Abu Umama reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone appropriates by his oath what rightly belongs to a Muslim, God has made hell necessary for him and deprived him of paradise.” A man asked God’s Messenger whether that applied even if it were a small amount, and he replied, “Even if it were a stick from an arak tree.”
Ibn Mas'ud reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone swears a firm oath, 1 acting wickedly thereby, and appropriates by it property belonging to a Muslim, God will be angry when he meets Him on the day of resurrection.” And God has sent down the verification of that, “Those who barter for a small price God's covenant and their oaths”2.
(Bukhari and Muslim.)
1. Or an oath he is compelled to take.
2. Al-Qur’an, 3:77
Umm Salama reported God’s Messenger as saying, “I am only a human being and you bring your disputes to me, some perhaps being more eloquent in their plea than others, so that I give judgment on their behalf according to what I hear from them. Therefore whatever I decide for anyone which by right belongs to his brother he must not take, for I am granting him only a portion of hell.”
Ibn ‘Abbas reported the Prophet as saying, “If people were given what they asked when they brought a case some would claim the lives and property of others; but the oath must be taken by the defendant.”
Muslim transmitted it. In the commentary on his work by Nawawi it says that in Baihaqi’s version with an isnad which is hasan or sahih there is an addition on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas which is traced to the Prophet, “But the proof lies on the plaintiff and the oath must be taken by him who rejects the claim.”
