Swearing by God to the utmost of their oaths
أَقْسَمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَٰنِهِمْ
aqsamū bi-llāhi jahda aymānihim — swore by God, to the utmost of their oaths
In the five verses given, this fixed clause introduces a solemn oath whose content is then shown to fail or be rejected, so that reading the occurrences together shows the phrase marking oaths that the surrounding words expose as empty.
The clause appears five times, each time with the same grammar: the verb أَقْسَمُوا۟, a perfect of form IV, third masculine plural, followed by بِٱللَّهِ and the accusative verbal noun جَهْدَ governing أَيْمَٰنِهِمْ. In each verse the oath is quoted immediately after the clause, introduced by لَ or لَا in (6:109), (16:38), (24:53) and (35:42), and by إِنَّهُمْ in (5:53): that they were with the believers (5:53), that they would believe if a sign came (6:109), that God will not raise the dead (16:38), that they would go out if commanded (24:53), and that they would be more guided than any community if a warner came (35:42). In every case the following words undercut the oath: their deeds are nullified (5:53), the speaker is told the signs are with God and they may not believe (6:109), resurrection is affirmed as a binding promise (16:38), the reply is 'Do not swear' (24:53), and when the warner came the oath-takers only fled further (35:42). Read side by side, the occurrences show the clause functioning as a marker of an oath whose maximal solemnity is set against its non-performance: the phrase itself carries no evaluation, but in these five verses it is always followed by words that contradict or dismiss what was sworn. The reply in (24:53), لَا تُقْسِمُوا۟, uses the same form IV verb in the imperfect jussive, second masculine plural, directly refusing the act the clause describes.
Where it occurs
- 5:53 The clause stands inside the believers' question, 'Are these the ones who swore by God, to the utmost of their oaths, that they were indeed surely with you?', followed by the statement that their deeds were nullified.
- 6:109 Introduces an oath to believe if a sign came, which the following words question: 'what makes you perceive that when it comes, they will not believe?'
- 16:38 Introduces an oath that God will not raise the dead, immediately contradicted by 'Yes indeed — a promise upon Him, in truth'.
- 24:53 Introduces an oath to go out if commanded, answered by 'Do not swear; obedience that is recognized'.
- 35:42 Introduces an oath to be more guided than any community if a warner came, followed by the report that when the warner came it only increased them in fleeing.
All Qur'anic expressions