Riyad as-Salihin, 1715
'Abdur-Rahman bin Samurah (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me, "When you take an oath and consider something else to be better than it, make expiation for your oath and choose the better alternative." <b>[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]</b>.
عن عبد الرحمن بن سَمُرَة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم :
وإذا حلفت على يمين، فرأيت غيرها خيرًا منها، فائت الذي هو خير، وكفر عن يمينك
((متفق عليه)).
References1 variant
- In-Book Reference
- Book 17, Hadith 205
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
<b>Guidance from the Hadiths:</b><br>
1) If a person takes an oath regarding something and then sees a better course of action, he should do what is better and expiate for his broken oath.<br>
2) Expiating for the broken oath and doing what is better is more recommended than insisting on fulfilling the oath for fear of sin. It is even more sinful to insist on upholding the oath that causes harm.<br>
Note:<br>
The word “family” used in the last Hadith refers to what is more common and more significant. Yet, the ruling applies to oaths regarding one’s family as well as others.