If he does not swear by Allah, how is the oath taken from him?
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The questioner : The atheist does not acknowledge Allah; what is the method for taking the oath...?
The Shaykh : We make him swear by Allah, unless he says, "I do not acknowledge Allah." In that case, we make him swear by whatever he does acknowledge, because he must have something to rely upon. Even the atheists have something they rely upon, such as Stalin, Lenin, or the like. Yes, he swears by what he holds in high esteem. For this reason, a Jew swears by the Torah, even if he says, "I do not acknowledge the Qur'an." In this situation, it is possible for us to say, "I do not swear by Allah, and I do not acknowledge Allah," and then he is judged as one who refuses to swear, meaning he is bound by what was claimed against him.
The Shaykh : We make him swear by Allah, unless he says, "I do not acknowledge Allah." In that case, we make him swear by whatever he does acknowledge, because he must have something to rely upon. Even the atheists have something they rely upon, such as Stalin, Lenin, or the like. Yes, he swears by what he holds in high esteem. For this reason, a Jew swears by the Torah, even if he says, "I do not acknowledge the Qur'an." In this situation, it is possible for us to say, "I do not swear by Allah, and I do not acknowledge Allah," and then he is judged as one who refuses to swear, meaning he is bound by what was claimed against him.