Understanding the Sunnah Pt.1 of 2
By Waleed Basyouni | 2026-01-10T11:59:02.179958+00:00 | Topic: Seerah
Understanding the Sunnah - Part 1
Opening Greetings and Introduction
As-salāmu alaykum wa rahmatullāhi wa barakātuh. All praise due to Allah and His blessing and peace and praise be upon Muhammad and his family and his followers and companions until the Day of Judgment. My dear brothers and sisters, here we go again talking with you in the second session for today.
And the title of this session is How to Understand the Sunnah. In the beginning, one brother told me that, you know, try to make it more excitement because I don't want to fall asleep. And I'm sorry to tell you that, that I don't know how excitement I can be in this session because this session specifically might need a little bit of concentrating more than the first one because there is a lot of intellectual issues that will come up in this session and I will try to keep it beneficial for all levels, in sha Allah ta'ala.
Setting the Context
And I hope that you didn't double your meat before you came to this session. I don't mean the double famous Trinidad sandwich. I mean that you trouble the amount of food that you consume so it can be heavy now to digest both the food and the knowledge.
But sha Allah, we'll try our best. How to understand Sunnah? How to understand Sunnah? Very good question because this is, I think it's a common question. So many people said, Sheikh, how can I understand the Sunnah of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam)? In order for me to answer this question, there is two points need to be made very clear in the beginning.
The Linguistic Meaning of Sunnah
One, one is the meaning of Sunnah. What this word Sunnah means, that we use a lot. As Sunnah in Arabic language, linguistically speaking, Sunnah it means the way or a way that has been perceived.
Somebody have gone through that path before and people follow him, that we call it Sunnah. So it's something referring to the way of somebody. It could be related to literally a path or a road.
And could relate it to manners, something spiritually, a way or a character of somebody. Talking about somebody's life or his way of life. So this can be called also Sunnah.
This is technically or this is the linguistic meaning of the word Sunnah in the Arabic language. So Sunnah always refer to the way of somebody. Okay, the way he carry himself, the way he behave, the way he act. Good or bad. It could be good, it could be bad. But always Sunnah refer to the good way of doing things or dealing with things.
Examples of Good and Bad Sunnah
That's why Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) said whoever have a start good Sunnah and start bad Sunnah. So bad Sunnah means a bad way of doing things, bad habit. And some other, like whoever start the bad habit of going to street and drinking and being almost naked in the street and thinks this is something good.
This is a bad habit. Somebody start that Sunnah and people carry on generation after generation, century after centuries. This is bad habit.
That's called bad Sunnah. Good Sunnah, for example of somebody establish a charity organization. Looking after the poor people in the community. Helping the people who looking for a job. Training them, providing skill for them to get a job. Looking after the waiters.
This is somebody establish organization like that. And people start carrying on after him this habit or this way. We call this good Sunnah.
We're saying this is a good Sunnah that he start.
Multiple Meanings of Sunnah in Islamic Law
Technically speaking, in Sharia, the definition of Sunnah in the Islamic Sharia or the Islamic law. Sunnah has different meanings.
And this is very, very important point for all of you to understand. Arabic language has something very common in it. That one word can be used and to be referred to different meanings.
And sometimes these meanings not related to each other. This is something you have to be very careful with. When you deal with the terminologies in Quran and Sunnah in the science of Islamic science.
You have to understand what this word means. In this particular science or in this particular statement. Because it could carry different meanings.
The Six Different Meanings of Sunnah
And Sunnah, one of these words who can carry more than five different meanings. More than five different meanings. For example, Sunnah used one of the meanings.
First Meaning: Sunnah as Counterpart to Quran We say Al-Quran and Al-Sunnah. So Al-Quran, it is what Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala have revealed to Muhammad. And he delivered to us. And Al-Sunnah, which is Al-Quran, the words from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. The meanings all from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And Al-Sunnah, it's something in Nabi (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) been told. But in Nabi (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) use his own words to express it. So Al-Quran and Al-Sunnah.
Second Meaning: Sunnah as Recommended Acts Another time, we say Al-Sunnah. And we refer to something which is Sunnah, which it means not obligatory to do. You're not must doing it. We said Sunnah, it means a volunteer act. Recommended thing to do. You will not be punished by leaving it. Or it's not a sin to leave it. So we say Sunnah or some ulama would say Sunnah. And a counterpart with Fard or Wajib, obligation.
Third Meaning: Sunnah as Opposite to Bid'ah Also, we say third meaning, Sunnah and Bid'ah. Bid'ah, it means innovation. Something been invented in the religion. Has no base in the religion. And Sunnah, it means something in the religion. Something from Quran, from the prophet, whatever. So here, Al-Sunnah referred to something totally different. Than Al-Sunnah which is counterpart with Al-Quran. Which is a counterpart with Al-Wajib or what is obligated.
