Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْد اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي 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.
English Translation
Abdullah told us, my father told me, Waki' told us, Shu'bah told us, from Abu Awn al-Thaqafi, from al-Harith ibn Amr, from men among the companions of Mu'adh, that when the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, sent him to Yemen, he said, "How will you judge?" He said, "I will judge by the Book of Allah." He said, "And if it is not in the Book of Allah?" He said, "Then by the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him." He said, "And if it is not in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him?" He said, "I will exert my own judgment." He said the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "Praise be to Allah who has guided the messenger of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him."