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.
abudawud:3592Ḥafṣ b. ʿUmar > Shuʿbah > Abū ʿAwn > al-Ḥārith b. ʿAmr b. Akhī al-Mughīrah b. Shuʿbah > Unās from Ahl Ḥimṣ from Aṣḥāb Muʿādh b. Jabal

When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ intended to send Mu'adh ibn Jabal to the Yemen, he asked: How will you judge when the occasion of deciding a case arises? He replied: I shall judge in accordance with Allah's Book. He asked: (What will you do) if you do not find any guidance in Allah's Book? He replied: (I shall act) in accordance with the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He asked: (What will you do) if you do not find any guidance in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and in Allah's Book? He replied: I shall do my best to form an opinion and I shall spare no effort. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then patted him on the breast and said: Praise be to Allah Who has helped the messenger of the Messenger of Allah to find something which pleases the Messenger of Allah.  

أبو داود:٣٥٩٢حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ عُمَرَ عَنْ شُعْبَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَوْنٍ عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ أَخِي الْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ شُعْبَةَ عَنْ أُنَاسٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ حِمْصَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَمَّا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَبْعَثَ مُعَاذًا إِلَى الْيَمَنِ قَالَ كَيْفَ تَقْضِي إِذَا عَرَضَ لَكَ قَضَاءٌ قَالَ أَقْضِي بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ قَالَ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ قَالَ فَبِسُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ فِي سُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَلاَ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ قَالَ أَجْتَهِدُ رَأْيِي وَلاَ آلُو فَضَرَبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَدْرَهُ وَقَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي وَفَّقَ رَسُولَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ لِمَا يُرْضِي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Tirmidhī, Aḥmad, Dārimī, Ṭabarānī
tirmidhi:1327Hannād > Wakīʿ > Shuʿbah

"How will you judge?" He said: "I will judge according to what is in Allah's Book." He said: "If it is not in Allah's Book ?" He said: "Then with the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ." He said: "If it is not in the Sunnah of Messenger of Allah ﷺ?" He said: "I will give in my view." He said: "All praise is due to Allah, the One Who made the messenger of the Messenger of Allah suitable."  

الترمذي:١٣٢٧حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ عَنْ شُعْبَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَوْنٍ الثَّقَفِيِّ عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو عَنْ رِجَالٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ مُعَاذٍ عَنْ مُعَاذٍ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَعَثَ مُعَاذًا إِلَى الْيَمَنِ فَقَالَ كَيْفَ تَقْضِي فَقَالَ أَقْضِي بِمَا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ قَالَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ قَالَ فَبِسُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي سُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ أَجْتَهِدُ رَأْيِي قَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي وَفَّقَ رَسُولَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ  

ahmad:22061Wakīʿ > Shuʿbah

"How will you judge?" He said: "I will judge according to what is in Allah's Book." He said: "If it is not in Allah's Book ?" He said: "Then with the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ." He said: "If it is not in the Sunnah of Messenger of Allah ﷺ?" He said: "I will give in my view." He said: "All praise is due to Allah, the One Who made the messenger of the Messenger of Allah suitable." (Using translation from Tirmidhī 1327)   

أحمد:٢٢٠٦١حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ أَبِي عَوْنٍ الثَّقَفِيِّ عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو عَنْ رِجَالٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ مُعَاذٍ

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ لَمَّا بَعَثَهُ إِلَى الْيَمَنِ فَقَالَ كَيْفَ تَقْضِي؟ قَالَ أَقْضِي بِكِتَابِ اللهِ قَالَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي كِتَابِ اللهِ قَالَ فَبِسُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي سُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ أَجْتَهِدُ رَأْيِي قَالَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي وَفَّقَ رَسُولَ رَسُولِ اللهِ  

ahmad:22100ʿAffān > Shuʿbah > Abū ʿAwn > al-Ḥārith b. ʿAmr from my cousin al-Mughīrah b. Shuʿbah > Nās from Aṣḥāb Muʿādh from Ahl Ḥimṣʿan Muʿādh

[Machine] From some of the companions of Mu'adh from the people of Hims, it is reported that Mu'adh said: The Prophet ﷺ said to Mu'adh bin Jabal when he sent him to Yemen, "How will you judge if a matter is presented to you?" Mu'adh replied, "I will judge according to the Book of Allah." The Prophet ﷺ asked, "And if you do not find it in the Book of Allah?" Mu'adh said, "Then I will judge according to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah." The Prophet ﷺ asked, "And if you do not find it in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah?" Mu'adh said, "Then I will exert my own judgement." The Prophet ﷺ then patted Mu'adh's chest and said, "All praise is due to Allah who has made the Messenger of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ successful in what pleases his Messenger."  

