باب ندب من حلف على يمين فرأى غيرها خيرًا منها أن يفعل ذلك المحلوف عليه ثم يكفر عن يمينه
An oath should never become a chain that binds you to the worse of two choices. This chapter teaches a merciful balance: if you have sworn to do something and then see that a different course is better, choose the better one and offer the prescribed expiation (kaffarah) for the oath. Goodness is the goal, and the oath is meant to serve it, not to imprison it.
Notice the gentle priority across these hadith. Clinging stubbornly to an oath that harms one's family or others is heavier with Allah than simply paying its expiation. The details of how that expiation is fulfilled belong to the scholars; the heart of the matter is that a believer keeps moving toward what is right.
Hadith 1715
'Abdur-Rahman bin Samurah (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
عن عبد الرحمن بن سَمُرَة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : "وإذا حلفت على يمين، فرأيت غيرها خيرًا منها، فائت الذي هو خير، وكفر عن يمينك" ((متفق عليه)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me, "When you take an oath and consider something else to be better than it, make expiation for your oath and choose the better alternative." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
If you swear to do something and then see a better course, the guidance is to make the prescribed expiation for the oath and choose the better option. An oath should not chain you to the worse choice.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1715 In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 205
Hadith 1716
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "من حلف على يمين، فرأى غيرها خيرًا منها، فليكفر عن يمينه، وليفعل الذي هو خير" ((رواه مسلم)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When you swear an oath and consider something else to be better than it, make expiation for your oath and do the thing that is better." [Muslim].
In plain words
The same teaching: when you swear an oath but find something better, atone for the oath and do what is better. Goodness is the goal the oath is meant to serve.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1716 In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 206
Hadith 1717
Abu Musa (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
وعن أبي موسى رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "إني والله إن شاء الله لا أحلف على يمين، ثم أرى خيرًا منها إلا كفرت عن يميني، وأتيت الذي هو خير" . ((متفق عليه))
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Verily, I swear by Allah, if Allah wills, I shall not swear to do something but that if I consider something else to be better than it, then I shall make expiation for my oath and adopt the thing that is better." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
Even the Prophet expressed this practice for himself: if he swore to something and saw a better course, he would make expiation and take the better path. A model of keeping toward what is right.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1717 In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 207
Hadith 1718
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : "لأن يلج أحدكم في يمينه في أهله آثم له عند الله تعالى من أن يعطي كفارته التي فرض الله عليه". ((متفق عليه)) قوله: "يلَجّ" بفتح اللام، وتشديد الجيم: أي يتمادى فيها، ولا يكفر، قوله: "آثم" هو بالثاء المثلثة، أي: أكثر إثمًا.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Persistence in respect of his oath about his family is more sinful with Allah than the payment of its expiation prescribed by Allah." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
Stubbornly clinging to an oath that harms one's family is described as more sinful with Allah than simply paying the expiation due for breaking it. Do not let an oath force harm on those close to you.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1718 In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 208