Sheikh Shirked Shirk: Swearing by Other than Allah

All praise is due to Allah alone, far exalted is He above whatever partners people ascribe to Him in worship. May peace and salutations be upon His Messenger ﷺ , through whom the message of pure and uncompromising Tawḥīd (monotheism) was perfectly conveyed.

One of the subtle yet dangerous threats to pure monotheism is minor shirk (polytheism), acts that do not expel a person from Islam but corrupt the perfection of their Tawḥīd and may serve as a gateway to major shirk if left unchecked. 

Allah Swears by His Creation But Do We?

Allah, in His infinite majesty, swears by elements of His creation in several verses of the Qur’an, and these oaths stand as testimonies to His greatness and absolute authority. 

“By Al-‘Aṣr (time).”

{Surah Al-‘Aṣr v 1}

“By Mount Sinai.”

{Surah At-Tīn v 2}

These divine oaths raise an important question. Do human beings share this privilege, or are we commanded to swear only by Allah?

The answer is clear from the Qur’an and Sunnah. Swearing by other than Allah is prohibited and falls under minor shirk.

The Subtle Nature of Minor Shirk

Minor shirk is particularly dangerous because of its subtlety. Ibn ʿAbbās, may Allah be pleased with him, commenting on the verse:

“So do not set up rivals with Allah while you know.”

{Surah Al Baqarah verse 22}

said:

“Shirk can be more hidden than the creeping of ants on a black stone in the darkness of the night. It appears in expressions such as saying ‘By Allah and by your life,’ or ‘What Allah wills and what you will,’ or ‘If not for Allah and so and so.’ Do not associate others with Allah in such expressions, for all of these are acts of shirk.”

(Related by Ibn Abī Ḥātim)

Instead, one should say, “By Allah, I will try my best,” “What Allah wills will come to pass,” and “If not for Allah, it would not have been possible.”

This statement highlights how easily one may fall into shirk through everyday speech without conscious intention.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave stern warnings regarding this matter. ʿUmar ibn al Khaṭṭāb, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet  ﷺ said:

“Whoever swears by anything other than Allah has committed disbelief or shirk.”

(Reported by At Tirmidhī and Al Ḥākim)

People commonly swear by abstract concepts such as trust, by the life of the Prophet, by their parents, or even by their own lives. All such forms are prohibited because invoking an oath is a form of exaltation, and absolute exaltation belongs solely to Allah.

For this reason, Ibn Masʿūd, may Allah be pleased with him, said:

“To swear falsely by Allah is less severe than to swear by other than Him.”

Although falsely swearing by Allah is itself a major sin, swearing by other than Allah introduces shirk, albeit minor, which makes it graver in terms of creed.

Everyday Forms of This Shirk

This practice may occur intentionally or unintentionally. A seller, for example, may swear to convince a buyer of the quality or price of goods. "Aje," she says. Someone may swear while narrating an event so that others believe what seems unbelievable. He says, "Ogun." It may even extend to expressions uttered during anger or shock. For instance, the word “Geez,” commonly used in frustration, is a shortened form of Jesus, which carries religious implications many speakers are unaware of. Aje and Ogun are Yoruba deites.

The Correct Islamic Approach to Oaths

The Prophet ﷺ provided clear guidance:

“Whoever wishes to swear should swear by Allah or remain silent.”

One may say, "I swear by the Lord of the Ka'aba". "I swear by the One in Whose Hands my soul lies." All these still refer to Allah

He ﷺ also said:

“Do not swear by your fathers.”

This was a widespread practice during the period of Jāhiliyyah before Islam came to purify both belief and speech.

And as for swearing by the Qur’an, which is usually required by secular courts, it is not necessary. However, people may do so because the court demands it. If only the courts knew that swearing by Allah alone would suffice.

The Prophet ﷺ emphasized the sanctity of Allah’s Name:

“Whoever swears by Allah must speak the truth, and whoever is sworn to by Allah’s Name should be satisfied. Whoever is not satisfied with Allah is not close to Allah.”

All of these teachings remind us that if an oath must be taken, it must be by Allah alone. Anything besides Him, no matter how revered, does not deserve to be invoked in that manner. Safeguarding Tawḥīd requires vigilance not only in belief and worship, but also in speech.

Indeed, Allah alone is most deserving of absolute glorification and worship.

Adapted from Shaykh Saalih Al-Fawzan's "Guide To Sound Creed"

by Muhammad O.S