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Sahih al-Bukhari 6622 (Book 83, Hadith 2) #6369
The Responsibility of Power

SUMMARY: It is better to not seek power or authority, but if it is given to you without asking for it, Allah will help you in it. If you make an oath and later find something better than the first, do the better one and make expiation for your oath.

Narrated 'Abdur-Rahman bin Samura: The Prophet said, "O 'Abdur-Rahman bin Samura! Do not seek to be a ruler, because if you are given authority for it, then you will be held responsible for it, but if you are given it without asking for it, then you will be helped in it (by Allah): and whenever you take an oath to do something and later you find that something else is better than the first, then do the better one and make expiation for your oath".
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو النُّعْمَانِ، مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرُ بْنُ حَازِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ سَمُرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ‏ "‏ يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ سَمُرَةَ لاَ تَسْأَلِ الإِمَارَةَ، فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أُوتِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ وُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا، وَإِنْ أُوتِيتَهَا مِنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا، وَإِذَا حَلَفْتَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَيْتَ غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا، فَكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ، وَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ

TOPICS
authority  *  oath  *  responsibility  *  expiation  *  alhukm  *  yamin  *  aqabah  *  kaffarah

QUICK LESSONS:
Seek not positions of power/authority; Do what is best even if it means breaking a promise made earlier on; Make expiations after breaking a promise/oath

EXPLANATIONS:
This hadith speaks about the responsibility that comes with power and authority. It advises us not to seek out positions of power or authority because if we are given such a position, we will be held responsible for our actions while in that position. However, if we are given such a position without asking for it then Allah will help us in fulfilling our duties as rulers. Additionally, this hadith also speaks about making oaths and promises; if after making an oath or promise we find something else which is better than what was initially promised then we should do the better thing instead and make expiation for breaking our initial promise or oath. This hadith teaches us that when taking on positions of power or authority one must be aware of their responsibilities as well as being mindful when making promises so that they can fulfill them properly. Furthermore, this hadith also teaches us to always strive towards doing what is best even if it means breaking a promise made earlier on; by doing so one can still maintain their integrity by making expiations afterwards.

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