I.
Introduction and Definition
● L iteral Meaning: Sunnah is an Arabic word which literally means "the followed path"
or "the accustomed way".
● Islamic Definition: In Islam, it refers to the practice established by the Prophet
Muhammad (571–632).
● Status: The Sunnah occupies a place of distinction in Islamic religion and society. It
is second in importance to the Holy Book.
● Composition: The Sunnah comprises the words, actions, decisions, physical
descriptions of, and anecdotes from the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
● Purpose: It provides a road map for Islamic life: for the life of the individual Muslim,
for the Muslim family, for Muslim society, and for the Muslim state.
II. Authoritative Status in Light of Quran and Hadith
he Quran itself requires Muslims to obey the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and links this
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obedience to the obedience of God.
Quranic Evidence
● S urah Aal-Imran (3:161): "Certainly Allah conferred a benefit upon the believers
when He raised among them a Messenger from among themselves, reciting to them
His communications and purifying them, and teaching them the Book and the
wisdom, although before that they were surely in manifest error".
● Surah An-Nisaa (4:64): "And We did not send any messenger but that he should be
obeyed by Allah's permission".
● Surah An-Nisaa (4:80): "And the one who obeys the Messenger of Allah, obeys
Allah".
● Surah Al-Ahzaab (33:21): "Verily for you is the best example in the Messenger
(PBUH) of Allah for those who looked into Allah and the Last Day, and remembered
Allah much".
Hadith Evidence
● T he Path to Paradise: The Prophet (PBUH) said: "My whole community will enter
Paradise, except anyone who refuses". When asked who refuses, he replied:
"Whoever obeys me will enter Paradise, but whoever disobeys me, refuses".
● Spread of Sunnah: The Prophet (PBUH) encouraged the spread of the Sunnah,
stating: "May God prosper a man who hears something from us and passes it on as
he had heard it...".
● Farewell Pilgrimage: He said: "Let the one who is present tell the one who is
absent; for the eye-witness may tell one who can understand it better than he".
III. Aspects of Sunnah
Scholars hold that the Sunnah includes four primary categories:
● S poken Sunnah (al-Sunnah al-Qawliyah): Includes instructions, information, or
reports from the Prophet (PBUH). This includes Hadith Qudsi (divine hadith), where
the meaning is of divine origin but the wording is from the Prophet.
● Practical Sunnah (al-Sunnah al-Filiyah): The Prophet's actions in private and
public life. Example: Caliph Umar kissed the Black Stone only because he saw the
Messenger of God do so.
● Sunnah of Approval (al-Sunnah al-Taqririyah): The Prophet's knowledge and
acceptance of an act he witnessed or a saying he heard without rejecting it.
Example: He did not disapprove of the different interpretations of prayer times during
the expedition against Banu Qurayza.
● Description and Conduct (Uswa-e-Hasanah): Descriptions of the Prophet’s
physical and moral characteristics and personal conduct.
IV. Sunnah Depicting Detailed Path for Islamic Life
1. R ituals of Worship: The Sunnah provides details for Salat (prayer), Zakat (alms),
fasting, and pilgrimage. It clarifies types of prayer (obligatory, Sunnah, Witr) and
special prayers like Eid, eclipses, or asking for rain.
1. Moral Qualities: It includes "God-centred moral qualities" such as loving God,
repentance, sincerity, patience, and gratitude.
1. Manners and Etiquette: Details daily conduct such as eating with the right hand,
invoking God's name, and manners for visiting, dressing, and speaking.
1. Family Law: Covers the choice of spouse, rights of spouses, divorce rules (Idda),
and the rights of children and parents.
1. Jurisprudence (Fiqh-al-muamalat): Regulations for buying/selling, loans,
endowments, legal punishments (Hudud), and retaliation (Qisas).
1. Public and International Law: Organizes relationships between rulers and subjects
and establishes an Islamic theory of international law for peace and war.
V. Compilation and Authentication
● Initial Prohibition: The Prophet (PBUH) initially forbade recording his sayings to
avoid confusion with the Quran: "Do not write down my sayings... but you are free to
quote me orally".
● Codification: Written compilation began early in the second/eighth century during
the caliphate of Umar bin Abd al-Aziz.
● Verification: Scholars developed Hadith Criticism (Asma al-Rijal) and Legal
Theory (Usul al-Fiqh) to judge reliability and derive rules. Traditions are categorized
as Sahih (sound), Hasan (good), Daif (weak), or Mawdu (fabricated).
VI. Major Books of Hadith
Sihah al-Sittah (Six Authentic Sunni Books)
VI. Major Books of Hadith
Sihah al-Sittah (Six Authentic Sunni Books)
| No. | Compiler (Muhaddith) | Book Name | No. of Hadith |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Al-Bukhari (810–870) | Sahih Bukhari | 7,275 |
| 2 | Muslim bin Hajjaj (821–875) | Sahih Muslim | 9,200 |
| 3 | Abu Dawud (817–889) | Sunan Abu Dawud | 4,800 |
| 4 | Al-Tirmidhi (824–892) | Jami al-Tirmidhi | 3,956 |
| 5 | Al-Nasa'i (829–915) | Sunan al-Sughra | 5,270 |
| 6 | Ibn Majah (824–889) | Sunan Ibn Majah | 4,000 |
Al-Kutub al-Arba'ah (Four Shia Books)
| No. | Compiler (Muhaddith) | Book Name | No. of Hadith |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Al-Kulayni (864–941) | Kitab al-Kafi | 15,176 |
| 2 | Al-Shaykh al-Saduq (918–991) | Man la yahduruhu al-Faqih | 9,044 |
| 3 | Al-Tusi (995–1067) | Tahdhib al-Ahkam | 13,590 |
| 4 | Al-Tusi (995–1067) | Al-Istibsar | 5,511 |