Hadith 3
The Book on Government
It has been reported on the authority of 'Abd al-Rahman b. Samura who said:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me: 'Abd al-Rahman, do not ask for a position of authority, for if you are granted this position as a result of your asking for it, you will be left alone (without God's help to discharge the responsibilities attendant thereon), and it you are granted it without making any request for it, you will be helped (by God in the discharge of your duties).
حَدَّثَنَا شَيْبَانُ بْنُ فَرُّوخَ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرُ بْنُ حَازِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، بْنُ سَمُرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم
يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ لاَ تَسْأَلِ الإِمَارَةَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا وَإِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا
Hadith gradings, numbering and translations can differ between editions. For legal rulings or detailed interpretation, consult qualified scholarship and the referenced edition.