Hazrat Mu'adh narrates that when the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent him as a judge, he asked, "How will you decide?" Hazrat Mu'adh replied, "By the Book of Allah." The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "If you do not find it in the Book of Allah?" Hazrat Mu'adh said, "I will decide according to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "If you do not find it in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)?" Hazrat Mu'adh said, "I will exercise my own judgment (ijtihad)." Hazrat Mu'adh says that then the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "All praise is due to Allah who has granted the messenger of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) the ability to act in accordance with the truth."