Sunan an-Nasa'i 2587
سنن النسائي#2587Da'ifأَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ، عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ سَوَادَةَ، عَنْ مُسْلِمِ بْنِ مَخْشِيٍّ، عَنِ ابْنِ الْفِرَاسِيِّ، أَنَّ الْفِرَاسِيَّ، قَالَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَسْأَلُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ " لاَ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ سَائِلاً لاَ بُدَّ فَاسْأَلِ الصَّالِحِينَ " .
It was narrated from Ibn Al-Firasi that Al-Firasi said to the Messenger of Allah:"Shall I ask people (for help), O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "No, but if you have no alternative but to ask, then ask the righteous
Scholarly Authentication
The label above is the grade most of these scholars gave — one dissenting opinion no longer speaks for all of them. If any scholar calls a narration fabricated, that verdict is shown instead, whatever the others say. Each scholar's own wording:
In-book reference: 23:153