Find out Wallahi meaning with all kind of usages
Wallahi meaning is very deep and important in Islam. It is a combination of the following two words.
- Wa
- Allah
Generally the word “Wa” means “and” but here the word “Wa” is used as “I swear” and then combined with “Allah” , wallahi meaning is “I swear by the name of Allah (subhanahu wa ta ala)”. To understand wallahi meaning , we have to study more information from Quran and Hadith which is also provided in this essay.
Wallahi has the following 3 meaning. These meanings are all inter-related to one another.
1- To swear by the name of Allah
Wallahi means “I swear by he name of Allah (SWT)
2- An oath or a promise
It is an oath and a promise which we have to fulfil. In fact all oaths and promises should be fulfilled by a Muslim but when we take an oath by the name of Allah (SWT), it becomes even more important to be fulfilled
3-Emphasizing important matter
Wallahi is also used to emphsize some important matter. It is the sunnah of Allah’s dearest Prophet Muhammad (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam), that he (Sallallaho alayhay wa aleh wabarik wa sallam) used to say “Wallahi” or “Uqsim Billahi” when he (Salallaho alayhay wa aleh wabarik wa sallam) emphasized on something very important.
Other forms of Wallahi
- Wallah-al-Azeem.
- Uqsim Billah.
- Qasam Billah.
- Uqsim Billah-al-Azeem.
- Qasam Billah-al-Azeem
Wallahi-l-Azeem means “I swear by the great name of Allah” .
“Uqsim” is another word for “swear” and can be used instead of “Wa”. The letter “bi” in Uqsim Billah stand for “with”.So Uqsim Billahi means , I swear with the name of Allah. “Qasa” is also another word for swear and has the same meaning as “Uqsim”.
Fatwa about saying Wallahi
As already mentioned that Allah’s dearest Prophet Muhammad (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) used to say Wallahi to emphasize something very important and used to say like “I swear by The One in Whose Hands my soul is…”. Due to these Ahadith, Islamic scholars them concluded from this Hadeeth that swearing is permissible without asking [or obliging] someone to swear by Allaah [Fatwa No: 90924 Islamweb].
Details in Hadith taking oaths by the name of Allah
Saying Wallahi too often
Saying Wallahi is not a minor or casual act but it has great importance since it is an oath or a promise made by the name of our Sustainer , Allah (Subhanahu wa ta ala). Therefore saying Wallahi too much or making it as a habit is not permissible. Allah (Subhanahu wa ta ala) has ordered us to fulfil our oath. It is mentioned in Quran : ” But guard your oaths” and many Ahadith tell us to guard our oaths. So if someone is saying Wallahi casually, he will forget about the oaths he made and is more likely not fulfil them. Taking too much oaths is considered a bad habit in the following hadith also.
Respect of Wallahi
It is always the habit of the pious, virtuous and elderly people to believe when a Muslim swears in front of them, and they believe that a Muslim will never swear falsely. This is evident from the following Hadith where Allah (Subhanahu wa ta ala)’s prophet , Sayyidna Isa (Alayhay wa salawat wa salam) believed a person when he said Wallahi (or swore by the name of Allah subhanahu wa ta ala).
Hadith Translation: It was narrated from Abu Hurairah (RA) that Allah (Subhanahu wa ta ala)’s dearest Prophet Muhammad (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) said: “Eisa bin Maryam(alayhay wa salat wa salam) saw a man stealing and said: Did you steal? He said: No, by the One besides Whom there is no other God: Eisa (alayhay wa salat wa salam) said: I believe in Allah, and I do not believe what my eyes see:” (Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 2102)
That is, there is no truth in my eyes before the majesty of Allah, it is possible that I have been deceived, my eyes have made a mistake in seeing, but it is not possible for me to deny the oath of a Muslim.
