Hadith 22061

حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ , حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ , عَنْ أَبِي عَوْنٍ الثَّقَفِيِّ , عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو , عَنْ رِجَالٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ مُعَاذٍ , أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَمَّا بَعَثَهُ إِلَى الْيَمَنِ , فَقَالَ : " كَيْفَ تَقْضِي ؟ " , قَالَ : أَقْضِي بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ , قَالَ : " فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ ؟ " , قَالَ : فَبِسُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ , قَالَ : " فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي سُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ؟ " , قَالَ أَجْتَهِدُ رَأْيِي , قَالَ : فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي وَفَّقَ رَسُولَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ " .
It is narrated from Hazrat Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent him towards Yemen, he asked him, "If a decision comes before you, how will you resolve it?" He replied, "I will decide it in the light of the Book of Allah." The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked, "If you do not find it in the Book of Allah, then what will you do?" He replied, "Then I will decide in the light of the Sunnah of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)." The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked, "If you do not find its ruling in my Sunnah either, then what will you do?" He replied, "Then I will exercise ijtihad with my own opinion." Upon this, the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "All praise is due to Allah, Who has granted the messenger of His Messenger the ability to do that which pleases His Messenger."
Hadith Reference مسند احمد / مسند الأنصار رضي الله عنهم / 22061
Hadith Grading حکم دارالسلام: إسناده ضعيف لابهام أصحاب معاذ، وجهالة الحارث، ثم هو مرسل