Oaths in the Quran — Purpose and Types

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.