When mother of the faithful, Sayyida Aisha Siddika (May Allah be please with her) said “Wallahi”
Translation:
Narrated Masruq (RA):
I asked Um Ruman, Aisha (RA)s mother about the accusation forged against Aisha (RA). She said, “While I was sitting with Aisha (RA), an Ansari woman came to us and said, Let Allah condemn such-and-such person. I asked her, Why do you say so? She replied, For he has spread the (slanderous) story. Aisha (RA) said, What story? The woman then told her the story. Aisha (RA) asked, Have Abu Bakr (RA) and Allahs Apostle (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) heard about it ? She said, Yes. Aisha (RA) fell down senseless (on hearing that), and when she came to her senses, she got fever and shaking of the body. The Prophet (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) came and asked, What is wrong with her? I said, She has got fever because of a story which has been rumored. Aisha (RA) got up and said, By Allah! Even if I took an oath, you would not believe me, and if I put forward an excuse, You would not excuse me. My example and your example is just like that example of Jacob and his sons. Against that which you assert, it is Allah (Alone) Whose Help can be sought. (12.18) The Prophet (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) left and then Allah revealed the Verses (concerning the matter), and on that Aisha (RA) said, Thanks to Allah (only) and not to anybody else.” (Sahih Bokhari Hadith number 3388)
Forbidden without important reason
Translation:
Narrated Abdullah (RA):
The Prophet (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) said, “The people of my generation are the best, then those who follow them, and then whose who follow the latter. After that there will come some people whose witness will go ahead of their oaths, and their oaths will go ahead of their witness.” Ibrahim (a sub-narrator) said, “We used to be beaten .( Sahih Bokhari Hadith 2652)
Only by the name of Allah (swt)
It was narrated from Salim bin Abdullah bin Umar, from his father, from Umar, that the Messenger of Allah (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) heard him swearing by his father. The Messenger of Allah (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) said: “Allah forbids you from making oaths by your forefathers.” Umar said: “I never took an oath by them (i.e., my forefathers) myself nor narrating such words from anyone else.” (Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 2094).
Unwanted oaths will become common in end times
It was narrated that Jabir bin Samurah said: “Umar bin Khattab addressed us at Jabiyah and said: “The Messenger of Allah (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) stood up among us as I stand among you, and said: Honor my Companions for my sake, then those who come after them, then those who come after them. Then lying will prevail until a man will give testimony without being asked to do so, and he will swear an oath without being asked to do so . (Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 2363)
Abdullah bin Masud said: “The Messenger of Allah (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) was asked, Which of the people are best? He said: My generation, then those that follow them, then those that follow them. Then there will come people whose testimony precedes their oath and whose oath precedes their testimony. [Sunan Ibna Majah , Hadith number 2362].
When the pious and weak Muslims say Wallahi
Haritha bin Wahb reported that he heard Allahs Apostle (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) as saying: May I not inform you about the inmates of Paradise? They said: Do this, of course. There upon Allahs Apostle (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) said: Every humble person who is considered to be humble if he were to adjure In the name of Allah, He would fulfil it. He then said: May I not inform you about the denizens of Hell-Fire? They said: Yes. And he said: Every haughty, fat and proud (person). (Sahih Muslim Hadith 7187)
A Sahabi said Wallahi and Allah fulfilled his oath
Narrated Anas (RA):Ar-Rabi, the daughter of An-Nadr broke the tooth of a girl, and the relatives of Ar-Rabi requested the girls relatives to accept the Irsh (compensation for wounds etc.) and forgive (the offender), but they refused. So, they went to the Prophet (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) who ordered them to bring about retaliation. Anas bin An-Nadr asked, “O Allah”; Apostle (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) ! Will the tooth of Ar-Rabi be broken? No, by Him Who has sent you with the Truth, her tooth will not be broken.” The Prophet (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) said, “O Anas! Allah”; law ordains retaliation.” Later the relatives of the girl agreed and forgave her. The Prophet (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) said, “There are some of Allahs slaves who, if they take an oath by Allah, are responded to by Allah i.e. their oath is fulfilled). Anas added, “The people agreed and accepted the Irsh.” (Sahih Bokhari 2703)
Awais Qarni taking oath by the name of Allah