Fourth Meaning: Sunnah as Opposite to Shia The fourth meaning also, Al-Sunnah, the opposite from Shia. We say Sunnah and Shia. It's a very common use as well. So Sunnah, it means somebody who doesn't believe in the Shia's beliefs. The Shia's beliefs who believe that Ali is the one who worthy of the Imam after the prophet. That's why they believe that the rest of the companions, Abu Bakr and Umar, they have done injustice by being Khalifas and they are Kuffar and so on. So this Shia, this Shiaism or this methodology or this group or this sect, call themselves Shia.
In another hand, you call Sunnah. Even among those Sunnah can somebody who practice some other innovations. But we still consider him Sunnah because he's not Shia. He's not Shia.
Fifth Meaning: Sunnah as Theological Beliefs Also sometimes, Sunnah refer to the belief matters. Only belief matters, not practical issues, not fiqh issues. So when you say for example, Sharhul Sunnah, a book called Sharhul Sunnah Al-Barbahari. This book refer to the Sharhul Sunnah, it is the belief of Ahlul Sunnah. So it's related to the science of theology. The science of theology. But other than that, Sunnah can be refer only to the theology or to the aqeedah, to the belief, to the creed of the Muslim.
Sixth Meaning: Sunnah as the Entire Religion Also, Sunnah could be used to refer to the whole religion. So Sunnah will be equal to the word religion. The word religion. Beliefs and practicing. Fiqh and aqeedah all together. Like Imam Al-Baghawi has a famous book called Sharhul Sunnah. It means the religion. Every single thing in the religion in it.
Which Meaning We Are Discussing
How many now we have? Who's writing? How many? Six, seven? Seven. Okay, you have seven. I have here only six. Okay, six. We have six so far.
Good. So this is six different meanings for the Sunnah. Six different meanings for the Sunnah.
So which meaning we talking about here in our lecture? Who can guess? Are we talking about the Sunnah? In a sense, that religion? Which is include Al-Quran, Al-ljmaa, Kansan, everything? So this out.
We talk about the Sunnah as the opposite of the Shia? We talk about the Sunnah as the opposite of the Bid'ah? No. So three out.
We talk about the Sunnah which is recommended act? Like the Fuqaha use, the jurist use? No. So we still have two. Which is Sunnah as a counterpart with Al-Quran? Or Sunnah which it means the whole religion? No, we don't talk about that as well.
So we left out with a Sunnah as the counterpart with Al-Quran. So we said Al-Quran was Sunnah. How we understand Al-Quran? And now how we understand the Sunnah?
Definition of Sunnah in Our Context
So what is the definition of Sunnah here? Al-Ulema said the definition is like this. Whatever the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) said or did or approved or whatever the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) was described with. This is called Sunnah. I'll say that again.
The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) whatever he did, he said, he approved or he was described with. Four things. So the Sunnah include... Ameen? Ameen Aman? What is his name? Yeah. What is his name? Fazir? Fazir. The Sunnah include his actions, his statements, and the Prophets. I want to make it exciting. You asked me to do that. So I have to let you be part of the conversation. Fazir, I'm really including you in the speech.
Yeah, I mean it. I'm not kidding. Okay.
So the Sunnah is his actions, his words, statements, whatever he approved, and the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) whatever he was described with. From his manners or his physical description. All this is called Sunnah. All this is called Sunnah or the science of Hadith. If you want to use another word also to express that meaning.
Examples of the Four Categories of Sunnah
Statements of the Prophet
Who can give me an example of a statement the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) said? Anybody? Yes. And the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) said, Every innovation lead to the hellfire. Every misguided lead to the hellfire. That's good example.
Actions of the Prophet
Another example, the other part is what he did. Can anybody give me a Hadith or a Sunnah from his actions? Another person. Yes, yes. Go ahead. Yes, like the description of his praying. When Malik ibn al-Huwairith said to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam),when he, for example, before he stand up to the first rakah, he set a very light sitting.
For a few seconds before he goes straight to the second rakah, and to the fourth rakah. Which is a rest, a very short time. And the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) when he make takbir, for example, he said the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) raise his hand towards his shoulders, facing the Qibla and his fingers together.
It's not like, Allahu Akbar. Some people said, Allahu Akbar. No, it's like this, Allahu Akbar.
And some people, the Allahu, you know, and if it didn't touch, it have to be did again. It has to touch. Also, this is not something I'm aware that ever been reported that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) touch his ear when he make takbir.
But in the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) when he make takbir, the Sunnah has been reported he will be towards his shoulders, beside his shoulder or beside his ear like this. This or like this. Anyway, so this is an action.
