[Machine] The Prophet ﷺ said, "The bravest among you in battle is the bravest among you in facing the Fire."  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «أَجْرَؤُكُمْ عَلَى الْفُتْيَا أَجْرَؤُكُمْ عَلَى النَّارِ»  

[Machine] "Whoever introduces a new opinion that is not in accordance with the Book of Allah and does not have the guidance of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, then he has not perceived what he is from when he meets Allah, the Almighty and Majestic."  

مَنْ أَحْدَثَ رَأْيًا لَيْسَ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَلَمْ تَمْضِ بِهِ سُنَّةٌ مَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَمْ يَدْرِ عَلَى مَا هُوَ مِنْهُ إِذَا لَقِيَ اللَّهَ ﷻ  

[Machine] From him, from the Prophet ﷺ : "Whoever is given a fatwa (religious ruling) by someone who is not firm (knowledgeable/qualified), then indeed his sin is upon the one who gave him the fatwa."  

عنه عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ «مَنْ أُفْتِيَ بِفُتْيَا مَنْ غَيْرِ ثَبْتٍ فَإِنَّمَا إِثْمُهُ عَلَى مِنْ أَفْتَاهُ»  

[Machine] "Her sin is upon him."  

عنهَا فَإِثْمُهَا عَلَيْهِ»  

[Machine] Abu Bakr, when faced with an opponent, would look into the book of Allah. If he found in it something that would settle the matter between them, he would judge by it. And if it was not mentioned in the book, but he knew about it from the messenger of Allah ﷺ , he would judge by his knowledge. If it made him tired, he would come out and ask the Muslims, saying, "So and so has come to me with such and such matter. Did you know that the messenger of Allah ﷺ judged in it by a certain judgment?" Perhaps a group of people would gather to him, all of them mentioning a judgment from the messenger of Allah ﷺ regarding it. And Abu Bakr would say, "Praise be to Allah who has placed among us someone who preserves the teachings of our prophet ﷺ ." And if he found in it a sunnah from the messenger of Allah ﷺ , he would gather the heads of the people and their best ones, and consult them. When their opinions came together on a matter, he would judge by it.  

كَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ إِذَا وَرَدَ عَلَيْهِ الْخَصْمُ نَظَرَ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ وَجَدَ فِيهِ مَا يَقْضِي بَيْنَهُمْ قَضَى بِهِ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي الْكِتَابِ وَعَلِمَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي ذَلِكَ الْأَمْرِ سُنَّةً قَضَى بِهِ فَإِنْ أَعْيَاهُ خَرَجَ فَسَأَلَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَقَالَ «أَتَانِي كَذَا وَكَذَا فَهَلْ عَلِمْتُمْ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَضَى فِي ذَلِكَ بِقَضَاءٍ؟» فَرُبَّمَا اجْتَمَعَ إِلَيْهِ النَّفَرُ كُلُّهُمْ يَذْكُرُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِيهِ قَضَاءً فَيَقُولُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ «الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ فِينَا مَنْ يَحْفَظُ عَلَى نَبِيِّنَا» ﷺ فَإِنْ أَعْيَاهُ أَنْ يَجِدَ فِيهِ سُنَّةً مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ جَمَعَ رُءُوسَ النَّاسِ وَخِيَارَهُمْ فَاسْتَشَارَهُمْ فَإِذَا اجْتَمَعَ رَأْيُهُمْ عَلَى أَمْرٍ قَضَى بِهِ  

[Machine] "Do you have any information about the Prophet ﷺ ? He said, 'No.' He asked, 'What about Abu Bakr?' He said, 'No.' He asked, 'What about Umar?' He said, 'No.' He asked, 'What about Uthman?' He said, 'No.' Umar said, 'I don't see her fasting, so I left and found Tawus and Ata' ibn Abi Rabah, and I asked them. Tawus said, 'She only fasts if she decides to do it herself.' Ata' also said, 'That is my opinion.'  

أَعَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ؟ قَالَ لَا قَالَ فَعَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ؟ قَالَ لَا؟ قَالَ فَعَنْ عُمَرَ؟ قَالَ لَا قَالَ فَعَنْ عُثْمَانَ؟ قَالَ لَا قَالَ عُمَرُ مَا أَرَى عَلَيْهَا صِيَامًا فَخَرَجْتُ فَوَجَدْتُ طَاوُسًا وَعَطَاءَ بْنَ أَبِي رَبَاحٍ فَسَأَلْتُهُمَا فَقَالَ طَاوُسٌ كَانَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ «لَا يَرَى عَلَيْهَا صِيَامًا إِلَّا أَنْ تَجْعَلَهُ عَلَى نَفْسِهَا» قَالَ وَقَالَ عَطَاءٌ ذَلِكَ رَأْيِي  

[Machine] When Abu Salamah arrived in Basrah, both Hassan and I went to visit him. He said to Hassan, "Are you Hassan? No one in Basrah is dearer to me for a meeting than you. This is because I heard that you give fatwas based on your opinion, but do not give fatwas based on your opinion unless it is a Sunnah from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ or a revealed book."  

لَمَّا قَدِمَ أَبُو سَلَمَةَ الْبَصْرَةَ أَتَيْتُهُ أَنَا وَالْحَسَنُ فَقَالَ لِلْحَسَنِ أَنْتَ الْحَسَنُ؟ «مَا كَانَ أَحَدٌ بِالْبَصْرَةِ أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ لِقَاءً مِنْكَ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكَ تُفْتِي بِرَأْيِكَ فَلَا تُفْتِ بِرَأْيِكَ إِلَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ سُنَّةٌ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَوْ كِتَابٌ مُنْزَلٌ»  

[Machine] He (said to him), "O Abu al-Sha'tha', indeed you are one of the knowledgeable people of Basra, so do not issue fatwas except with a clear Quranic verse or a established Sunnah, for if you do anything different from that, you will be ruined, and you will cause ruin."  

لَهُ «يَا أَبَا الشَّعْثَاءِ إِنَّكَ مِنْ فُقَهَاءِ الْبَصْرَةِ فَلَا تُفْتِ إِلَّا بِقُرْآنٍ نَاطِقٍ أَوْ سُنَّةٍ مَاضِيَةٍ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ فَعَلْتَ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ هَلَكْتَ وَأَهْلَكْتَ»  

"There was a time when we did not pass so many judgments, but now that time is over. Now Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has decreed that we reach a time when, as you see, (we are asked to pass many judgments). Whoever among you is asked to pass a judgment after this day, let him pass judgment according to what is in the Book of Allah. If he is faced with a matter that is not mentioned in the Book of Allah, let him pass judgment according to the way His Prophet [SAW] passed judgment. If he is faced with a matter that is not mentioned in the Book of Allah, and concerning which His Prophet did not pass judgment, then let him pass judgment according to the way the righteous passed judgment. And let him not say 'I am afraid, I am afraid.' For that which is lawful is clear and that which is unlawful is clear, and between them are matters which are not as clear. Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 5398)   

أَتَى عَلَيْنَا زَمَانٌ لَسْنَا نَقْضِي وَلَسْنَا هُنَالِكَ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ قَدَّرَ مِنَ الْأَمْرِ أَنْ قَدْ بَلَغْنَا مَا تَرَوْنَ «فَمَنْ عَرَضَ لَهُ قَضَاءٌ بَعْدَ الْيَوْمِ فَلْيَقْضِ فِيهِ بِمَا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ ﷻ فَإِنْ جَاءَهُ مَا لَيْسَ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَلْيَقْضِ بِمَا قَضَى بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَإِنْ جَاءَهُ مَا لَيْسَ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَلَمْ يَقْضِ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَلْيَقْضِ بِمَا قَضَى بِهِ الصَّالِحُونَ وَلَا يَقُلْ إِنِّي أَخَافُ وَإِنِّي أُرَى فَإِنَّ الْحَرَامَ بَيِّنٌ وَالْحَلَالَ بَيِّنٌ وَبَيْنَ ذَلِكَ أُمُورٌ مُشْتَبِهَةٌ فَدَعْ مَا يَرِيبُكَ إِلَى مَا لَا يَرِيبُكَ»  

[Machine] Regarding this matter, if it is mentioned in the Quran, then it is true. And if it is not mentioned in the Quran, but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has mentioned it, then it is also true. And if it is not mentioned by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, then it is conveyed from Abu Bakr and Umar. And if it is not mentioned by them, then it is his personal opinion.  

عَنِ الْأَمْرِ فَكَانَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ أَخْبَرَ بِهِ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي الْقُرْآنِ وَكَانَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَخْبَرَ بِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فَعَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ قَالَ فِيهِ بِرَأْيِهِ»  

[Machine] Regarding him (the Prophet), if something comes to you that is not in the Book of Allah, then refer to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and follow it. If something comes to you that is not in the Book of Allah and there is no Sunnah from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ regarding it, then look at what the people have agreed upon and follow it. However, if something comes to you that is not in the Book of Allah and there is no Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about it, and no one before you has spoken about it, then choose whichever of the two options you wish: if you wish, you may exert your own effort and come to a conclusion, and proceed accordingly. If you wish, you may delay making a decision. And I do not see any delay in taking a decision except that it is better for you.  

