When is swearing by Allah falsely considered major disbelief that expels one from Islam, and when is it considered a sin or an injustice? Are those who swear by Allah falsely once in a while equal to those who swear by Him daily to promote a product or evade debt repayment? Does the ruling on swearing falsely differ in virtuous times and places from others?

The false oath (al-yamin al-ghamūs) and swearing by Allah falsely are among the major sins. Quranic verses and prophetic traditions have emphasized the gravity of this, including the Almighty’s saying: “Indeed, those who exchange the covenant of Allah and their oaths for a small price - those will have no share in the Hereafter, and Allah will not speak to them or look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them; and they will have a painful punishment” (Quran 3:77).

Swearing by Allah falsely is not considered major disbelief unless the one swearing deems it permissible. Rather, it is one of the sins that do not expel its perpetrator from the fold of Islam, contrary to the view of the Waʿīdīyyah.

The repetition of a sin and persistence in it magnifies its transgression. One who rarely swears falsely is not equal to one who habitually does so daily.

The punishment for evil deeds increases in severity with the nobility of time and place. Thus, a sin committed in Mecca, Medina, during Ramadan, or in the sacred months carries a greater transgression.

Good deeds are multiplied in virtuous times and places, whereas evil deeds are not multiplied in number, but rather their gravity is intensified in quality.