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Sunan Abu Dawud
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Sunan Abu Dawud #3278

Oaths and Vows (Kitab Al-Aiman Wa Al-Nudhur)
Sahih in chain

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ الْبَزَّازُ، حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ، وَمَنْصُورٌ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ زَاذَانَ - عَنِ الْحَسَنِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ لِيَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏:‏ ‏ "‏ يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ سَمُرَةَ إِذَا حَلَفْتَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَيْتَ غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا، فَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ وَكَفِّرْ يَمِينَكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ ‏:‏ سَمِعْتُ أَحْمَدَ يُرَخِّصُ فِيهَا الْكَفَّارَةَ قَبْلَ الْحِنْثِ ‏.‏
The Prophet (ﷺ) said to me: 'Abd al-Rahman b. Samurah, when you swear an oath and consider something else to be better than it, do the thing that is beter and make atonement for your oath. Abu Dawud said: I heard Ahmad (b. Hanbal) permitting to make atonement before breaking the oath.
Narrated by Narrated 'Abd al-Rahman b. Samurah:

Context

The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) provides guidance on the ethical handling of oaths in this hadith. He advises 'Abd al-Rahman b. Samurah that if one finds a better alternative after making an oath, they should choose the better option and atone for the oath. This teaching underscores the importance of ethical decision-making and the flexibility in fulfilling commitments.

Modern Application

In everyday situations, this principle encourages individuals to prioritize ethical choices over rigid adherence to past commitments. It promotes the idea that making amends and choosing the right path is more important than simply sticking to an oath that may no longer be the best option.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Ethics of Speech and Oaths & Vows because it addresses the ethical considerations surrounding oaths and the importance of choosing what is right.

Ethics of SpeechOaths & Vows

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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.
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إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُبَايِعُونَكَ إِنَّمَا يُبَايِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ يَدُ ٱللَّهِ فَوْقَ أَيْدِيهِمْ ۚ فَمَن نَّكَثَ فَإِنَّمَا يَنكُثُ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَنْ أَوْفَىٰ بِمَا عَٰهَدَ عَلَيْهُ ٱللَّهَ فَسَيُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًۭا
Indeed, those who pledge allegiance to you, [O Muhammad] - they are actually pledging allegiance to Allah. The hand of Allah is over their hands. So he who breaks his word only breaks it to the detriment of himself. And he who fulfills that which he has promised Allah - He will give him a great reward.
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وَأَوْفُوا۟ بِعَهْدِ ٱللَّهِ إِذَا عَٰهَدتُّمْ وَلَا تَنقُضُوا۟ ٱلْأَيْمَٰنَ بَعْدَ تَوْكِيدِهَا وَقَدْ جَعَلْتُمُ ٱللَّهَ عَلَيْكُمْ كَفِيلًا ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ
And fulfill the covenant of Allah when you have taken it, [O believers], and do not break oaths after their confirmation while you have made Allah, over you, a witness. Indeed, Allah knows what you do.
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لَّا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِٱللَّغْوِ فِىٓ أَيْمَٰنِكُمْ وَلَٰكِن يُؤَاخِذُكُم بِمَا كَسَبَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌۭ
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يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ قُل لِّمَن فِىٓ أَيْدِيكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَسْرَىٰٓ إِن يَعْلَمِ ٱللَّهُ فِى قُلُوبِكُمْ خَيْرًۭا يُؤْتِكُمْ خَيْرًۭا مِّمَّآ أُخِذَ مِنكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ
O Prophet, say to whoever is in your hands of the captives, "If Allah knows [any] good in your hearts, He will give you [something] better than what was taken from you, and He will forgive you; and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."
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Common Words

128 total91 unique21 repeated
ٱلله10x
يؤاخذكم4x
فى4x
أيمنكم4x
بما3x
إن3x
لا2x
بٱللغو2x
ولكن2x
ٱلأيمن2x
من2x
ما2x
أو2x
فمن2x
إذا2x
لكم2x
يعلم2x
قلوبكم2x
وٱلله2x
غفور2x
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About Sunan Abu Dawud

This hadith is #3278 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Oaths and Vows (Kitab Al-Aiman Wa Al-Nudhur). It is graded Sahih in chain and narrated by Narrated 'Abd al-Rahman b. Samurah:.

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About This Hadith