عن عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ: «يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ سَمُرَةَ، لاَ تَسْأَلِ الإِمَارَةَ؛ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أُوتِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ، وُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا، وَإِنْ أُوتِيتَهَا مِنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ، أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا، وَإِذَا حَلَفْتَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ، فَرَأَيْتَ غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا، فَكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ، وَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ».
‘Abd al-Raḥmān ibn Samurah narrated that God’s Messenger said to him:
1. ‘Abd al-Raḥmān ibn Samurah! Do not seek a position of authority;
2. for if you are given it at your request, you will bear the responsibility for it;
3. and if you are given it without seeking it, you will be helped.
4. And if you say an oath then find that an alternative is better, atone for the oath and do what is better. Related by al-Bukhari, 6622; Muslim.
To be responsible for people’s affairs is a position of great trust, which involves serious risks. Therefore, it is not proper for anyone to seek it. If it is given to a person without seeking it, God will help him to discharge his duties. The hadith also tells us that it is wrong to make one’s oath a barrier preventing one from doing what is best. It is better to atone for his oath and do what is best.
