What is that message which Allah (SWT) has sent Jibrael (AS)...

What is that message which Allah (SWT) has sent Jibrael (AS) to deliver to the Prophet (SA)? The words following the warm greetings amazingly begins with a divine swear where Allah (SWT) says "وعزتي وجلالي" (By My Almightiness and My Majesty). The question begs itself why does the Almighty Creator have to use the method of swearing when He is the Most Truthful and any statement coming from Him is truth without any doubt.

After all, He (SWT) does not need to convince anyone of anything and it is assumed that the audience should and would accept all that Allah (SWT) says without hesitation. Yet we find the Holy Qur’an presenting many instances where Allah (SWT) begins His speech by swearing ( قسم ). Swearing in general is used to assure something or to draw the attention to another. In the Qur’an, there are many aims of swearing from which is to assure a certain matter to people.

The verses which contain oaths sworn such as: “those sent forth” (Al-Mursalaat), the winds that scatter (Al-Dhaariyaat), those who pull out (Al-Naazi’aat), the break of day (Al-Fajr), the Time (Al-‘Asr), the forenoon (Al-Duhaa) and the mansions of the stars (Mawaaqi’ al-Nujoom – see al-Waaqi’ah 56:75), etc., these are oaths sworn by Allah (SWT) and He has the right to swear oaths by whatever He wills, but the created being can swear only by his Lord.

When Allah (SWT) swears by something, He is either raising the status of that thing due to its excellence or He (SWT) may be using a grand creation of His which we as human can relate to very well so that we may pay close attention to the rest of His speech. It should be noted that the degree of importance of the subject of swearing increases with the significance of that thing which Allah (SWT) is swearing upon.

For example, if Allah (SWT) swears upon His grand creation such as the sun or the moon, it is different than if He (SWT) swears upon His own existence or an attribute of His divinity. Surely, the latter conveys a high degree of importance to what He (SWT) is about to say. In the Tradition of the Cloak , Allah (SWT) commences His speech to the Prophet (SA) by swearing by His Mightiness and Majesty.

This gives the audience a hint that the divine speech that will follow is of utmost graveness and importance and we should keep our ears wide open to receive what Allah (SWT) is about to deliver.