Whoever takes an oath to do something and then he finds a better alternative which brings him closer to Allah should do what is better in piety

Chapter: It is recommended for the one who swears an oath then sees that something else is better than it; To do that which is better and offer expiation for his oath

Authentic hadith of Sahih Muslim Sahih Muslim 1651a

Narrator:Adiyy ibn Hātim

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ رُفَيْعٍ - عَنْ تَمِيمِ بْنِ طَرَفَةَ، قَالَ جَاءَ سَائِلٌ إِلَى عَدِيِّ بْنِ حَاتِمٍ فَسَأَلَهُ نَفَقَةً فِي ثَمَنِ خَادِمٍ أَوْ فِي بَعْضِ ثَمَنِ خَادِمٍ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ لَيْسَ عِنْدِي مَا أُعْطِيكَ إِلاَّ دِرْعِي وَمِغْفَرِي فَأَكْتُبُ إِلَى أَهْلِي أَنْ يُعْطُوكَهَا ‏.‏ قَالَ فَلَمْ يَرْضَ فَغَضِبَ عَدِيٌّ فَقَالَ أَمَا وَاللَّهِ لاَ أُعْطِيكَ شَيْئًا ثُمَّ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ رَضِيَ فَقَالَ أَمَا وَاللَّهِ لَوْلاَ أَنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏"‏

مَنْ حَلَفَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ ثُمَّ رَأَى أَتْقَى لِلَّهِ مِنْهَا فَلْيَأْتِ التَّقْوَى ‏"‏ ‏.‏ مَا حَنَّثْتُ يَمِينِي ‏.‏

Abu Tarīf ‘Adiyy ibn Hātim (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever takes an oath to do something and then he finds a better alternative which brings him closer to Allah should do what is better in piety."

Reported by Muslim (No. 1651a).

Explanation

The Hadīth states that anyone takes an oath to do or not to do something, and then he sees that doing something else is better and more pleasing to Allah than abiding by the oath, then he is recommended to break the oath and do what is better. If the oath is related to something that is obligatory to be done or to be abandoned, such as swearing to abandon the prayer or to drink wine; in this case, he must break his oath and do what is more pleasing to Allah. In other words, he must do what is obligatory and abandon what is forbidden.

Explanation in Arabic

في الحديث: أنَّ من حلَف على ترك شيء، أو فعله فرأى مخالفة ذلك خيرًا من الاستمرار على اليمين وأتقى، ترك يمينه وفعل ما هو خير، على الاستحباب والندب، فإن كان المحلوف عليه مما يجب فعله أو تركه كأن حلف ليتركنّ الصلاة أو ليشربنّ المسكر، وجب عليه الحنث والإتيان بما هو التقوى من فعل المأمور به، وترك المنهيّ عنه.

من حلف بالله وجب عليه إبرار قسمه وعدم الحنث فيها.
إذا كانت اليمين تمنع من طاعة الله أو تُفَوِّت خيرًا كثيرًا، أو توقع في معصية فعلى العبد أن يُكفِّر عن يمينه، ويفعل ما أمره الله به، ويجتنب معصيته.
وجوب التزام التقوى في الأحوال كلها.
من عزم على فعل معصية فلا يفعلها، فإن كان قد أقسم على فِعلها، فإنَّه يحنث ويُكَفِّر عن يمينه، ولا يأتي بالمعصية.

Classical commentary

An-Nawawi — Sharh Sahih Muslim

قَوْله صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : ( مَنْ حَلَفَ عَلَى يَمِين ثُمَّ رَأَى أَتْقَى لِلَّهِ فَلْيَأْتِ التَّقْوَى ) هُوَ بِمَعْنَى الرِّوَايَات السَّابِقَة " فَرَأَى خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَلْيَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْر ".…

Scholars’ grades

Grade taken from the status of the collection (Sahih Muslim).

Other versions

Not graded Riyad as-Salihin 72

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: "He who has taken an oath (to do something) but found something else better than that (which brings him closer to Allah), then he should do that which is better in piety (and he should expiate for the breaking of oath)". [Muslim].

