Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When a person who makes judgments exercises ijtihad (independent reasoning) and gives a correct judgment, he receives two rewards, and when he exercises ijtihad and makes a mistake in his judgment, he receives one reward." In another narration, the words are: "When a judge exercises ijtihad while making a judgment and gives a correct judgment, he receives two rewards, and when he makes a mistake while making a judgment, he receives one reward."