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.
Reported by Abu Dawud (No. 3277, 2929, 3278), Al-Bukhari (No. 6622, 6722, 7146, 7147), Muslim (No. 1652a, 1652b, 1652c, 1652d), At-Tirmidhi (No. 1529), An-Nasa’i (No. 3783, 3784, 3789, 3790, 3791, 5384), Ahmad (No. 19702, 19704, 19707, 19709, 19711, 19712) and Ad-Darimi (No. 2241).
‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "O ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Samurah, do not ask for a position of authority, for if you were granted such authority upon your request, you would be left…
-عن أبى موسى الأشعري رضي الله عنه قال: دخلت على النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم أنا ورجلان من بني عمي، فقال أحدهما: يا رسول الله أمرنا على بعض ما ولاك الله، عز وجل، وقال الآخر مثل ذلك، فقال: “إنا والله لا نولى هذا العمل…
Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I said: "O Messenger of Allah, will you not appoint me to (an official position)?" He patted me on my shoulder with his hand and said: "O Abu Dharr, you are weak and it is a trust. It will be a cause of disgrace and remorse on the Day of…