أحمد:٢٢١٠٠حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو عَوْنٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الْحَارِثَ بْنَ عَمْرٍو ابْنَ أَخِي الْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ شُعْبَةَ يُحَدِّثُ

عَنْ نَاسٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ مُعَاذٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ حِمْصٍعَنْ مُعَاذٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَالَ لِمُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ حِينَ بَعَثَهُ إِلَى الْيَمَنِ فَذَكَرَ كَيْفَ تَقْضِي إِنْ عَرَضَ لَكَ قَضَاءٌ؟ قَالَ أَقْضِي بِكِتَابِ اللهِ قَالَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي كِتَابِ اللهِ؟ قَالَ فَبِسُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ قَالَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي سَنَةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ؟ قَالَ أَجْتَهِدُ رَأْيِي وَلَا آلُو قَالَ فَضَرَبَ صَدْرِي فَقَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي وَفَّقَ رَسُولَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ لِمَا يُرْضِي رَسُولَهُ  

ahmad:22007Muḥammad b. Jaʿfar > Shuʿbah > Abū ʿAwn > al-Ḥārith b. ʿAmr from my cousin al-Mughīrah b. Shuʿbah > Nās from Aṣḥāb Muʿādh from Ahl Ḥimṣ > Muʿādh

When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ intended to send Mu'adh ibn Jabal to the Yemen, he asked: How will you judge when the occasion of deciding a case arises? He replied: I shall judge in accordance with Allah's Book. He asked: (What will you do) if you do not find any guidance in Allah's Book? He replied: (I shall act) in accordance with the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He asked: (What will you do) if you do not find any guidance in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and in Allah's Book? He replied: I shall do my best to form an opinion and I shall spare no effort. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then patted him on the breast and said: Praise be to Allah Who has helped the messenger of the Messenger of Allah to find something which pleases the Messenger of Allah. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 3592)   

أحمد:٢٢٠٠٧حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ أَبِي عَوْنٍ عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ عَمْرِو ابْنِ أَخِي الْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ شُعْبَةَ

عَنْ نَاسٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ مُعَاذٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ حِمْصٍ عَنْ مُعَاذٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ حِينَ بَعَثَهُ إِلَى الْيَمَنِ فَقَالَ كَيْفَ تَصْنَعُ إِنْ عَرَضَ لَكَ قَضَاءٌ؟ قَالَ أَقْضِي بِمَا فِي كِتَابِ اللهِ قَالَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي كِتَابِ اللهِ؟ قَالَ فَبِسُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي سُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ؟ قَالَ أَجْتَهِدُ رَأْيِي لَا آلُو قَالَ فَضَرَبَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ صَدْرِي ثُمَّ قَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي وَفَّقَ رَسُولَ رَسُولِ اللهِ لِمَا يُرْضِي رَسُولَ اللهِ  

darimi:170Yaḥyá b. Ḥammād > Shuʿbah

[Machine] From some people of the people of Hims, from the companions of Mu'adh, from Mu'adh, the Prophet ﷺ, when he sent him to Yemen, asked: "What would you do if you were faced with a legal matter?" He said, "I would judge according to the Book of Allah." The Prophet ﷺ said, "And if it is not in the Book of Allah?" He said, "Then I would judge according to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah." The Prophet ﷺ said, "And if it is not in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah?" He said, "I would strive to come to a conclusion based on my own reasoning." The Prophet ﷺ said, "Then you have done your best and Allah will reward the Messenger of the Messenger of Allah for what pleases the Messenger of Allah."  

الدارمي:١٧٠حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ حَمَّادٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ الثَّقَفِيِّ عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ عَمْرِو ابْنِ أَخِي الْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ شُعْبَةَ

عَنْ نَاسٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ حِمْصٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ مُعَاذٍ عَنْ مُعَاذٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ لَمَّا بَعَثَهُ إِلَى الْيَمَنِ قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ عَرَضَ لَكَ قَضَاءٌ كَيْفَ تَقْضِي؟ قَالَ أَقْضِي بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ قَالَ «فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ؟» قَالَ فَبِسُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي سُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ أَجْتَهِدُ رَأْيِي وَلَا آلُو قَالَ فَضَرَبَ صَدْرَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ «الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي وَفَّقَ رَسُولَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ لِمَا يُرْضِي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ»  

tabarani:17560Aḥmad b. ʿAmr al-Qaṭirānī > Sulaymān b. Ḥarb > Shuʿbah

[Machine] When the Prophet ﷺ sent him to Yemen, he asked him, "How will you judge if a case is presented to you?" He said, "I will judge according to the Book of Allah." He asked, "And if you find nothing in the Book of Allah?" He said, "Then I will judge according to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ." He asked, "And if you find nothing in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ?" He said, "I will exert my own effort to the best of my ability." He ﷺ then tapped his chest and said, "Praise be to Allah who has aided the messenger of the Messenger of Allah to what pleases the Messenger of Allah."  

الطبراني:١٧٥٦٠حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو الْقَطِرَانِيُّ ثنا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ ثنا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ أَبِي عَوْنٍ الثَّقَفِيِّ عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ عَمْرِو ابْنِ أَخِي الْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ شُعْبَةَ عَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ لَمَّا بَعَثَهُ إِلَى الْيَمَنِ قَالَ لَهُ «كَيْفَ تَقْضِي إِنْ عَرَضَ لَكَ قَضَاءٌ؟» قَالَ أَقْضِي بِكِتَابِ اللهِ قَالَ «فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي كِتَابِ اللهِ؟» قَالَ فَبِسُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ «فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي سُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ؟» قَالَ أَجْتَهِدُ رَأْيِي وَلَا آلُو قَالَ فَضَرَبَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ صَدْرَهُ وَقَالَ «الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي وَفَّقَ رَسُولَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ لِمَا يُرْضِي رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ»