Once we were in the house of Abu Musa who presented a meal containing cooked chicken. A man from the tribe of Bani Taim Allah with red complexion as if he were from the Byzantine war prisoners, was present. Abu Musa invited him to share the meal but he (apologised) saying. "I saw chickens eating dirty things and so I have had a strong aversion to eating them, and have taken an oath that I will not eat chickens." Abu Musa said, "Come along, I will tell you about this matter (i.e. how to cancel one's oath). I went to the Prophet ﷺ in the company of a group of Al-Ashariyin, asked him to provide us with means of conveyance. He said, 'By Allah, I will not provide you with any means of conveyance and I have nothing to make you ride on.' Then some camels as booty were brought to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he asked for us saying. 'Where are the group of Al-Ashʿariyun?' Then he ordered that we should be given five camels with white humps. When we set out we said, 'What have we done? We will never be blessed (with what we have been given).' So, we returned to the Prophet ﷺ and said, 'We asked you to provide us with means of conveyance, but you took an oath that you would not provide us with any means of conveyance. Did you forget (your oath when you gave us the camels)? He replied. 'I have not provided you with means of conveyance, but Allah has provided you with it, and by Allah, Allah willing, if ever I take an oath to do something, and later on I find that it is more beneficial to do something different, I will do the thing which is better, and give expiation for my oath."  

كُنَّا عِنْدَ أَبِي مُوسَى فَأُتِيَ ذَكَرَ دَجَاجَةً وَعِنْدَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي تَيْمِ اللَّهِ أَحْمَرُ كَأَنَّهُ مِنَ الْمَوَالِي فَدَعَاهُ لِلطَّعَامِ فَقَالَ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُهُ يَأْكُلُ شَيْئًا فَقَذِرْتُهُ فَحَلَفْتُ لاَ آكُلُ فَقَالَ هَلُمَّ فَلأُحَدِّثْكُمْ عَنْ ذَاكَ إِنِّي أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فِي نَفَرٍ مِنَ الأَشْعَرِيِّينَ نَسْتَحْمِلُهُ فَقَالَ وَاللَّهِ لاَ أَحْمِلُكُمْ وَمَا عِنْدِي مَا أَحْمِلُكُمْ وَأُتِيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِنَهْبِ إِبِلٍ فَسَأَلَ عَنَّا فَقَالَ أَيْنَ النَّفَرُ الأَشْعَرِيُّونَ فَأَمَرَ لَنَا بِخَمْسِ ذَوْدٍ غُرِّ الذُّرَى فَلَمَّا انْطَلَقْنَا قُلْنَا مَا صَنَعْنَا لاَ يُبَارَكُ لَنَا فَرَجَعْنَا إِلَيْهِ فَقُلْنَا إِنَّا سَأَلْنَاكَ أَنْ تَحْمِلَنَا فَحَلَفْتَ أَنْ لاَ تَحْمِلَنَا أَفَنَسِيتَ قَالَ لَسْتُ أَنَا حَمَلْتُكُمْ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ حَمَلَكُمْ وَإِنِّي وَاللَّهِ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لاَ أَحْلِفُ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَأَرَى غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا إِلاَّ أَتَيْتُ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ وَتَحَلَّلْتُهَا  

There was a relation of love and brotherhood between this tribe of Jarm and Al-Ashʿariyin. Once we were with Abu Musa Al-Ashʿari, and then a meal containing chicken was brought to Abu Musa, and there was present, a man from the tribe of Taimillah who was of red complexion as if he were from non-Arab freed slaves. Abu Musa invited him to the meal. He said, "I have seen chickens eating dirty things, so I deemed it filthy and took an oath that I would never eat chicken." On that, Abu Musa said, "Get up, I will narrate to you about that. Once a group of the Ashʿariyin and I went to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and asked him to provide us with mounts; he said, 'By Allah, I will never give you any mounts nor do I have anything to mount you on.' Then a few camels of war booty were brought to Messenger of Allah ﷺ , and he asked about us, saying, 'Where are the Ash-'ariyin?' He then ordered five nice camels to be given to us, and when we had departed, we said, 'What have we done? Messenger of Allah ﷺ had taken the oath not to give us any mounts, and that he had nothing to mount us on, and later he gave us that we might ride? Did we take advantage of the fact that Messenger of Allah ﷺ had forgotten his oath? By Allah, we will never succeed.' So we went back to him and said to him, 'We came to you to give us mounts, and you took an oath that you would not give us any mounts and that you had nothing to mount us on.' On that he said, 'I did not provide you with mounts, but Allah did. By Allah, if I take an oath to do something, and then find something else better than it, I do that which is better and make expiation for the dissolution of the oath.' "  

