Sunnah

Sunnah, is the body of traditions and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad that constitute a model for Muslims to follow. The sunnah is what all the Muslims of Muhammad's time supposedly saw, followed, and passed on to the next generations.^[1] Differing from the Sunni Muslims, the largest Islamic denomination, is that of Shia, who prioritize the role of Imams in interpreting the sunnah and that the true interpreters are the Twelve Imams, and Sufi who hold that Muhammad transmitted the values of sunnah "through a series of Sufi teachers".^[2]

According to classical Islamic theories,^[3] the sunnah is primarily documented by hadith—which are the verbally-transmitted record of the teachings, actions, deeds, sayings, and silent approvals or disapprovals attributed to Muhammad—and alongside the Quran (the book of Islam) are the divine revelation (wahy) delivered through Muhammad^[3] that make up the primary sources of Islamic law, beliefs, and theology.^[4]^[5] The sunnah is classified into different types based on Muhammad's actions: his specific words (Sunnah Qawliyyah), his actions such as habits and practices (Sunnah Fiiliyyah), and silent approvals (Sunnah Taqririyyah).^[6]

Historically, in pre-Islamic Arabia, the term sunnah referred to 'manner of acting', (Urf) whether good or bad^[7] and recording of it was also an Arabian tradition.^[8] Later, "good traditions" began to be referred to as sunnah and the concept of "Muhammad's sunnah" was established.^[7] During the early Islamic period, it included precedents set by both Muhammad,^[7] and his companions.^[4]^[9] In addition, the sunnah of Muhammad was not necessarily associated with hadith.^[10] The strict focus of Muhammad’s example—especially as recorded in hadith—as the only authoratative source of sunnah was established later, particularly by the scholar Al-Shafi‘i (d. 820 CE), in the late second century of Islam. The term as-sunnah (السنة, lit. 'the Sunnah') then eventually came to be viewed as synonymous with the sunnah of Muhammad,^[7] based on hadith reports,^[11] distinct from other practices.

According to Muslim belief, Muhammad was the best exemplar for Muslims,^[12] with the Quran instructing followers to emulate his conduct and enjoin his followers to obey him.^[13]^[14]^[15] The sunnah serves as a guide not only for fundamental religious practices such as salat (prayer), but for "even the most mundane activities", such as the order in which to cut fingernails or the proper length of a beard.^[16] Additionally, in Islamic jurisprudence, the term "sunnah" can also refer to optional religious duties, such as sunnah salat (sunnah prayers), which are encouraged but not obligatory.^[17]

^ Qazi, M. A.; El-Dabbas, Mohammed Saʿid (1979). A Concise Dictionary of Islamic Terms. Lahore, Pakistan: Kazi Publications. p. 65.
^ Cite error: The named reference OISO was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b Brown, Rethinking Tradition in Modern Islamic Thought, 1996: p.7
^ ^a ^b Abou El Fadl, Khaled (22 March 2011). "What is Shari'a?". ABC Religion and Ethics. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
^ "What is the Difference Between Quran and Sunnah?". Ask a Question to Us. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
^ Nasr, Seyyed H. "Sunnah and Hadith". World Spirituality: An Encyclopedia History of the Religious Quest. 19 vols. New York: Crossroad Swag. 97–109.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Juynboll, G. H. A. (1997). "Sunna". In Bearman, P.; Bianquis, Th.; Bosworth, C. E.; van Donzel, E.; Heinrichs, W. P. (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam. Vol. 9 (2nd ed.). Brill. pp. 878–879.
^ Goldziher, Ignác (1981). Introduction to Islamic Theology and Law. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP. p. 231. ISBN 9780691072579.
^ Hameed, Shahul (24 November 2014). "Why Hadith is Important". OnIslam.net. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
^ Brown, Rethinking Tradition in Modern Islamic Thought, 1996: p.10-12
^ Brown, Rethinking Tradition in Modern Islamic Thought, 1996: 10-12, p.14
^ Islahi, Amin Ahsan (1989). "Difference between Hadith and Sunnah". Mabadi Tadabbur i Hadith [Fundamentals of Hadith Interpretation] (in Urdu). Lahore: Al-Mawrid. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
^ Cite error: The named reference BCPWAG-2018 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Quran 3:164
^ Quran 33:21
^ Brown, Rethinking Tradition in Modern Islamic Thought, 1996: p.1
^ Hameed, Shahul (24 November 2014). "Why Hadith Is Important". OnIslam. Retrieved 22 June 2015.

[el-Dabbas-1979-65-1] Qazi, M. A.; El-Dabbas, Mohammed Saʿid (1979). A Concise Dictionary of Islamic Terms. Lahore, Pakistan: Kazi Publications. p. 65.

[OISO-2] Cite error: The named reference OISO was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[DWBRTMIT1996:7-3] Brown, Rethinking Tradition in Modern Islamic Thought, 1996: p.7

[abc-abu-al-fadl-4] Abou El Fadl, Khaled (22 March 2011). "What is Shari'a?". ABC Religion and Ethics. Retrieved 20 June 2015.

[AQTU-5] "What is the Difference Between Quran and Sunnah?". Ask a Question to Us. Retrieved 20 June 2015.

[nasr-6] Nasr, Seyyed H. "Sunnah and Hadith". World Spirituality: An Encyclopedia History of the Religious Quest. 19 vols. New York: Crossroad Swag. 97–109.

[Juynboll-7] Juynboll, G. H. A. (1997). "Sunna". In Bearman, P.; Bianquis, Th.; Bosworth, C. E.; van Donzel, E.; Heinrichs, W. P. (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam. Vol. 9 (2nd ed.). Brill. pp. 878–879.

[8] Goldziher, Ignác (1981). Introduction to Islamic Theology and Law. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP. p. 231. ISBN 9780691072579.

[Hameed-9] Hameed, Shahul (24 November 2014). "Why Hadith is Important". OnIslam.net. Retrieved 2 September 2015.

[DWBRTMIT1996:10-12-10] Brown, Rethinking Tradition in Modern Islamic Thought, 1996: p.10-12

[11] Brown, Rethinking Tradition in Modern Islamic Thought, 1996: 10-12, p.14

[12] Islahi, Amin Ahsan (1989). "Difference between Hadith and Sunnah". Mabadi Tadabbur i Hadith [Fundamentals of Hadith Interpretation] (in Urdu). Lahore: Al-Mawrid. Retrieved 1 June 2011.

[BCPWAG-2018-13] Cite error: The named reference BCPWAG-2018 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[14] Quran 3:164

[15] Quran 33:21

[16] Brown, Rethinking Tradition in Modern Islamic Thought, 1996: p.1

[WHII-17] Hameed, Shahul (24 November 2014). "Why Hadith Is Important". OnIslam. Retrieved 22 June 2015.

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