Can we swear falsely that we have nothing to give tax on...

Can we swear falsely that we have nothing to give tax on when it is not possible to save our money without swearing falsely?” Imam (a.s.) said, “Take such oaths! Such oaths are more sweet than dates and butter.”[^6] However if the property is not worth much, especially if its value is less than thirty Dirhams, then it is Mustahab not to swear falsely, even if it may be necessary to save oneself from the oppressor.

Hazrat Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) has quoted the following tradition from the Holy Prophet (S): “Respecting the Greatness of Allah if one refrains from swearing, Allah shall give him much better than whatever he has lost.”[^7] Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) says: “If there is claim against you regarding some property and the claimant does not have any right upon you, and desires to make you take an oath, then if the claim is for something worth less than thirty Dirhams, hand it over to him and do not take an oath.

But if it is worth more than thirty Dirhams, take the oath and do not give him anything.”[^8] The Holy Prophet (S) says: “If a person takes his debtor (or one who owes him something) to the court of the ruler; and the king asks him to swear; and knowing that he is on the right he respects the Greatness of Allah and refrains from swearing, then on the Day of Qiyāma Allah shall not desire for him a position less than that of Hazrat Ibrahīm (a.s.).” Imam Sajjad (a.s.) avoids swearing In the book al-Kāfi there is a tradition, which says that a wife of Imam Sajjad (a.s.) had some connection with the tribe of Bani Hanifa.

A Shia of Imam (a.s.) informed him that this wife of his bore enmity to Amir ul-Mu’minīn (a.s.). After investigating the matter Imam (a.s.) divorced her. She had already received the Meher amount (Dower), but she filed a claim for it against Imam (a.s.) in the court of the ruler of Madinah. She demanded four hundred Dirhams as Meher from him.

The ruler of Madinah told Imam Sajjad (a.s.), “Either you swear that you have already paid her or you pay the amount of Meher (now).” Hazrat Sayyid al-Sajjad (a.s.) did not swear, but ordered his son Hazrat Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) to pay four hundred Dirhams to the woman. Hazrat Baqir (a.s.) said, “May I be sacrificed for you! Are you not on the right?” Imam (a.s.) replied, “Why not?