93/30. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 7184 — Oaths and Property
Judgement regarding cases involving wells, etc.
Hadith About Oaths in Court and Unjust Property
Sahih Bukhari : 7184
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 7184
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ نَصْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، وَالأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ، قَالَ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ يَحْلِفُ عَلَى يَمِينِ صَبْرٍ، يَقْتَطِعُ مَالاً وَهْوَ فِيهَا فَاجِرٌ، إِلاَّ لَقِيَ اللَّهَ وَهْوَ عَلَيْهِ غَضْبَانُ ". فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَشْتَرُونَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ} الآيَةَ. فَجَاءَ الأَشْعَثُ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ يُحَدِّثُهُمْ فَقَالَ فِيَّ نَزَلَتْ وَفِي رَجُلٍ خَاصَمْتُهُ فِي بِئْرٍ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَلَكَ بَيِّنَةٌ ". قُلْتُ لاَ. قَالَ " فَلْيَحْلِفْ ". قُلْتُ إِذًا يَحْلِفُ. فَنَزَلَتْ {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَشْتَرُونَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ} الآيَةَ.
`Abdullah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If somebody on the demand of a judge takes an oath to grab (a Muslim's) property and he is liar in it, he will meet Allah Who will be angry with him". So Allah revealed,:-- 'Verily! those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's Covenant and their oaths..' (3.77) 'Al- Ashath came while `Abdullah was narrating (this) to the people. Al-Ashath said, "This verse was revealed regarding me and another man with whom I had a quarrel about a well. The Prophet (ﷺ) said (to me), "Do you have any evidence?' I replied, 'No.' He said, 'Let your opponent take an oath.' I said: I am sure he would take a (false) oath." Thereupon it was revealed: 'Verily! those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's Covenant....' (3.77) (See Hadith No. 72, Vol 6).
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 7183, 7184In-book reference : Book 93, Hadith 46USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 9, Book 89, Hadith 294
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 7184
This narration repeats the warning about using a false oath to take another person’s property. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that if someone swears an oath when required by a judge and uses it to grab a Muslim’s property while lying, he will meet Allah while Allah is angry with him. The report also mentions the dispute of Al-Ashath over a well. When he had no evidence, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said the opponent should swear. Al-Ashath feared the opponent would take a false oath, and the verse about trading Allah’s covenant and oaths for a small gain was revealed. This hadith about oaths in court teaches that legal speech must be joined with truth before Allah.
What we learn from this hadith
- A court oath must be truthful, not a means to seize property.
- Evidence matters in disputes, and an oath may be used when evidence is absent.
- A false oath may win a worldly claim but remains dangerous before Allah.
- The hadith connects lying over property with a severe warning.