Usair bin Jabir reported that when people from Yemen came to help (the Muslim army at the time of jihad) he asked them: Is there amongst you Uwais bin Amir? (He continued finding him out) until he met Uwais. He said: Are you Uwais bin , Amir? He said: Yes. He said: Are you from the tribe of Qaran? He said: Yes. He (Hadrat) Umar (again) said: Did you suffer from leprosy and then you were cured from it but for the space of a dirham? He said: Yes. He (Umar) said: Is your mother (living)? He said: Yes. He (Umar) said: I heard Allahs Messenger (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) say: There would come to you Uwais bin Amir with the reinforcement from the people of Yemen. (He would be) from Qaran, (the branch) of Murid. He had been suffering from leprosy from which he was cured but for a spot of a dirham. His treatment with his mother would have been excellent. If he were to take an oath in the name of Allah, He would honour that. And if it is possible for you, then do ask him to beg forgiveness for you (from your Lord). So he (Uwais) begged forgiveness for him. Umar said: Where do you intend to go? He said: To Kufa. He (Umar) said: Let me write a letter for you to its governor, whereupon he (Uwais) said: I love to live amongst the poor people. When it was the next year, a person from among the elite (of Kufa) performed Hajj and he met Umar. He asked him about Uwais. He said: I left him in a state with meagre means of sustenance. (Thereupon) Umar said: I heard Allahs Messenger (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) as saying: There would come to you Uwais bin Amir, of Qaran, a branch (of the tribe) of Murid, along with the reinforcement of the people of Yemen. He had been suffering from leprosy which would have been cured but for the space of a dirham. His treatment with his mother would have been very kind. If he would take an oath in the name of Allah (for something) He would honour it. Ask him to beg forgiveness for you (from Allah) in case it is possible for you. So he came to Uwais and said.: Beg forgiveness (from Allah) for me. He (Uwais) said: You have just come from a sacred journey (Hajj) ; you, therefore, ask forgiveness for me. He (the person who had performed Hajj) said: Ask forgiveness for me (from Allah). He (Uwais again) said: You have just come from the sacred journey, so you ask forgiveness for me. (Uwais further) said: Did you meet Umar? He said: Yes. He (Uwais) then begged forgiveness for him (from Allah). So the people came to know about (the status of religious piety) of Uwais. He went away (from that place). Usair said: His clothing consisted of a mantle, and whosoever saw him said: From where did Uwais get this mantle? (Sahih Muslim Hadith 6492)
Saying Wallahi for martyrdom
Narrated Anas (RA):
My uncle Anas bin An-Nadr was absent from the Battle of Badr. He said, “O Allahs Apostle (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) ! I was absent from the first battle you fought against the pagans. (By Allah) if Allah gives me a chance to fight the pagans, no doubt. Allah will see how (bravely) I will fight.” On the day of Uhud when the Muslims turned their backs and fled, he said, “O Allah! I apologize to You for what these (i.e. his companions) have done, and I denounce what these (i.e. the pagans) have done.” Then he advanced and Sad bin Muadh met him. He said “O Sad bin Muadh ! By the Lord of An-Nadr, Paradise! I am smelling its aroma coming from before (the mountain of) Uhud,” Later on Sad said, “O Allahs Apostle (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) ! I cannot achieve or do what he (i.e. Anas bin An-Nadr) did. We found more than eighty wounds by swords and arrows on his body. We found him dead and his body was mutilated so badly that none except his sister could recognize him by his fingers.” We used to think that the following Verse was revealed concerning him and other men of his sort: “Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah……….” (33.23)
His sister Ar-Rubbaya broke a front tooth of a woman and Allahs Apostle (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) ordered for retaliation. On that Anas (bin An-Nadr) said, “O Allahs Apostle (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) ! By Him Who has sent you with the Truth, my sisters tooth shall not be broken.” Then the opponents of Anass sister accepted the compensation and gave up the claim of retaliation. So Allahs Apostle (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) said, “There are some people amongst Allahs slaves whose oaths are fulfilled by Allah when they take them.” (Sahih Bukhari 2805)
Falsely using Wallahi to get worldly benefits
Narrated Abdullah bin Abu Aufa (RA):
A man displayed some goods in the market and took a false oath that he had been offered so much for them though he was not offered that amount Then the following Divine Verse was revealed:– “Verily! Those who purchase a little gain at the cost of Allahs covenant and their oaths . . . Will get painful punishment.” (3.77) Ibn Abu Aufa added, “Such person as described above is a treacherous Riba-eater (i.e. eater of usury). (Sahih Bokhari Hadith 2675)
Punishment of false oath for business
It is narrated o the authority of Abu Dharr (RA) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ (may ace he upon him) observed: Three are the (persons) with whom Allah would neither speak on the Day of Resurrection, nor would look at them nor would absolve the and there is a painful chastisement for them. The Messenger of Allah (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) repeated it three times. Abu Dharr (RA) remarked: They failed and they lost; who are these persons, Messenger of Allah (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam)? ﷺ Upon this he (the Holy) Prophet (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam)) observed: They are: the dragger of lower garment, the recounter of obligation the seller of goods by false oath. (Sahih Bokhari 2675)
Allah will not talk to those who make false oath
Narrated Abu Hurairah (RA):
The Prophet (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) said, “There are three types of people whom Allah will neither talk to, nor look at, on the Day of Resurrection. (They are):
1. A man who takes an oath falsely that he has been offered for his goods so much more than what he is given,
2. a man who takes a false oath after the Asr prayer in order to grab a Muslims property, and
3. a man who with-holds his superfluous water. Allah will say to him, “Today I will with-hold My Grace from you as you with-held the superfluity of what you had not created.” (Sahih Muslim 293).
