OATH & SOLEMN PROMISE, COMMITMENT & Agreements
2. [ al-Baqara, Medina 87 ]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلاَ
تَجْعَلُواْ
اللّهَ عُرْضَةً
لِّأَيْمَانِكُمْ
أَن تَبَرُّواْ
وَتَتَّقُواْ
وَتُصْلِحُواْ
بَيْنَ النَّاسِ...
2: 224. And make not Allah's (name) an excuse in your oaths against doing good, or acting rightly, or making peace between persons;
... وَاللّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٢٢٤﴾
for Allah is one who heareth and knoweth all things.
C251. The Arabs had many special kinds of oaths, for each of which they had a special name in their language. Some of them related to sex matters, and caused misunderstanding, alienation, division, or separation between husband and wife. This and the following three verses refer to them.
In 2:224 we are first of all told in perfectly general terms that we are not to make an oath in the name of Allah an excuse for not doing the right thing when it is pointed out to us, or for refraining from doing something which will bring people together.
If we were swayed by anger or passion or mere caprice, Allah knows our inmost hearts, and right conduct and not obstinacy or quibbling is what He demands from us.
2: 224
Asad And do not allow your oaths in the name of God to become an obstacle to virtue and God-consciousness and the promotion of peace between men [212]: for God is all-hearing, all- knowing
Pickthall And make not Allah, by your oaths, a hindrance to your being righteous and observing your duty unto Him and making peace among mankind. Allah is Hearer, Knower.
Transliteration Wa la_ taj'alulla_ha 'urdatal li aima_nikum an tabarru_ wa tattaqu_ wa tuslihu_ bainan na_s(i), walla_hu sami'un 'alim(un).
[Ruby’s note – Here the Quran is laying down a priority scale: keeping oath and commitment is very important in Islam, but more important is to do the right thing. In course of events if one realizes that doing the right thing would violate an oath, it is commanded here to let go of that oath. ]
[Asad’s note 212 – Lit. “do not make God, because of your oaths……….” etc.As can be sen from verse 226, this injunction refers primarily to oaths relating to divorce but is, nevertheless, general in its import. Thus, there are authentic Traditions ot the effect that the Prophet Muhammad said: ”If anyone takes a solemn oath [that he would do or refrain from doing such –and such a thing], and thereupon realizes that something else would be a more righteous course, then let him do that which is more righteous, and let him break his oath and then atone for it.” …….. As regards the method of atonement, see 5:89.]
[ Ali’s note 251 - The Arabs had many special kinds of oaths, for each of which they had a special name in their language. Some of them related to sex matters, and caused misunderstanding, alienation, division, or separation between husband and wife. This and the following three verses refer to them. In ii. 224 we are first of all told in perfectly general terms that we are not to make an oath in the name of God an excuse for not doing the right thing when it is pointed out to us, or for refraining from doing something which will bring people together. If we were swayed by anger or passion or mere caprice, God knows our inmost hearts, and right conduct and not obstinacy or quibbling is what He demands from us. (2.224) ]