Mukhtasar Bukhari (Abridged) 1188 — Is it permissible for the Imam

Umm al-Mu'minin Aisha Siddiqa (may Allah be pleased with her) says that (on one occasion) the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) heard the loud voices of some people disputing at the (mosque) door, and suddenly (he came to know that) one of them was requesting the other to reduce (the debt) and was seeking leniency, and he was saying, "By Allah! I will not do so." So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) went to them and said: "Where is the one who swore by Allah that he would not act upon a good deed?" So that person said, "O Messenger of Allah! Here I am (alright, now I am pleased that) I will give whatever my opponent wishes."