Compiled by Imam Muhammad al-Bukhari
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَانُ، عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ شَقِيقٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَنْ حَلَفَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ يَقْتَطِعُ بِهَا مَالَ امْرِئٍ، هُوَ عَلَيْهَا فَاجِرٌ، لَقِيَ اللَّهَ وَهْوَ عَلَيْهِ غَضْبَانُ" فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَشْتَرُونَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ وَأَيْمَانِهِمْ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلاً} الآيَةَ. فَجَاءَ الأَشْعَثُ فَقَالَ مَا حَدَّثَكُمْ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، فِيَّ أُنْزِلَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ، كَانَتْ لِي بِئْرٌ فِي أَرْضِ ابْنِ عَمٍّ لِي فَقَالَ لِي " شُهُودَكَ ". قُلْتُ مَا لِي شُهُودٌ. قَالَ " فَيَمِينَهُ ". قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِذًا يَحْلِفَ. فَذَكَرَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ذَلِكَ تَصْدِيقًا لَهُ.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever takes a false oath to deprive somebody of his property will meet Allah while He will be angry with him." Allah revealed: 'Verily those who purchase a little gain at the cost of Allah's covenant, and their oaths.' ........(3.77) Al-Ashath came (to the place where `Abdullah was narrating) and said, "What has Abu `Abdur- Rahman (i.e. `Abdullah) been telling you? This verse was revealed concerning me. I had a well in the land of a cousin of mine. The Prophet (ﷺ) asked me to bring witnesses (to confirm my claim). I said, 'I don't have witnesses.' He said, 'Let the defendant take an oath then.' I said, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! He will take a (false) oath immediately.' Then the Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned the above narration and Allah revealed the verse to confirm what he had said." (See Hadith No. 692)