Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
muslim:1652cShaybān b. Farrūkh > Jarīr b. Ḥāzim > al-Ḥasan > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Samurah

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me: 'Abd al-Rahman, do not ask for a position of authority, for if you are granted this position as a result of your asking for it, you will be left alone (without God's help to discharge the responsibilities attendant thereon), and it you are granted it without making any request for it, you will be helped (by God in the discharge of your duties).  

مسلم:١٦٥٢cحَدَّثَنَا شَيْبَانُ بْنُ فَرُّوخَ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرُ بْنُ حَازِمٍ حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ سَمُرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ

لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ لاَ تَسْأَلِ الإِمَارَةَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا وَإِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Nasāʾī, Abū Dāwūd, Aḥmad, Dārimī, Ibn Ḥibbān, Nasāʾī's Kubrá, Bayhaqī, Suyūṭī

Do not seek authority; Choose to do the better act even after taking an oath

bukhari:6722Muḥammad b. ʿAbdullāh > ʿUthmān b. ʿUmar b. Fāris > Ibn ʿAwn > al-Ḥasan > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Samurah

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Do not seek to be a ruler, for, if you are given the authority of ruling without your asking for it, then Allah will help you; but if you are given it by your asking, then you will be held responsible for it.”

“And if you take an oath to do something and later on find another thing, better than that, then do what is better and make expiation for your oath."  

Similar has been narrated by Ash-hal > Ibn ʿAwn; and narrated by Yūnus, Simāk b. ʿAṭtiyyah b. Ḥarb, Ḥumayd, Qatādah, Manṣūr, and Hishām
البخاري:٦٧٢٢حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عُمَرَ بْنِ فَارِسٍ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ عَوْنٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «لاَ تَسْأَلِ الإِمَارَةَ، فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا، وَإِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ وُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا.»

«وَإِذَا حَلَفْتَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَيْتَ غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ وَكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ.»  

تَابَعَهُ أَشْهَلُ عَنِ ابْنِ عَوْنٍ وَتَابَعَهُ يُونُسُ وَسِمَاكُ بْنُ عَطِيَّةَ وَسِمَاكُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ وَحُمَيْدٌ وَقَتَادَةُ وَمَنْصُورٌ وَهِشَامٌ وَالرَّبِيعُ
bukhari:6622Abū al-Nuʿmān Muḥammad b. al-Faḍl > Jarīr b. Ḥāzim > al-Ḥasan > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Samurah

The Prophet ﷺ said, "O ʿAbdur-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."  

البخاري:٦٦٢٢حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو النُّعْمَانِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرُ بْنُ حَازِمٍ حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ سَمُرَةَ قَالَ

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ 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  

bukhari:7146Ḥajjāj b. Minhāl > Jarīr b. Ḥāzim > al-Ḥasan > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Samurah

The Prophet ﷺ said, "O ʿAbdur-Rahman! Do not seek to be a ruler, for if you are given authority on your demand then you will be held responsible for it, but if you are given it without asking (for it), then you will be helped (by Allah) in it. If you ever take an oath to do something and later on you find that something else is better, then you should expiate your oath and do what is better."  

البخاري:٧١٤٦حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ مِنْهَالٍ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرُ بْنُ حَازِمٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ قَالَ

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ لاَ تَسْأَلِ الإِمَارَةَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ وُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا وَإِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا وَإِذَا حَلَفْتَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَيْتَ غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَكَفِّرْ يَمِينَكَ وَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ  

bukhari:7147Abū Maʿmar > ʿAbd al-Wārith > Yūnus > al-Ḥasan > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Samurah

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "O ʿAbdur-Rahman bin Samura! Do not seek to be a ruler, for if you are given authority on your demand, you will be held responsible for it, but if you are given it without asking for it, then you will be helped (by Allah) in it. If you ever take an oath to do something and later on you find that something else is better, then do what is better and make expiation for your oath."  

