Rafi’ ibn Khadij reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, arrived in Medina, and they were pollinating and grafting palm trees. The Prophet said, “Perhaps it would be better if you did not do so.” They abandoned the practice, but the trees yielded less fruit. It was mentioned to the Prophet, and he said, “Verily, I am only a human being. If I command you with something in the religion, adhere to it. If I command you with something from my opinion, I am only a human being.”
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2362
Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Muslim
عن رَافِع بْن خَدِيجٍ قَالَ قَدِمَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْمَدِينَةَ وَهُمْ يَأْبُرُونَ النَّخْلَ يَقُولُونَ يُلَقِّحُونَ النَّخْلَ قَالَ لَعَلَّكُمْ لَوْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا كَانَ خَيْرًا فَتَرَكُوهُ فَنَفَضَتْ أَوْ فَنَقَصَتْ قَالَ فَذَكَرُوا ذَلِكَ لَهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ إِذَا أَمَرْتُكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ دِينِكُمْ فَخُذُوا بِهِ وَإِذَا أَمَرْتُكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ رَأْيٍ فَإِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ
2362 صحيح مسلم كتاب الفضائل باب وجوب امتثال ما قاله شرعا دون ما ذكره من معايش الدنيا على سبيل الرأي