To Take An Oath By Other Than Allaah
Question:
Is this saying a Hadeeth or a narration [from the salaf]: "To take an oath by Allaah upon a lie/falsehood is more beloved to me than taking an oath by other than Him upon truthfulness", and we also hope that you can explain its meaning?
Answer:
This is not a Hadeeth but rather it is from the sayings of Ibn Mas'ood - May Allaah be pleased with him - who said:
"To take an oath by Allaah upon a lie/falsehood is more beloved to me than taking an oath by other than Him upon truthfulness",
Since taking an oath by Allaah is Tawheed (monotheism), eventhough it is false it is still [upon] Tawheed; however it contains the virtue of Tawheed combined with the sin/evil of lying. As for a truthful oath by other than Allaah then it contains the virtue of truth but with the sin/evil of Shirk (polytheism) and Shirk is greater/more worse than the lie and this is from the Fiqh(insight & understanding) of Ibn Mas'ood.
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan
'Aqeedatul-Haaj fee Dhawil-Kitaab was-Sunnaah, Page 31, question 16.
Translated by Abu 'Abdillaah al-Kasmiree