"‏من حلف على يمين ثم رأى أتقى لله منها فليأت التقوى‏"

Narrated by Adiyy ibn Hātim

Also reported by… (1)

صحيح ابن حبان (4438)مَنْ حَلَفَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ ثُمَّ رَأَى مَا هُوَ أَتْقَى لِلَّهِ مِنْهَا ، فَلْيَأْتِ التَّقْوَى . مَا حَنَثْتُ

On the same subject

Not graded Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Riyad as-Salihin 1717

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Verily, I swear by Allah, if Allah wills, I shall not swear to do something but that if I consider something else to be better than it, then I shall make expiation for my oath and adopt the thing that is better." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

"‏إني والله إن شاء الله لا أحلف على يمين، ثم أرى خيرًا منها إلا كفرت عن يميني، وأتيت الذي هو خير‏"

Narrated by Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari + 22 other versions

Not graded Riyad as-Salihin 1716

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." [Muslim].

"‏من حلف على يمين، فرأى غيرها خيرًا منها، فليكفر عن يمينه، وليفعل الذي هو خير‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 7 other versions

Not graded Mishkat al-Masabih 3425

I said, “Messenger of God, tell me what I should do about a cousin of mine to whom I go and ask for something, but who neither gives me anything nor regards my kinship, then when he needs my help comes to me and asks for something, and I have sworn that I would not give him anything or regard his…

عَوْفِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ ابْنَ عَم لي آتيه فَلَا يُعْطِينِي وَلَا يَصِلُنِي ثُمَّ يَحْتَاجُ إِلَيَّ فَيَأْتِينِي فَيَسْأَلُنِي وَقَدْ حَلَفْتُ أَنْ لَا أُعْطِيَهُ…

+ 1 other version

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan Abu Dawud 3278

"Make atonement for your oath and then do the thing that is better." Abu Dawud said: The version of this tradition transmitted by Abu Musa al-Ash'ari, 'Adi b. Hatim and Abu Hurairah are variant. Some of them indicate breaking the oath before making atonement, and other making atonement before…

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ خَلَفٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الأَعْلَى، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ، نَحْوَهُ قَالَ ‏:‏ ‏"‏ فَكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ، ثُمَّ ائْتِ…

Narrated by Abdur-Rahmān ibn Samurah + 28 other versions

Authentic Sunan an-Nasa'i 3785

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'Whoever swears an oath, then sees something better than it, let him do that which is better and offer expiation for his oath.'"

"‏ مَنْ حَلَفَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَى غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَلْيَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ وَلْيُكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ ‏"

Narrated by Adiyy ibn Hātim + 13 other versions

Authentic Sunan an-Nasa'i 3781

"Whoever swears an oath, then sees something better than it, let him do that which is better."

"‏ مَنْ حَلَفَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَى غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَلْيُكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَلْيَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ

Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr + 7 other versions

Topics

Oaths and Vows

Whoever takes an oath to do something and then he finds a better alternative which brings him closer to Allah should do what is better in piety

Explanation

Explanation in Arabic

Classical commentary

Scholars’ grades

Other versions

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: "He who has taken an oath (to do something) but found something else better than that (which brings him closer to Allah), then he should do that which is better in piety (and he should expiate for the breaking of oath)". [Muslim].

On the same subject

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Verily, I swear by Allah, if Allah wills, I shall not swear to do something but that if I consider something else to be better than it, then I shall make expiation for my oath and adopt the thing that is better." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

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." [Muslim].

"Make atonement for your oath and then do the thing that is better." Abu Dawud said: The version of this tradition transmitted by Abu Musa al-Ash'ari, 'Adi b. Hatim and Abu Hurairah are variant. Some of them indicate breaking the oath before making atonement, and other making atonement before…

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'Whoever swears an oath, then sees something better than it, let him do that which is better and offer expiation for his oath.'"

"Whoever swears an oath, then sees something better than it, let him do that which is better."

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Explanation

Explanation in Arabic

Classical commentary

Scholars’ grades

Other versions

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: "He who has taken an oath (to do something) but found something else better than that (which brings him closer to Allah), then he should do that which is better in piety (and he should expiate for the breaking of oath)". [Muslim].

On the same subject

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Verily, I swear by Allah, if Allah wills, I shall not swear to do something but that if I consider something else to be better than it, then I shall make expiation for my oath and adopt the thing that is better." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

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." [Muslim].

"Make atonement for your oath and then do the thing that is better." Abu Dawud said: The version of this tradition transmitted by Abu Musa al-Ash'ari, 'Adi b. Hatim and Abu Hurairah are variant. Some of them indicate breaking the oath before making atonement, and other making atonement before…

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'Whoever swears an oath, then sees something better than it, let him do that which is better and offer expiation for his oath.'"

"Whoever swears an oath, then sees something better than it, let him do that which is better."

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