Introduction
Glory to the Lord, to whose lordship every creature testifies through its very existence; sun sings His glory; moon prostrates itself before Him; the land takes refuge in Him, its peaks as well as valleys; oceans turn to Him in their ebbs and flows, as has been attested by the Lord in His book: “Glorify Him the heavens, all seven of them, and the earth and what lies in them. There is nothing which does not glorify Him through His praises.” (Q 17:47) I implore God’s blessings upon Muḥammad, the chosen Messenger of God and His servant, upon his family and his Companions, who held fast to the divine rope and covenant, and upon their successors, who followed a just and balanced path.
This book studies the Qur’ānic oaths. It is a part of the introductions (muqaddamahs) to my commentary on the Qur’ān titled Niẓām al-Qur’ān wa Ta’wīl al-Furqān bi al-Furqān. These introductions cover principles of interpretation and help us avoid repetition of these discussions during interpretation of the Divine text. Oaths frequently occur in the Qur’ān. Their meanings and wisdom have remained unclear to the earlier exegetes. This gave rise to certain questions on the use of oaths in the Qur’ān. It would not be possible to repeat such fundamental discussions on every occasion an oath occurs. It should be noted that my commentary on the Qur’ān is characterized by brevity rather than detail. This requires a comprehensive yet short treatment of the oaths of the Qur’ān in a separate discussion. Detailed analysis and explanation of the Qur’ānic oaths shall be afforded in the commentary on the relevant verses.
I do not know if there is a treatise by the earlier scholars on the issue except for Kitāb al-Tibyān by ‘Allāmah Ibn Qayyim. Imām Rāzī or whoever completed his exegesis after him also discussed the issue in their commentary. I intend to quote both these works during the course of discussion wherever the context allows me. May Allāh guide me to the correct understanding of the issue!
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