فَرَدُّهُ إِلَى اللهِ أَنْ نَحْكُمَ بِكِتَابِهِ، وَرَدُّهُ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ أَنْ نَأْخُذَ بسُنَّتِهِ; فَإِذَا حُكِمَ بِالصِّدْقِ فِي كِتَابِ اللهِ، فَنَحْنُ أَحَقُّ النَّاسِ بِهِ، وَإِنْ حُكمَ بسُنَّةِ رَسُولِهِ فَنَحْنُ أَوْلاَهُمْ بِهِ.
Reference to Allāh means that we decide according to the Qur’ān while reference to the Prophet means that we follow his sunnah. Now therefore, if arbitration were truly done through the Book of Allāh (Qur’ān), we would be the most rightful of all people for the Caliphate; or if it were done by the sunnah of the Holy Prophet, we would be the most preferable of them.