CHAPTER 4 – SWEARING IN THE NAME OF IDOLS
Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said: "Whoever swears by something other than Allah, then let him say, 'There is no god but Allah.' And whoever invites a friend to gamble, let him give charity from his wealth."
EXPLANATION: Repentance and seeking forgiveness are necessary due to swearing by anything other than Allah.
Lāt: This is the name of an idol. A person who swears by an idol does not require expiation, but repentance and seeking forgiveness are required. If someone says, 'If I do this, I am a Jew or Christian,' and breaks his oath, then according to the Hanafi school, expiation is required.
If someone says, ‘Let us gamble,’ it means he should give charity equivalent to the loss he would incur if he were to gamble.
It is stated that whoever swears by Lāt should immediately say, 'There is no god but Allah,' because swearing by an idol signifies a loss of faith. For one in this situation, the first thing needed is the renewal of his faith. Since faith is renewed through affirmation of the oneness of God (tawhīd), he should recite it."