English translation
5518. Narrated Zahdam: We were in the company of Abū Mūsā Al-Ash'arī رضي الله عنه and there were friendly relations between us and this tribe of Jarm. Abū Mūsā was presented with a dish containing chicken. Among the people there was sitting a red-faced man who did not come near the food. Abū Mūsā said (to him), "Come on (and eat), for I have seen Allāh's Messenger ﷺ eating of it (i.e., chicken)". He said, "I have seen it eating something (dirty) and since then I have disliked it, and have taken an oath that I shall not eat it." Abū Mūsā said, "Come on, I will tell you (or narrate to you). Once I went to Allāh's Messenger ﷺ with a group of Al-Ash'ariyīn, and met him while he was angry, distributing some camels of Zakāt. We asked for mounts but he took an oath that he would not give us any mounts, and added, 'I have nothing to mount you on.' In the meantime some camels of booty were brought to Allāh's Messenger ﷺ and he asked twice, "Where are Al-Ash'ariyīn?" So he gave us five white camels with big humps. We stayed for a short while (after we had covered a little distance), and then I said to my companions, "Allāh's Messenger ﷺ has forgotten his oath. By Allāh, if we do not remind Allāh's Messenger ﷺ of his oath, we will never be successful." So we returned to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "O Allāh's Messenger! We asked you for mounts, but you took an oath that you would not give us any mounts; we think that you have forgotten your oath.' He said, 'It is Allāh Who has given you mounts. By Allāh, and if Allāh will, if I take an oath and later find something else better than that, then I do what is better and expiate my oath'."
Arabic text
5518 - حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مَعْمَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الوَارِثِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَيُّوبُ بْنُ أَبِي تَمِيمَةَ، عَنِ القَاسِمِ، عَنْ زَهْدَمٍ، قَالَ: كُنَّا عِنْدَ أَبِي مُوسَى الأَشْعَرِيِّ، وَكَانَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ هَذَا الحَيِّ مِنْ جَرْمٍ إِخَاءٌ، فَأُتِيَ بِطَعَامٍ فِيهِ لَحْمُ دَجَاجٍ، وَفِي القَوْمِ رَجُلٌ جَالِسٌ أَحْمَرُ، فَلَمْ يَدْنُ مِنْ طَعَامِهِ، قَالَ: ادْنُ، فَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ، قَالَ: إِنِّي رَأَيْتُهُ أَكَلَ شَيْئًا فَقَذِرْتُهُ، فَحَلَفْتُ أَنْ لاَ آكُلَهُ، فَقَالَ: ادْنُ أُخْبِرْكَ، أَوْ أُحَدِّثْكَ: إِنِّي أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي نَفَرٍ مِنَ الأَشْعَرِيِّينَ، فَوَافَقْتُهُ وَهُوَ غَضْبَانُ، وَهُوَ يَقْسِمُ نَعَمًا مِنْ نَعَمِ الصَّدَقَةِ، فَاسْتَحْمَلْنَاهُ فَحَلَفَ أَنْ لاَ يَحْمِلَنَا، قَالَ: «مَا عِنْدِي مَا أَحْمِلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ» ثُمَّ أُتِيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِنَهْبٍ مِنْ إِبِلٍ، فَقَالَ: «أَيْنَ الأَشْعَرِيُّونَ؟ أَيْنَ الأَشْعَرِيُّونَ» قَالَ: فَأَعْطَانَا خَمْسَ ذَوْدٍ غُرَّ الذُّرَى، فَلَبِثْنَا غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ، فَقُلْتُ لِأَصْحَابِي: نَسِيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَمِينَهُ، فَوَاللَّهِ لَئِنْ تَغَفَّلْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَمِينَهُ لاَ نُفْلِحُ أَبَدًا، فَرَجَعْنَا إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقُلْنَا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا اسْتَحْمَلْنَاكَ، فَحَلَفْتَ أَنْ لاَ تَحْمِلَنَا، فَظَنَنَّا أَنَّكَ نَسِيتَ يَمِينَكَ، فَقَالَ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ حَمَلَكُمْ، إِنِّي وَاللَّهِ - إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ - لاَ أَحْلِفُ عَلَى يَمِينٍ، فَأَرَى غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا، إِلَّا أَتَيْتُ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ وَتَحَلَّلْتُهَا»
