Riyad as-Salihin, 1716
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When you swear an oath and consider something else to be better than it, make expiation for your oath and do the thing that is better." <b>[Muslim]</b>.
وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال:
من حلف على يمين، فرأى غيرها خيرًا منها، فليكفر عن يمينه، وليفعل الذي هو خير
((رواه مسلم)).
References1 variant
- In-Book Reference
- Book 17, Hadith 206
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.