Intermediate
Oath
Surah: Ash-Shams (1)
Oaths in the Quran — Purpose and Types
وَٱلشَّمۡسِ وَضُحَىٰهَا
— الشمس الآية 1
Definition: Attaching speech to an oath to strengthen and establish it in the listener's mind.
What is sworn by in the Quran: Allah directly; and created things: "By time," "By the sun and its brightness," "By the fig and the olive," "By the dawn."
Why oath by creation? This is Allah's prerogative — no creature may swear except by Allah. But Allah swears by whatever He wills of His creation because all oaths fundamentally return to Allah (who created those things).
Wisdom: Swearing by a creation invites reflection on it — "By the sun and its brightness" makes the sun vivid in your mind as a witness to the coming truth.
What is sworn by in the Quran: Allah directly; and created things: "By time," "By the sun and its brightness," "By the fig and the olive," "By the dawn."
Why oath by creation? This is Allah's prerogative — no creature may swear except by Allah. But Allah swears by whatever He wills of His creation because all oaths fundamentally return to Allah (who created those things).
Wisdom: Swearing by a creation invites reflection on it — "By the sun and its brightness" makes the sun vivid in your mind as a witness to the coming truth.
Source: Al-Zarkashi (2/358); Al-Suyuti (3/200); Al-Zamakhshari
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Why does Allah swear by His creation in the Quran?
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