The Ruling on Swearing by the Right of Allah

The Shaykh:
This is its meaning.

The questioner:
What is the ruling on swearing with this phrase, namely "by the right of Allah"? Is this considered shirk (associating partners with Allah), even if one did not intend it?

The Shaykh:
That is, one does not swear by the right of Allah; one swears by Allah, and by Allah’s majesty, by the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy, and by the Lord of the Worlds. One does not place one’s hand on it, nor say "by the right of Allah," because the right of Allah upon us is to magnify Him and obey Him. Magnifying His obedience is among our actions, among the actions of the created beings. It is our right to have tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and obedience to Him, and to magnify Him. Our tawhid of Him and our magnification of Him and our obedience to Him are among our actions, our created actions. This means swearing by created things, which is not permissible. Swearing is not valid except by Allah alone, or by His names and attributes. May Allah reward him for it. Yes.