Mishkat al-Masabih #3524
The Offices of Commander and Qadi
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
وَعَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا تَسْأَلِ الْإِمَارَةَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ وُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا وَإِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عنْ غيرِ مَسْأَلَة أعنت عَلَيْهَا»
‘Abd ar-Rahman b. Samura told that God’s Messenger said to him, “Do not ask for the position of commander, for if you are given it after asking you will be left to discharge it yourself; but if you are given it without asking you will be helped to discharge it.”
(Bukhari and Muslim.)
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About Mishkat al-Masabih
This hadith is #3524 from Mishkat al-Masabih, in the Book of The Offices of Commander and Qadi.