كَانَ بَيْنَ هَذَا الْحَىِّ مِنْ جَرْمٍ وَبَيْنَ الأَشْعَرِيِّينَ وُدٌّ وَإِخَاءٌ فَكُنَّا عِنْدَ أَبِي مُوسَى الأَشْعَرِيِّ فَقُرِّبَ إِلَيْهِ طَعَامٌ فِيهِ لَحْمُ دَجَاجٍ وَعِنْدَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي تَيْمِ اللَّهِ أَحْمَرُ كَأَنَّهُ مِنَ الْمَوَالِي فَدَعَاهُ إِلَى الطَّعَامِ فَقَالَ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُهُ يَأْكُلُ شَيْئًا فَقَذِرْتُهُ فَحَلَفْتُ أَنْ لاَ آكُلَهُ فَقَالَ قُمْ فَلأُحَدِّثَنَّكَ عَنْ ذَاكَ إِنِّي أَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي نَفَرٍ مِنَ الأَشْعَرِيِّينَ نَسْتَحْمِلُهُ فَقَالَ وَاللَّهِ لاَ أَحْمِلُكُمْ وَمَا عِنْدِي مَا أَحْمِلُكُمْ فَأُتِيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِنَهْبِ إِبِلٍ فَسَأَلَ عَنَّا فَقَالَ أَيْنَ النَّفَرُ الأَشْعَرِيُّونَ فَأَمَرَ لَنَا بِخَمْسِ ذَوْدٍ غُرِّ الذُّرَى فَلَمَّا انْطَلَقْنَا قُلْنَا مَا صَنَعْنَا حَلَفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لاَ يَحْمِلُنَا وَمَا عِنْدَهُ مَا يَحْمِلُنَا ثُمَّ حَمَلَنَا تَغَفَّلْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَمِينَهُ وَاللَّهِ لاَ نُفْلِحُ أَبَدًا فَرَجَعْنَا إِلَيْهِ فَقُلْنَا لَهُ إِنَّا أَتَيْنَاكَ لِتَحْمِلَنَا فَحَلَفْتَ أَنْ لاَ تَحْمِلَنَا وَمَا عِنْدَكَ مَا تَحْمِلُنَا فَقَالَ إِنِّي لَسْتُ أَنَا حَمَلْتُكُمْ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ حَمَلَكُمْ وَاللَّهِ لاَ أَحْلِفُ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَأَرَى غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا إِلاَّ أَتَيْتُ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ وَتَحَلَّلْتُهَا  

We were in the company of Abu Musa Al-Ashʿari and there were friendly relations between us and this tribe of Jarm. Abu Musa was presented with a dish containing chicken. Among the people there was sitting a red-faced man who did not come near the food. Abu Musa said (to him), "Come on (and eat), for I have seen Messenger of Allah 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 ' Abu Musa said, "Come on, I will tell you (or narrate to you). Once I went to Allah s Apostle with a group of Al-Ashʿariyin, and met him while he was angry, distributing some camels of rakʿat. 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 Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he asked twice, 'Where are Al-Ashʿariyin?" 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, "Messenger of Allah ﷺ has forgotten his oath. By Allah, if we do not remind Messenger of Allah ﷺ of his oath, we will never be successful." So we returned to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! 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 Allah Who has given you mounts. By Allah, and Allah willing, if I take an oath and later find something else better than that. then I do what is better and expiate my oath.' "  

