المعنى
What is meant by "Do not make God a hindrance, through your oaths"?
الجواب
Imām Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201) summarized the scholars' opinions in his book "Zād al-Masīr" as follows:
- The meaning is: "Do not swear by Allah to withhold righteous acts, piety, or reconciliation between people." [Ibn ʿAbbās, Mujāhid, ʿAṭāʾ, Ibn Jubayr, Ibrāhīm, al-Ḍaḥḥāk, Qatādah, al-Suddī, Muqātil, al-Farrāʾ, Ibn Qutaybah, al-Zajjāj]
- The meaning is: "Do not swear falsely by Allah in order to guard against people, or as a favour to them, or to reconcile between them." [ʿAṭiyyah from Ibn ʿAbbās]
- The meaning is: "Do not frequently swear by Allah, even if you are truthful and righteous, as excessive swearing by Allah is a form of boldness towards Him." [Ibn Zayd]

