The Ruling on One of Them Saying "By My Life"

Question:
The phrase "by my life," and their saying "by your life, so-and-so," is frequently heard on the tongues of some preachers, poets, and others. Is this considered an oath, or an oath by life, or not? And what is its meaning?

Answer:
The correct view is that there is no harm in it. It has occurred in some of the authentic hadiths from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), where he said: It is also authentic from Ibn Abbas and from a group of the Salaf and the Khalaf. It is not an oath by other than Allah, nor is it from the oaths by other than Allah. Or, this is a matter in which leniency is shown, and the intention is to emphasize, as in "by your life, so-and-so" or "by my life, so-and-so." It is used to emphasize and strengthen the speech, and it is not in the position of intending to swear an oath.