Narrator:Abdur-Rahmān ibn Samurah
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ بَكْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ لَهُ يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ لَا تَسْأَلْ الْإِمَارَةَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ وُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا وَإِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا وَإِذَا حَلَفْتَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَيْتَ غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ وَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ
‘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 (to manage it) unaided. However, if you were granted such authority without requesting it, you would be provided with aid (to manage it). If you ever make an oath but then found a better alternative, expiate your oath and go for the better alternative."
Reported by Ahmad (No. 19711, 19702, 19704, 19707, 19709, 19712), Al-Bukhari (No. 6622, 6722, 7146, 7147), Muslim (No. 1652a, 1652b, 1652c, 1652d), Abu Dawud (No. 2929, 3277, 3278), At-Tirmidhi (No. 1529), An-Nasa’i (No. 3783, 3784, 3789, 3790, 3791, 5384) and Ad-Darimi (No. 2241).