On May 30, 1:34 am, "Robert Houghton" <rober...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> In connection with my postings on Muslim treaties readers might like
> to
> consider the following hadith:
>
> Sahih Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 67, Number 427:
> "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.'
This is the full translation of the hadith... Taken from
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/067.sbt.html
Volume 7, Book 67, Number 427:
Narrated Zahdam:
We were in the company of Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari 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 Allah's Apostle 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-Ash'ariyin, and met
him while he was angry, distributing some camels of Rakat. 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 Allah's Apostle and he asked twice,
'Where are Al-Ash'ariyin?" 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, "Allah's Apostle has
forgotten his oath. By Allah, if we do not remind Allah's Apostle of
his oath, we will never be successful." So we returned to the Prophet
and said, "O Allah's Apostle! 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.' "
>From the context, it seems that the last part, "if I take an oath and
later *find something else better* than that. then I do *what is
better* and expiate my oath", is meant what is *better* for the *other
person* (not for himself).
In this hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be with him)
made an oath he could not give people mounts, because he did not have
the camels to give to them. Then, when they became available, he gave
the camels to them - that is, he gave them what was *better* than what
was his oath.
By the way, the very last sentence is quoted on lots of anti-Muslim
websites (which is probably where Robert got it from), and its meaning
is twisted to mean the opposite of what it clearly means when it is
read in context. It just shows how some people are willing to take
something out of context and twist its meaning just to try to attack
Islam.
Wassalam,
Fariduddien Rice
(Speaking for myself)
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