“Ma sha Allah Summa Shet” with Wallahi
It was narrated from Ibn Abbas that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: When anyone of you swears an oath, let him not say: What Allah wills and what you will. Rather let him say: What Allah wills and then what you will. (Sahih Muslim 2117).
Benefit of saying In sha Allah with Wallahi
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah (RA) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Whoever swears an oath and says In sha Allah, he will have made an exception.(Ibn Majah Hadith 2104)
Ahadith about permissibility of breaking oaths if taken by mistake for something not right
If oath is taken by mistake something that is a sin
It was narrated from Aisha (RA) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said. “Whoever takes an oath to cut off the ties of kinship, or to do something that is not right, the fulfillment of his vow is not to do that.” (Sunan Ibn Majah 2110)
How to take back an oath if it is taken for something that is not virtuous
It was narrated from Abul-Ahwas Awf bin Malik AI-Jushami that his father said: “I said:. a Messenger of AlIah, my cousin comes to me and I swear that I will not give him anything or uphold the ties of kinship with him.` He said: Offer expiation for what you swore about.” (Ibn Majah 2109)
Rethinking after an oath and then do the compensation.
It was narrated from Adi bin Hatim that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever swears an oath then sees that something else is better that it, Jet him do that which is better and offer expiation for what he Swore about. ” (Iban Majah 2108)
When Allah’s prophet Muhammad (SAW) asked a person to take back his wrong oath.
Narrated Aisha (RA): Once Allahs Apostle ﷺ heard the loud voices of some opponents quarreling at the door. One of them was appealing to the other to deduct his debt and asking him to be lenient but the other was saying, “By Allah I will not do so.” Allahs Apostle ﷺ went out to them and said, “Who is the one who was swearing by Allah that he would not do a favor?” That man said, “I am that person, O Allahs Apostle ﷺ ! I will give my opponent whatever he wishes.” (Sahih Bukhari Hadith 2705)
Example of Dear Prophet Muhammad (SAW) when oath was not suitable.