كُنَّا عِنْدَ أَبِي مُوسَى الأَشْعَرِيِّ وَكَانَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ هَذَا الْحَىِّ مِنْ جَرْمٍ إِخَاءٌ فَأُتِيَ بِطَعَامٍ فِيهِ لَحْمُ دَجَاجٍ وَفِي الْقَوْمِ رَجُلٌ جَالِسٌ أَحْمَرُ فَلَمْ يَدْنُ مِنْ طَعَامِهِ قَالَ ادْنُ فَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ قَالَ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُهُ أَكَلَ شَيْئًا فَقَذِرْتُهُ فَحَلَفْتُ أَنْ لاَ آكُلَهُ فَقَالَ ادْنُ أُخْبِرْكَ أَوْ أُحَدِّثْكَ إِنِّي أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فِي نَفَرٍ مِنَ الأَشْعَرِيِّينَ فَوَافَقْتُهُ وَهْوَ غَضْبَانُ وَهْوَ يَقْسِمُ نَعَمًا مِنْ نَعَمِ الصَّدَقَةِ فَاسْتَحْمَلْنَاهُ فَحَلَفَ أَنْ لاَ يَحْمِلَنَا قَالَ مَا عِنْدِي مَا أَحْمِلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ أُتِيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِنَهْبٍ مِنْ إِبِلٍ فَقَالَ أَيْنَ الأَشْعَرِيُّونَ أَيْنَ الأَشْعَرِيُّونَ قَالَ فَأَعْطَانَا خَمْسَ ذَوْدٍ غُرِّ الذُّرَى فَلَبِثْنَا غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ فَقُلْتُ لأَصْحَابِي نَسِيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَمِينَهُ فَوَاللَّهِ لَئِنْ تَغَفَّلْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَمِينَهُ لاَ نُفْلِحُ أَبَدًا فَرَجَعْنَا إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ 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 إِلاَّ أَتَيْتُ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ وَتَحَلَّلْتُهَا  

There were good relations and brotherhood between this tribe of Jurm and the Ashʿariyyin. Once, while we were sitting with Abu Musa Al-Ashʿari, there was brought to him a meal which contained chicken meat, and there was sitting beside him, a man from the tribe of Bani Taimul-lah who looked like one of the Mawali. Abu Musa invited the man to eat but the man said, "I have seen chicken eating some dirty things, and I have taken an oath not to eat chicken." Abu Musa said to him, "Come along, let me tell you something in this regard. Once I went to the Prophet ﷺ with a few men from Ashʿariyyin and we asked him for mounts. The Prophet ﷺ said, By Allah, I will not mount you on anything; besides I do not have anything to mount you on.' Then a few camels from the war booty were brought to the Prophet, and he asked about us, saying, 'Where are the group of Ashʿariyyin?' So he ordered for five fat camels to be given to us and then we set out. We said, 'What have we done? Messenger of Allah ﷺ took an oath that he would not give us anything to ride and that he had nothing for us to ride, yet he provided us with mounts. We made Messenger of Allah ﷺ forget his oath! By Allah, we will never be successful.' So we returned to him and reminded him of his oath. He said, 'I have not provided you with the mount, but Allah has done so. By Allah, I may take an oath to do something, but on finding something else which is better, I do that which is better and make the expiation for my oath.' "  

كَانَ بَيْنَ هَذَا الْحَىِّ مِنْ جُرْمٍ وَبَيْنَ الأَشْعَرِيِّينَ وُدٌّ وَإِخَاءٌ فَكُنَّا عِنْدَ أَبِي مُوسَى الأَشْعَرِيِّ فَقُرِّبَ إِلَيْهِ الطَّعَامُ فِيهِ لَحْمُ دَجَاجٍ وَعِنْدَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي تَيْمِ اللَّهِ كَأَنَّهُ مِنَ الْمَوَالِي فَدَعَاهُ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُهُ يَأْكُلُ شَيْئًا فَقَذِرْتُهُ فَحَلَفْتُ لاَ آكُلُهُ فَقَالَ هَلُمَّ فَلأُحَدِّثْكَ عَنْ ذَاكَ إِنِّي أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فِي نَفَرٍ مِنَ الأَشْعَرِيِّينَ نَسْتَحْمِلُهُ قَالَ وَاللَّهِ لاَ أَحْمِلُكُمْ وَمَا عِنْدِي مَا أَحْمِلُكُمْ فَأُتِيَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ بِنَهْبِ إِبِلٍ فَسَأَلَ عَنَّا فَقَالَ أَيْنَ النَّفَرُ الأَشْعَرِيُّونَ فَأَمَرَ لَنَا بِخَمْسِ ذَوْدٍ غُرِّ الذُّرَى ثُمَّ انْطَلَقْنَا قُلْنَا مَا صَنَعْنَا حَلَفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لاَ يَحْمِلُنَا وَمَا عِنْدَهُ مَا يَحْمِلُنَا ثُمَّ حَمَلَنَا تَغَفَّلْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَمِينَهُ وَاللَّهِ لاَ نُفْلِحُ أَبَدًا فَرَجَعْنَا إِلَيْهِ فَقُلْنَا لَهُ فَقَالَ لَسْتُ أَنَا أَحْمِلُكُمْ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ حَمَلَكُمْ إِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لاَ أَحْلِفُ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَأَرَى غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا إِلاَّ أَتَيْتُ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْهُ وَتَحَلَّلْتُهَا