The Book of Oaths

"‏ فَلْيُكَفِّرْ يَمِينَهُ وَلْيَفْعَلِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ ‏"

" He should expiate for (breaking) the vow and do that which is better."

"‏ مَنْ حَلَفَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ ثُمَّ رَأَى أَتْقَى لِلَّهِ مِنْهَا فَلْيَأْتِ التَّقْوَى ‏"

A beggar came to 'Adi b. Hatim and he begged him to give him the price of a slave, or some portion of the price of the slave. He ('Adi) said: I have nothing to give you except my coat-of-mail and helmet. I will, however, write to my family to give that to you, but he did not agree to that. Thereupon 'Adi was enraged, and said: By Allah, I will not give you anything. The person (then) agreed to accept that, whereupon he said: By Allah, had I not heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying:" He who took an oath, but then found something more pious in the sight of Allah, he should (break the oath) and do that which is more pious," I would not have broken the oath (and thus paid you anything).

"‏ مَنْ حَلَفَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَى غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَلْيَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ وَلْيَتْرُكْ يَمِينَهُ ‏"

He who took an oath, but he found something else better than that, should do that which is better and break his oath.

"‏ إِذَا حَلَفَ أَحَدُكُمْ عَلَى الْيَمِينِ فَرَأَى خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَلْيُكَفِّرْهَا وَلْيَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ ‏"

When anyone amongst you takes an oath, but he finds (something) better than that he should expiate (the breaking of the oath), and do that which is better.

وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ طَرِيفٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ فُضَيْلٍ، عَنِ الشَّيْبَانِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، بْنِ رُفَيْعٍ عَنْ تَمِيمٍ الطَّائِيِّ، عَنْ عَدِيِّ بْنِ حَاتِمٍ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ذَلِكَ ‏.‏

This hadith is reported on the authority of Adi b. Hatim through another chain of transmitters.

"‏ مَنْ حَلَفَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ ثُمَّ رَأَى خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَلْيَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ ‏"

You asked me for one hundred dirhams and I am the son of Hatim; by Allah, I will not give you. But then he said: (I would have done that) if I had not heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) say: He who takes an oath, but then finds something better than that, should do that which is better.

حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا بَهْزٌ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا سِمَاكُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ تَمِيمَ بْنَ طَرَفَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَدِيَّ بْنَ حَاتِمٍ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، سَأَلَهُ فَذَكَرَ مِثْلَهُ وَزَادَ وَلَكَ أَرْبَعُمِائَةٍ فِي عَطَائِي ‏.‏

I heard 'Adi b. Hatim say that a person asked that and then narrated (the hadith) like one (mentioned above), but he made this addition:" Here are four hundred (dirhams) for you out of my gift."

"‏ يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ سَمُرَةَ لاَ تَسْأَلِ الإِمَارَةَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ وُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا وَإِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا وَإِذَا حَلَفْتَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَيْتَ غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ وَائْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ ‏"

Abd al-Rahman b. Samura, don't ask for authority for if it is granted to you for asking for it, you would be commissioned for it (without having the support of Allah), but if you are granted it without your asking for it. You would be helped (by Allah) in it. And when you take an oath and find something else better than that, expiate for (breaking) your oath, and do that which is better. This hadith has also been transmitted on the authority of Ibn Farrukh. The above hadith is narratted through another chain of transmitters.

حَدَّثَنِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ السَّعْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، عَنْ يُونُسَ، وَمَنْصُورٍ، وَحُمَيْدٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كَامِلٍ الْجَحْدَرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ سِمَاكِ بْنِ عَطِيَّةَ، وَيُونُسَ بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ، وَهِشَامِ، بْنِ حَسَّانَ فِي آخَرِينَ ح وَحَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْمُعْتَمِرُ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا عُقْبَةُ بْنُ مُكْرَمٍ الْعَمِّيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عَامِرٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، كُلُّهُمْ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏ بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ وَلَيْسَ فِي حَدِيثِ الْمُعْتَمِرِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ ذِكْرُ الإِمَارَةِ ‏.‏

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of 'Abd al-Rahman b. Samura through another chain of transmitters but there is no mention of the word" authority".

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، وَعَمْرٌو النَّاقِدُ، - قَالَ يَحْيَى أَخْبَرَنَا هُشَيْمُ بْنُ بَشِيرٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، وَقَالَ، عَمْرٌو حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمُ بْنُ بَشِيرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، - عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ يَمِينُكَ عَلَى مَا يُصَدِّقُكَ عَلَيْهِ صَاحِبُكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَقَالَ عَمْرٌو ‏"‏ يُصَدِّقُكَ بِهِ صَاحِبُكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Your oath should be about something regarding which your companion will believe you. 'Amr said: By which your companion will believe you.