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.
Do not allow your oaths in the name of God to become an obstacle to your being kind and God-fearing, or to promoting peace among people. God hears all and knows all.
(2: 224)
God will not take you to task for those of your oaths which you may utter without thought, but He will take you to task for oaths which you have sworn in earnest. The breaking of an oath must be atoned for by the feeding of ten needy people with more or less the same food as you normally give to your own families, or by clothing them, or by the freeing of one slave. He who cannot afford any of these shall fast three days instead. This shall be the atonement for your oaths when you have sworn [and broken them]. But be mindful of your oaths. Thus God makes clear to you His revelations, so that you may give thanks.
(5: 89)
