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.
