Hadith 7688

Chapter 3

باب 3

(3) باب نَدْبِ مَنْ حَلَفَ يَمِينًا فَرَأَى غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا أَنْ يَأْتِيَ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ وَيُكَفِّرَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ

(3) Chapter: It is recommended for the one who swears an oath then sees that something else is better than it; To do that which is better and offer expiation for his oath
10
حَدَّثَنَا خَلَفُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَيَحْيَى بْنُ حَبِيبٍ الْحَارِثِيُّ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لِخَلَفٍ - قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ غَيْلاَنَ بْنِ جَرِيرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى، الأَشْعَرِيِّ قَالَ أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي رَهْطٍ مِنَ الأَشْعَرِيِّينَ نَسْتَحْمِلُهُ فَقَالَ " وَاللَّهِ لاَ أَحْمِلُكُمْ وَمَا عِنْدِي مَا أَحْمِلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ " . قَالَ فَلَبِثْنَا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ أُتِيَ بِإِبِلٍ فَأَمَرَ لَنَا بِثَلاَثِ ذَوْدٍ غُرِّ الذُّرَى فَلَمَّا انْطَلَقْنَا قُلْنَا - أَوْ قَالَ بَعْضُنَا لِبَعْضٍ - لاَ يُبَارِكُ اللَّهُ لَنَا أَتَيْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَسْتَحْمِلُهُ فَحَلَفَ أَنْ لاَ يَحْمِلَنَا ثُمَّ حَمَلَنَا . فَأَتَوْهُ فَأَخْبَرُوهُ فَقَالَ " مَا أَنَا حَمَلْتُكُمْ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ حَمَلَكُمْ وَإِنِّي وَاللَّهِ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لاَ أَحْلِفُ عَلَى يَمِينٍ ثُمَّ أَرَى خَيْرًا مِنْهَا إِلاَّ كَفَّرْتُ عَنْ يَمِينِي وَأَتَيْتُ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ " .

Abu Musa al-Ash'ari reported:
I came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) along with a group of Ash'arites requesting to give us a mount. He (the Holy Prophet) said: By Allah, I cannot provide you with a mount, and there is nothing with me which I should give you as a ride. He (the narrator) said: We stayed there as long as Allah willed. Then there were brought to him (to the Holy Prophet) camels. He (the Holy Prophet) then ordered to give us three white humped camels, We started and said (or some of us said to the others): Allah will not bless us. We came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) begging him to provide us with riding camels. He swore that he could not provide us with a mount, but later on he provided us with that. They (some of the Prophet's Companions) came and informed him about this (rankling of theirs), whereupon he said: It was not I who provided you with a mount, but Allah has provided you with that. So far as I am concerned, by Allah, if He so wills, I would not swear, but if, later on, I would see better than it, I (would break the vow) and expiate it and do that which is better.

Reference: Sahih Muslim 1649 a

In-book reference: Book 27, Hadith 10

USC-MSA web (English) reference(deprecated numbering scheme): Book 15, Hadith 4044