أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَامِرٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنْ الشَّيْبَانِيِّ عَنْ الشَّعْبِيِّ عَنْ شُرَيْحٍ أَنَّهُ کَتَبَ إِلَی عُمَرَ يَسْأَلُهُ فَکَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ اقْضِ بِمَا فِي کِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَکُنْ فِي کِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَبِسُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَکُنْ فِي کِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَلَا فِي سُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَاقْضِ بِمَا قَضَی بِهِ الصَّالِحُونَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَکُنْ فِي کِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَلَا فِي سُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَلَمْ يَقْضِ بِهِ الصَّالِحُونَ فَإِنْ شِئْتَ فَتَقَدَّمْ وَإِنْ شِئْتَ فَتَأَخَّرْ وَلَا أَرَی التَّأَخُّرَ إِلَّا خَيْرًا لَکَ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَيْکُمْ
سنن نسائی · Hadith 5414
It was narrated from Shuraib that he wrote to ‘Umar, to ask him (a question), and ‘Umar wrote back to him telling him: “Judge according to what is in the Book of Allah. If it is not (mentioned) in the Book of Allah, then (judge) according to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم . If it is not (mentioned) in the Book of Allah or the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم then pass judgment according to the way the righteous passed judgment. If it is not (mentioned) in the Book of Allah, or the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم and the righteous did not pass judgment concerning it, then if you wish, go ahead (and try to work it out by yourself) or if you wish, leave it. And I think that leaving it is better for you. And peace be upon you.”(Sahih).
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020