Swearing an Oath

1.    A Muslim’s daily speech should always refer back to Allah s.w.t. for example, beginning a good job with ‘Bismillah’ (in the name of Allah); ending it with ‘Alhamdulillah’ (praise be to Allah), making a promise with ‘Insya Allah’ (if Allah wills it) and swearing an oath using His name such as ‘wallahi’, ‘wabillahi’ or ‘watallahi’ (by Allah).

2.    An oath that is legitimate and in accordance with the provisions of Islamic law involves the uttering of Allah’s name and is made when one is conscious. A person who breaks an oath, either intentionally or not, must redeem it by paying a certain fine (kifarah). This fine is for when a person commits one of the following:

 

i.    Murder.
ii.    Equating one’s wife with one’s mother (zihar).
iii.    Sexual intercourse during the day in the month of Ramadhan.
iv.    Deliberately breaking one’s fast for no lawful reason.
v.    Break one's oath.

 

3.    The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) forbids swearing an oath too often, especially in the case of business, whereby he has said: “Swearing produces a ready sale for a commodity, but blots out the blessing.”  (By Al-Bukhari and Muslim)