Following are two Ahadith where Allah’s dearest Prophet Muhammad (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) took back an oath that seemed not correct
It was narrated from Abu Burdah that his father Abu Musa said: “I came to the Messenger of Allah (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) with a group of Asharites and asked him to give us animals to ride. He ﷺ said: By Allah, I cannot give you anything to ride, and I have nothing to give you to ride. We stayed as long as Allah willed, then some camels were brought to him, He ﷺ ordered that we be given three she-camels with fine humps. When we left, we said to one another: We came to the Messenger of Allah (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) to ask him ﷺ for animals to ride, and he swore by Allah that he would not give us anything to ride, then he ﷺ gave us something. Let us go back. So we went to him ﷺ and we said: O Messenger of Allah (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) We came to you seeking mounts, and you took an oath that you would not give us mounts, then you gave us some mounts. He ﷺ said: By Allah, I did not give you animals to ride, rather Allah gave you them to ride. I, by Allah, if Allah wills, do not swear and then see something better than it, but I offer expiation for what I swore about, and do that which is better. Or he said: I do that which is better and offer expiation for what I swore about.” (Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 2107)
Narrated Zahdam (RA):
Once we were in the house of Abu Musa (RA) who presented a meal containing cooked chicken. A man from the tribe of Bani Taim Allah with red complexion as if he were from the Byzantine war prisoners, was present. Abu Musa (RA) invited him to share the meal but he (apologised) saying. “I saw chickens eating dirty things and so I have had a strong aversion to eating them, and have taken an oath that I will not eat chickens.” Abu Musa (RA) said, “Come along, I will tell you about this matter (i.e. how to cancel ones oat ). I went to the Prophet ﷺ in the company of a group of Al-Ashariyin, asked him to provide us with means of conveyance. He said, By Allah, I will not provide you with any means of conveyance and I have nothing to make you ride on. Then some camels as booty were brought to Allahs Apostle (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) and he asked for us saying. Where are the group of Al-Ashariyun? Then he ordered that we should be given five camels with white humps. When we set out we said, What have we done? We will never be blessed (with what we have been given). So, we returned to the Prophet (Salallaho alayhay wa alehe wabarik wa sallam) and said, We asked you to provide us with means of conveyance, but you took an oath that you would not provide us with any means of conveyance. Did you forget (your oath when you gave us the camels)? He ﷺ replied. I have not provided you with means of conveyance, but Allah has provided you with it, and by Allah, Allah willing, if ever I take an oath to do something, and later on I find that it is more beneficial to do something different, I will do the thing which is better, and give expiation for my oath.” (Sahih Bukhari 3103)
When companion Abu-Bakr had to break his mistakenly taken oath
Narrated Abu Uthman (RA): Abdur Rahman bin Abi Bakr said, “The Suffa Companions were poor people and the Prophet ﷺ said, Whoever has food for two persons should take a third one from them (Suffa companions). And whosoever has food for four persons he should take one or two from them Abu Bakr (RA) took three men and the Prophet ﷺ took ten of them.”
Abdur Rahman added, my father my mother and I were there (in the house). (The sub-narrator is in doubt whether Abdur Rahman also said, My wife and our servant who was common for both my house and Abu Bakrs house). Abu Bakr (RA) took his supper with the Prophet ﷺ and remained there till the Isha prayer was offered. Abu Bakr (RA) went back and stayed with the Prophet ﷺ till the Prophet ﷺ took his meal and then Abu Bakr (RA) returned to his house after a long portion of the night had passed. Abu Bakrs wife said, What detained you from your guests (or guest)? He said, Have you not served them yet? She said, They refused to eat until you come. The food was served for them but they refused.” Abdur Rahman added, “I went away and hid myself (being afraid of Abu Bakr) and in the meantime he (Abu Bakr) called me, O Ghunthar (a harsh word)! and also called me bad names and abused me and then said (to his family), Eat. No welcome for you. Then (the supper was served). Abu Bakr (RA) took an oath that he would not eat that food. The narrator added: By Allah, whenever any one of us (myself and the guests of Suffa companions) took anything from the food, it increased from underneath. We all ate to our fill and the food was more than it was before its serving.
Abu Bakr (RA) looked at it (the food) and found it as it was before serving or even more than that. He addressed his wife (saying) O the sister of Bani Firas! What is this? She said, O the pleasure of my eyes! The food is now three times more than it was before. Abu Bakr (RA) ate from it, and said, That (oath) was from Satan meaning his oath (not to eat). Then he again took a morsel (mouthful) from it and then took the rest of it to the Prophet. So that meal was with the Prophet. There was a treaty between us and some people, and when the period of that treaty had elapsed the Prophet ﷺ divided us into twelve (groups) (the Prophets companions) each being headed by a man. Allah knows how many men were under the command of each (leader). So all of them (12 groups of men) ate of that meal.” ( Sahih Bokhari Hadith 602)
May Allah (Subhanahu wa ta ala) make this post beneficial for all of us. Ameen . (Allahummay Sallay ala Muhammad ew wa ala Ale Muhammad) . You might be interested to read “Duas for Travelling” .
