Only Swear by Allah or Stay Silent

📖Sahih al-Bukhari 6270, Sahih Muslim 3104
Abdullah ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, found Umar ibn al-Khattab while he was upon his mount, swearing an oath by his father. The Prophet said, “Surely Allah prohibits you from swearing an oath by your fathers. Whoever swears an oath, let him swear by Allah or remain silent.”

This hadith shows that Muslims must never swear by their fathers, ancestors, or anyone other than Allah. Doing so is wrong because:

1. Maybe your forefathers were not Muslims – so swearing by them would be meaningless and even disrespectful to faith.
2. Even if they were Muslims – if you lie, your sin reflects back on them too, because parents are responsible for raising their children upon the truth.
3. Swearing only by Allah ensures truthfulness – for when a person swears by Allah, they know that a lie could bring Allah’s punishment.

The Prophet ﷺ said:”

📖Sahih Muslim 1829a
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Every one of you is a shepherd, and every one of you will be asked about his flock… A man is a shepherd over the members of his household and will be asked about them.”

This makes it clear: if parents neglect their duty of teaching their children about right and wrong, they share in the responsibility for their children’s sins.

Quranic Context:

📖Quran 16:91
And fulfill the covenant of Allah when you have taken it, and do not break oaths after their confirmation while you have made Allah a witness over you. Indeed, Allah knows what you do.

📖Quran 5:89
Allah will not impose blame upon you for what is meaningless in your oaths, but He will impose blame upon you for [breaking] what you intended of oaths. So its expiation is feeding ten needy people from the average of that which you feed your families, or clothing them, or freeing a slave. But whoever cannot find [this] – then a fast of three days. That is the expiation for oaths when you have sworn. And guard your oaths. Thus Allah makes clear to you His verses that you may be grateful.

📖Quran 2:224
And do not make Allah an excuse in your oaths against doing good and fearing Allah and making peace among people. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing.

This verse teaches that you are allowed to make an oath only for good actions. You are not allowed to misuse Allah’s name to say, “I won’t do good,” “I won’t fear Allah,” or “I won’t reconcile between people.” Oaths should encourage obedience and goodness, not prevent them.

Can Parents Get Punishment for Our Sins?

📖Quran 6:164
No bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another.

📖Quran 17:15
And no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. And We never punish until We have sent a messenger.

So how do we reconcile this with the hadith about parents being responsible?

It works like this:

• Parents are not punished for every sin of their child. Each person is accountable for what they choose to do.
• Parents are accountable for neglecting their duty. If a father or mother fails to teach, guide, and nurture their children
• in Islam, their own neglect becomes a separate sin – not the child’s sin itself.
• If the child goes astray after the parents taught them properly, then the child bears his own responsibility.
• If the child goes astray because the parents neglected to teach, then the parents are guilty of neglect – not because of the child’s sin, but because of their own failure in duty.