The Boy Scout's Pledge
Question :
Boy scouts are encouraged to make the following pledge: "I promise, by my honor, to expend my energies to the maximum in fulfilling my responsibility to my country, to the king, helping people at all times, and to live by the scout code." The Arab Boy Scout's Association promulgates this oath in a small publication. Please give a ruling on this oath. Please tell us if it is correct or not, because if it isn't, we can change it.
Answer:
First, it is forbidden to swear by other than Allâh Almighty, whether it is by one's father, by a leader, by one's honor, or anything else, for the Prophet ﷺ said in an authentic Hadith : "Whoever makes an oath, let him make it by Allah or (let him remain) silent."
He ﷺ also said:
"Whoever makes an oath, let him not make it except by Allah".
And in yet another Hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever swears by other than Allah Almighty, he has associated partners with Him."
Second, a Muslim should not equate Allâh Almighty to any creature, regardless whether it be one's country, the President, or anything else. The Muslim should not equate between Allâh Almighty and between anything else when he makes an oath and binds himself to an act or to a way of life.
Rather, he should say, "Upon me is Allah's covenant that I should do my utmost to fulfill my responsibility to Allâh Almighty alone; then, I will serve my country and help Muslims;
I will live according to the code of a scout as long as it doesn't contradict Allah's Shari'ah."
Third, A person's work should be according to Allah's Shari'ah, so he should not make a covenant to work by the code of a country, a group or an association without qualifying that commitment.
Source:
The Permanent Committee
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 8 Pages 110-111
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