Military Expeditions led by the Prophet (pbuh) (Al-Maghaazi)
Sahih
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ السَّلاَمِ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ أَبِي قِلاَبَةَ، عَنْ زَهْدَمٍ، قَالَ لَمَّا قَدِمَ أَبُو مُوسَى أَكْرَمَ هَذَا الْحَىَّ مِنْ جَرْمٍ، وَإِنَّا لَجُلُوسٌ عِنْدَهُ وَهْوَ يَتَغَدَّى دَجَاجًا، وَفِي الْقَوْمِ رَجُلٌ جَالِسٌ، فَدَعَاهُ إِلَى الْغَدَاءِ، فَقَالَ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُهُ يَأْكُلُ شَيْئًا فَقَذِرْتُهُ. فَقَالَ هَلُمَّ، فَإِنِّي رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَأْكُلُهُ. فَقَالَ إِنِّي حَلَفْتُ لاَ آكُلُهُ. فَقَالَ هَلُمَّ أُخْبِرْكَ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ، إِنَّا أَتَيْنَا النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَفَرٌ مِنَ الأَشْعَرِيِّينَ، فَاسْتَحْمَلْنَاهُ فَأَبَى أَنْ يَحْمِلَنَا فَاسْتَحْمَلْنَاهُ، فَحَلَفَ أَنْ لاَ يَحْمِلَنَا، ثُمَّ لَمْ يَلْبَثِ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ أُتِيَ بِنَهْبِ إِبِلٍ، فَأَمَرَ لَنَا بِخَمْسِ ذَوْدٍ، فَلَمَّا قَبَضْنَاهَا قُلْنَا تَغَفَّلْنَا النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَمِينَهُ، لاَ نُفْلِحُ بَعْدَهَا أَبَدًا فَأَتَيْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّكَ حَلَفْتَ أَنْ لاَ تَحْمِلَنَا وَقَدْ حَمَلْتَنَا. قَالَ
" أَجَلْ، وَلَكِنْ لاَ أَحْلِفُ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَأَرَى غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا إِلاَّ أَتَيْتُ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْهَا ".
When Abu Musa arrived (at Kufa as a governor) he honored this family of Jarm (by paying them a
visit). I was sitting near to him, and he was eating chicken as his lunch, and there was a man sitting
amongst the people. Abu Musa invited the man to the lunch, but the latter said, "I saw chickens
(eating something (dirty) so I consider them unclean." Abu Musa said, "Come on! I saw the Prophet (ﷺ)
eating it (i.e. chicken)." The man said "I have taken an oath that I will not ea (chicken)" Abu Musa
said." Come on! I will tell you about your oath. We, a group of Al-Ash`ariyin people went to the
Prophet and asked him to give us something to ride, but the Prophet (ﷺ) refused. Then we asked him for
the second time to give us something to ride, but the Prophet (ﷺ) took an oath that he would not give us
anything to ride. After a while, some camels of booty were brought to the Prophet (ﷺ) and he ordered that
five camels be given to us. When we took those camels we said, "We have made the Prophet (ﷺ) forget
his oath, and we will not be successful after that." So I went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah' Apostle
! You took an oath that you would not give us anything to ride, but you have given us." He said, "Yes,
for if I take an oath and later I see a better solution than that, I act on the later (and gave the expiation
of that oaths"
Narrated by Narrated Zahdam:
Context
In this hadith, Abu Musa visits a family in Kufa while having lunch. A man among the guests refuses to eat chicken, claiming it is unclean. Abu Musa reminds him that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ate chicken, but the man insists on his oath not to eat it. Abu Musa then recounts a similar situation where the Prophet ﷺ broke his oath when a better option arose, illustrating the flexibility in adhering to oaths when circumstances change.
Modern Application
This principle can be applied in everyday situations where individuals may feel bound by their commitments. For instance, if someone makes a promise but later realizes that a different choice would be more beneficial, they can reassess their decision while maintaining integrity. It encourages open-mindedness and adaptability in personal commitments.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Eating Etiquette and Hospitality in Islam because it highlights the importance of dietary choices in social settings and the Prophet's ﷺ example of inviting others to share meals.
Allah will not impose blame upon you for what is meaningless in your oaths, but He will impose blame upon you for [breaking] what you intended of oaths. So its expiation is the feeding of ten needy people from the average of that which you feed your [own] families or clothing them or the freeing of a slave. But whoever cannot find [or afford it] - then a fast of three days [is required]. That is the expiation for oaths when you have sworn. But guard your oaths. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be grateful.
Prohibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah, and [those animals] killed by strangling or by a violent blow or by a head-long fall or by the goring of horns, and those from which a wild animal has eaten, except what you [are able to] slaughter [before its death], and those which are sacrificed on stone altars, and [prohibited is] that you seek decision through divining arrows. That is grave disobedience. This day those who disbelieve have despaired of [defeating] your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me. This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion. But whoever is forced by severe hunger with no inclination to sin - then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
Say, "I do not find within that which was revealed to me [anything] forbidden to one who would eat it unless it be a dead animal or blood spilled out or the flesh of swine - for indeed, it is impure - or it be [that slaughtered in] disobedience, dedicated to other than Allah. But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], then indeed, your Lord is Forgiving and Merciful."
He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah. But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah. But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit] - then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
This hadith is #4192 from Sahih al-Bukhari, in the Book of Military Expeditions led by the Prophet (pbuh) (Al-Maghaazi). It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated Zahdam:.