The Prophet of Allah ﷺ arrived in Medina while the people were pollinating the date palms. They were saying that they were fertilizing the palms.He asked, "What are you doing?"They replied, "We have always done this."He said, "Perhaps if you did not do it, it would be better." So they abandoned the practice, and the yield dropped, or the harvest diminished.They mentioned this to him, and he said, "I am only a human being. When I command you regarding something of your religion, take it from me. But when I instruct you about something based on my own opinion, I am only a human being."Ikrima said, "Or something like this."
قدم نبي الله ﷺ المدينة وهم يأبرون النخل. يقولون: يلقحون النخل. فقال: ما تصنعون؟ قالوا: كنا نصنعه. قال: لعلكم لو لم تفعلوا كان خيرافتركوه، فنفضت، أو فنقصت. قال: فذكروا ذلك له، فقال: إنما أنا بشر، إذا أمرتكم بشيء من دينكم فخذوا به، وإذا أمرتكم بشيء من رأي فإنما أنا بشر. قال عكرمة: أو نحو هذا.