the Names of Fathers
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said: "Do not swear by your fathers, nor by your mothers, nor by idols. Swear only by Allah, and when you must swear, swear by what is true in your oaths."
COMMENTARY
It is disliked to swear by one's forefathers, whether male or female. Swearing by idols is absolutely forbidden.
‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab was swearing by his father in a company of people when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) came up to him and said: “Indeed, Allah forbids you from swearing by your fathers. Whoever swears, let him swear by Allah or remain silent.”
Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard me say something, and then he said (regarding the statement “by your fathers’ names”) – relating a meaning similar to that of the preceding hadith – and added: "By Allah, I will never again swear by myself or by anyone else in this manner." [141]
Sa'd ibn Ubaydah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, heard a man swear by Kaba. Then Ibn Umar said to him, “I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say: ‘Whoever swears by anything other than Allah has indeed committed shirk.’”
Talha ibn Ubaydullah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated a story about a Bedouin in a hadith wherein the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “By His father! If he speaks truthfully, he is saved. By His father! If he speaks truthfully, he has entered Paradise.”
COMMENTARY
This hadith appeared as number 392 in the Book of Prayer. The Bedouin asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, how many times a day one prays and how many obligatory prayers there are. After the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, answered, he said, “I swear by Allah, I will not do more or less than this.” Thereupon the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “If he speaks truthfully, by His father! He is saved.” The Prophet’s swearing by his father was either before the prohibition of swearing by fathers or it slipped from his tongue unintentionally. Or perhaps there was a hidden mention of the Lord, and he intended to say ‘I swear by my father's Lord.’”