عَنْهُ الرِّجَالُ فَإِنْ جَاءَكَ مَا لَيْسَ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَانْظُرْ سُنَّةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَاقْضِ بِهَا فَإِنْ جَاءَكَ مَا لَيْسَ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِ سُنَّةٌ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَانْظُرْ مَا اجْتَمَعَ عَلَيْهِ النَّاسُ فَخُذْ بِهِ فَإِنْ جَاءَكَ مَا لَيْسَ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِي سُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَلَمْ يَتَكَلَّمْ فِيهِ أَحَدٌ قَبْلَكَ فَاخْتَرْ أَيَّ الْأَمْرَيْنِ شِئْتَ إِنْ شِئْتَ أَنْ تَجْتَهِدَ برأْيكَ ثُمَّ تَقَدَّمَ فَتَقَدَّمْ وَإِنْ شِئْتَ أَنْ تتأخَّرَ فَتَأَخَّرْ وَلَا أَرَى التَّأَخُّرَ إِلَّا خَيْرًا لَكَ  

[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."  

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»  

[Machine] A time has come upon us, and we are not asked, nor are we there. Indeed, Allah has ordained that I have conveyed what you see. So, if you are asked about something, refer to the Book of Allah. If you do not find it in the Book of Allah, then refer to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah. If you do not find it in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, then base your judgment on what the Muslims have unanimously agreed upon. If it is not found in what the Muslims have agreed upon, then exert your effort and do not say, "I am afraid and I fear." Indeed, that which is halal (permissible) is clear, and that which is haram (forbidden) is clear. Between the two are doubtful matters. Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt.  

قَدْ أَتَى عَلَيْنَا زَمَانٌ وَمَا نُسْأَلُ وَمَا نَحْنُ هُنَاكَ وَإِنَّ اللَّهِ قَدَّرَ أَنْ بَلَغْتُ مَا تَرَوْنَ فَإِذَا سُئِلْتُمْ عَنْ شَيْءٍ فَانْظُرُوا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدُوهُ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ ﷻ فَفِي سُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدُوهُ فِي سُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ فَمَا أَجْمَعَ عَلَيْهِ الْمُسْلِمُونَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيمَا أَجْمَعَ عَلَيْهِ الْمُسْلِمُونَ فَاجْتَهِدْ رَأْيَكَ وَلَا تَقُلْ إِنِّي أَخَافُ وَأَخْشَى فَإِنَّ الْحَلَالَ بَيِّنٌ وَالْحَرَامَ بَيِّنٌ وَبَيْنَ ذَلِكَ أُمُورٌ مُشْتَبِهَةٌ فَدَعْ مَا يَرِيبُكَ إِلَى مَا لَا يَرِيبُكَ  

"I heard Ibrahim (narrate) from 'Alqamah and Al-Aswad from 'Abdullah," and he narrated something similar. (Using translation from Nasāʾī 720)   

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ نَحْوَهُ  

(Another chain) with similar meaning. (Using translation from Tirmidhī 3093)   

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بِنَحْوِهِ  

[Machine] Abdullah said, "O people, surely you will speak and you will be spoken to. So when you see something new, adhere to the original command." Hafs said, "I used to receive narration from Habib, who received it from Abu Abdur Rahman, then doubt entered my heart."  

عَبْدُ اللَّهِ «أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّكُمْ سَتُحْدِثُونَ وَيُحْدَثُ لَكُمْ فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ مُحْدَثَةً فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِالْأَمْرِ الْأَوَّلِ» قَالَ حَفْصٌ كُنْتُ أُسْنِدُ عَنْ حَبِيبٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ ثُمَّ دَخَلَنِي مِنْهُ شَكٌّ  

[Machine] Omar said to Ibn Mas'ud, "Did I not inform or was I not informed that you give fatwas even though you are not a ruler? Beware of who you appoint as a ruler."  

عُمَرُ لِابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ «أَلَمْ أُنْبَأْ أَوْ أُنْبِئْتُ أَنَّكَ تُفْتِي وَلَسْتَ بِأَمِيرٍ؟ وَلِّ حَارَّهَا مَنْ تَوَلَّى قَارَّهَا»