البخاري:٧١٤٧حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مَعْمَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ سَمُرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ

لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ سَمُرَةَ لاَ تَسْأَلِ الإِمَارَةَ فَإِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ وُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا وَإِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا وَإِذَا حَلَفْتَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَيْتَ غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ وَكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ  

nasai:5384[Chain 1] Mujāhid b. Mūsá > Ismāʿīl > Yūnus > al-Ḥasan > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Samurah [Chain 2] ʿAmr b. ʿAlī > Yaḥyá > Ibn ʿAwn > al-Ḥasan > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Samurah

"The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: 'Do not ask for governorship. For if it is given to you because of asking, you will be left to your own devices, but if it is given to you without asking, you will be helped (by Allah).'"  

النسائي:٥٣٨٤أَخْبَرَنَا مُجَاهِدُ بْنُ مُوسَى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ ح وَأَنْبَأَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عَوْنٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لاَ تَسْأَلِ الإِمَارَةَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ وُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا وَإِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا  

abudawud:2929Muḥammad b. al-Ṣabbāḥ al-Bazzāz > Hushaym > Yūnus And Manṣūr > al-Ḥasan > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Samurah

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me: 'Abdul al-Rahman b. Samurah, do not ask for the position of commander, for if you are given it after asking you will be left to discharge it yourself, but if you are given it without asking you will be helped to discharge it.  

أبو داود:٢٩٢٩حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ الْبَزَّازُ حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ وَمَنْصُورٌ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ

لِيَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ سَمُرَةَ لاَ تَسْأَلِ الإِمَارَةَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذَا أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ وُكِلْتَ فِيهَا إِلَى نَفْسِكَ وَإِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا  

ahmad:20618Ismāʿīl > Yūnus > al-Ḥasan > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Samurah

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "(O ʿAbdur-Rahman!) Do not seek to be a ruler, for, if you are given the authority of ruling without your asking for it, then Allah will help you; but if you are given it by your asking, then you will be held responsible for it (i.e. Allah will not help you ) . And if you take an oath to do something and later on find another thing, better than that, then do what is better and make expiation for (the dissolution of) your oath." (Using translation from Bukhārī 6722)  

أحمد:٢٠٦١٨حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ

لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ لَا تَسْأَلِ الْإِمَارَةَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ وُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا وَإِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا وَإِذَا حَلَفْتَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَيْتَ غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ وَكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ  

ahmad:20622Hāshim b. al-Qāsim > al-Mubārak > al-Ḥasan > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Samurah al-Qurashī

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "(O ʿAbdur-Rahman!) Do not seek to be a ruler, for, if you are given the authority of ruling without your asking for it, then Allah will help you; but if you are given it by your asking, then you will be held responsible for it (i.e. Allah will not help you ) . And if you take an oath to do something and later on find another thing, better than that, then do what is better and make expiation for (the dissolution of) your oath." (Using translation from Bukhārī 6722)  

أحمد:٢٠٦٢٢حَدَّثَنَا هَاشِمُ بْنُ الْقَاسِمِ حَدَّثَنَا الْمُبَارَكُ حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ سَمُرَةَ الْقُرَشِيُّ قَالَ قَالَ

لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ لَا تَسْأَلِ الْإِمَارَةَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَاعَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ وُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا وَإِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا وَإِذَا حَلَفْتَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَيْتَ غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ وَكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ  

ahmad:20627ʿAbdullāh b. Bakr > Hishām > al-Ḥasan > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Samurah

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "(O ʿAbdur-Rahman!) Do not seek to be a ruler, for, if you are given the authority of ruling without your asking for it, then Allah will help you; but if you are given it by your asking, then you will be held responsible for it (i.e. Allah will not help you ) . And if you take an oath to do something and later on find another thing, better than that, then do what is better and make expiation for (the dissolution of) your oath." (Using translation from Bukhārī 6722)  

أحمد:٢٠٦٢٧حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ بَكْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهُ قَالَ لَهُ يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ لَا تَسْأَلِ الْإِمَارَةَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍوُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا وَإِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا وَإِذَا حَلَفْتَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَيْتَ غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ وَائْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ  

ahmad:20628Aswad b. ʿĀmir And ʿAffān > Jarīr b. Ḥāzim > al-Ḥasan > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Samurah

The Prophet ﷺ said, "O ʿAbdur-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." (Using translation from Bukhārī 6622)  

أحمد:٢٠٦٢٨حَدَّثَنَا أَسْوَدُ بْنُ عَامِرٍ وَعَفَّانُ قَالَا حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرُ بْنُ حَازِمٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الْحَسَنَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ

لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ لَا تَسْأَلِ الْإِمَارَةَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أُوتِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ وُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا وَإِنْ أُوتِيتَهَا عَنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا وَإِذَا حَلَفْتَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَيْتَ غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ وَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ  

darimi:2391Muḥammad b. al-Faḍl > Jarīr b. Ḥāzim > al-Ḥasan > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Samurah

The Prophet ﷺ said, "O ʿAbdur-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." (Using translation from Bukhārī 6622)  

الدارمي:٢٣٩١أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرُ بْنُ حَازِمٍ حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ سَمُرَةَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ سَمُرَةَ «لَا تَسْأَلِ الْإِمَارَةَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ وُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا وَإِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا مِنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا فَإِذَا حَلَفْتَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَيْتَ غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ وَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ»  

ذِكْرُ الْإِخْبَارِ عَمَّا يَجِبُ عَلَى الْمَرْءِ مِنْ تَرْكِ طَلَبِ الْإِمَارَةِ حَذَرَ قِلَّةِ الْمَعُونَةِ عَلَيْهَا

ibnhibban:4479Muḥammad b. Abū ʿAwn > ʿAlī b. Ḥujr al-Saʿdī > Hushaym > Manṣūr b. Zādhān And Ḥumayd al-Ṭawīl Wayūnus b. ʿUbayd > al-Ḥasan > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Samurah al-Qurashī

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "O Abdul Rahman, do not ask for leadership, for if you are given it as a result of your request, you will be left to deal with it on your own. And if you are given it without asking, you will be assisted in it. And if you are given a choice between two options and you see that one of them is better, then choose the one that is better and ask Allah to bless your choice."  

ابن حبّان:٤٤٧٩أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَوْنٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ السَّعْدِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ عَنْ مَنْصُورِ بْنِ زَاذَانَ وَحُمَيْدٌ الطَّوِيلُ وَيُونُسُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ جَمِيعًا عَنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ الْقُرَشِيِّ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ لَا تَسْأَلِ الْإِمَارَةَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أُوتِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ وُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا وَإِنْ أُوتِيتَهَا عَنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا وَإِذَا آلَيْتَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ وَرَأَيْتَ غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا فَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ وَكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكِ»  

ibnhibban:4480al-Faḍl b. al-Ḥubāb > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Sallām al-Jumaḥī > al-Mubārak b. Faḍālah > al-Ḥasan > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Samurah

[Machine] "The Prophet ﷺ said to him, 'O Abdur-Rahman, do not ask for leadership, for if you are given it as a result of your asking, you will be left alone to deal with it, but if you are given it without asking, you will be helped in it. And if you take an oath to do something and later find something else better, then do what is better and make expiation for your oath.'"  

ابن حبّان:٤٤٨٠أَخْبَرَنَا الْفَضْلُ بْنُ الْحُبَابِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ سَلَّامٍ الْجُمَحِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْمُبَارَكُ بْنُ فَضَالَةَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَالَ لَهُ «يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ لَا تَسْأَلِ الْإِمَارَةَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أُوتِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ وُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا وَإِنْ أُوتِيتَهَا عَنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا وَإِذَا حَلَفْتَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ وَرَأَيْتَ غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ وَكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكِ»  

ذِكْرُ خَبَرٍ ثَانٍ يُصَرِّحُ بِأَنَّ الْحَالِفَ مَأْمُورٌ بِالْكَفَّارَةِ عِنْدَ تَرْكِهِ الْيَمِينَ إِذَا رَأَى ذَلِكَ خَيْرًا لَهُ مِنَ الْمُضِيِّ فِيهِ

ibnhibban:4348al-Faḍl b. al-Ḥubāb al-Jumaḥī > Musaddad b. Musarhad > Muʿtamir b. Sulaymān > Yūnus b. ʿUbayd > al-Ḥasan > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Samurah

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "O Abdur-Rahman, do not ask for leadership. If it is given to you without asking, you will be entrusted with it. But if you are given it after asking, you will be left to deal with it on your own. And if you swear an oath on something and then you see something better than it, then do what is better and make atonement for breaking your oath."  

ابن حبّان:٤٣٤٨أَخْبَرَنَا الْفَضْلُ بْنُ الْحُبَابِ الْجُمَحِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدُ بْنُ مُسَرْهَدٍ حَدَّثَنَا مُعْتَمِرُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ لَا تَسْأَلِ الْإِمَارَةَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أَتَتْكَ عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ وُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا وَإِنْ أَتَتْكَ مِنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا وَإِذَا حَلَفْتَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ وَرَأَيْتَ غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَأْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ وَكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكِ»  

nasai-kubra:5902ʿAmr b. ʿAlī > Yaḥyá > Ibn ʿAwn > al-Ḥasan > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Samurah

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me: 'Abd al-Rahman, do not ask for a position of authority, for if you are granted this position as a result of your asking for it, you will be left alone (without God's help to discharge the responsibilities attendant thereon), and it you are granted it without making any request for it, you will be helped (by God in the discharge of your duties). (Using translation from Muslim 1652c)   

الكبرى للنسائي:٥٩٠٢أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عَوْنٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ قَالَ

قَالَ كَأَنَّهُ يَعْنِي النَّبِيَّ ﷺ «لَا تَسْأَلِ الْإِمَارَةَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا وَإِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَلَى غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا»  

nasai-kubra:8692Mujāhid b. Mūsá > Ismāʿīl > Yūnus > al-Ḥasan > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Samurah

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me: 'Abdul al-Rahman b. Samurah, do not ask for the position of commander, for if you are given it after asking you will be left to discharge it yourself, but if you are given it without asking you will be helped to discharge it. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 2929)   

الكبرى للنسائي:٨٦٩٢أَخْبَرَنَا مُجَاهِدُ بْنُ مُوسَى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ سَمُرَةَ «لَا تَسْأَلِ الْإِمَارَةَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ وُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا وَإِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا»  

bayhaqi:19947Abū ʿAbdullāh al-Ḥāfiẓ > Yaḥyá b. Manṣūr al-Qāḍī > al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī b. Shabīb al-Maʿmarī > Abū Kāmil al-Jaḥdarī > Ḥammād b. Zayd > Simāk

The Prophet ﷺ said, "O ʿAbdur-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." (Using translation from Bukhārī 6622)   

البيهقي:١٩٩٤٧وَأَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَافِظُ ثنا يَحْيَى بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ الْقَاضِي ثنا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ شَبِيبٍ الْمَعْمَرِيُّ ثنا أَبُو كَامِلٍ الْجَحْدَرِيُّ ثنا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ عَنْ سِمَاكِ بْنِ عَطِيَّةَ وَيُونُسَ بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ وَهِشَامٍ فِي آخَرِينَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ ؓ قَالَ

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ لَا تَسْأَلِ الْإِمَارَةَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ وُكِّلْتَ إِلَيْهَا وَإِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا وَإِذَا حَلَفْتَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَيْتَ غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَائْتِ الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ وَكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ  

رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ أَبِي كَامِلٍ وَاسْتَشْهَدَ الْبُخَارِيُّ بِرِوَايَتِهِمْ
suyuti:27168a
Request/Fix translation

  

السيوطي:٢٧١٦٨a

"يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ سَمُرَةَ: لاَ تَسْألِ الإِمَارَةَ، فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أُوتِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْالَةٍ وُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا، وَإنْ أُوتِيتَهَا عَنْ غَيْرِ مَسْألَةٍ أعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا، وَإذَا حَلَفْتَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَيْتَ غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا؛ فَكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ، وَأتِ الَّذِى هُوَ خَيْرٌ".

. . . .  

[حم] أحمد [ش] ابن أبى شيبة [خ] البخاري [م] مسلم [د] أبو داود [ت] الترمذي [ن] النسائي عن عبد الرحمن بن سمرة