What the Prophet Approved
Something the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) approved. Quickly. Approved.
So in the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) for example, in Umrah, when he doing the Umrah or Hajj, some of the Sahaba would not say لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ. They would say something like لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ حَقًّا حَقًّا، لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ تَعَبدًا وَرِقًا، لَبَّيْكَ ذَا الْمَعَارِجِ ، لَبَّيْكَ ذَا الْفَوَاضِلِ، لَبَّيْكَ وَسَعْدَيْكَ، وَالْخَيْرُ بِيَدَيْكَ. They will say another way of talbiyah. In the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) approve it.
Talbiyah it means, لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ. When you go to Hajj. So in the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) approve this talbiyah. So became part of the Sunnah. Or the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) saw somebody made a supplication, then the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) approve it. So it became part of our Sunnah.
Such as, when you raise from the Ruku You say رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ حَمْدًا كَثِيرًا طَيِّبًا مُبَارَكًا فِيهِ مِلْءَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمِلْءَ الْأَرْضِ وَمِلْءَ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ شَيْءٍ بَعْدُ، أَهْلَ الثَّنَاءِ وَالْمَجْدِ. The Prophet didn't say that. But the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) saw a man did that, and he said, What you did is great. The angels wrote it down. So became Sunnah because the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) approve it. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) approve it.
Descriptions of the Prophet
Description. I gave you a lot yesterday and today as well. Description. Yes. And the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) described that he had a long hair. That's the description, physical description. About his manners. He was humble, he was generous, whatever. He used to smile (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam)
So all this called Sunnah. All this called Sunnah. So it is what he did, what he said, what he approved. And what he was described with from his manners. Or from his characteristics, (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam). Now we know what the meaning of the Sunnah.
The Obligation to Follow the Sunnah
Okay. Let's know what's the rule in regarding following the Sunnah. Al Ulama said, The Sunnah must be followed. The Sunnah must be accepted. And Allah said,
Whatever the messenger have given you, you must take. Whatever the messenger of Allah have given you, you must take.
Story of Ibn Mas'ud and the Woman from Bani Asad
Once Ibn Mas'ud رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ said in a speech, That Allah cursed the woman who plucked her eyebrows. Then a woman from Bani Asad, a tribe called Bani Asad, came to the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ,came to Ibn Mas'ud, said, Ibn Mas'ud, you're claiming that Allah cursed the woman who plucked her eyes, her eyebrows. Where you got that from? I am an educated woman.
Okay. I'm an educated woman. And I read the whole entire Quran. And I can bring the Quran now. Show me what is it in the Quran. See how a woman, she knows how to talk. She express herself in very well, carry herself in a very well manners. She wanna learn. Then Ibn Mas'ud said, If you read Al-Quran, you must come across it.
Then she said, where is it? She said, didn't you hear what Allah said?
)Quran 59:7) - Whatever the messenger have ordered you to do, you must follow. I heard the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ myself, saying that Allah cursed the woman who plucked her eyebrows, and the woman who will do that to her. So, since Allah ordered us to follow what the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ said that it means it is in the Quran.
Also, Ibn Abbas used the same verse, when he was talking about some type of containers, you're not allowed to use, because they used to use it to make alcohol in it. He recited this verse.
Scholarly Consensus on Following the Sunnah
That's why Al-Imam Al-Shafi'i رَحِمَهُ اللهُ said I have never ever heard about a single Muslim scholars. A single Muslim scholars would say, following Sunnah is not a must. Is not a must. Allah have made it very clear in Quran.
As Al-Imam Ahmad رَحِمَهُ اللهُ said, I have read Al-Quran, and I found in more than 33 times, Allah ordered us to follow the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ. Allah said,
Quran (4:59) - All who you believe, obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and the Ulil Amr, the people in charge, which is the Ulama or and the leaders.
Quran 4:59) - If you have any dispute, refer your matter to Allah, and to His Messenger صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ.
Allah is always there, but in Nabi صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ after his death, we refer to, how we refer to Allah? We go in the desert, say, Allah, we have this dispute, come and solve it? Do we do that? Answer me, do we do that? No, we refer to Allah by referring to, the book of Allah, by the words of Allah, which is the Quran. How we refer to the Prophet, to go to his grave and said, Oh Muhammad, come and solve this problem for us? No, the same thing. We refer to His sunnah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
Quran 4:59) - If you believe in Allah on the Day of Judgment.
Further Quranic Evidence
Allah said also in the other verse, in surah al-Ahzab, verse 36
Quran 33:36) - not up to a believer, male or female, not up to you when Allah and His Messenger صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ decide on something, order something, to have a choice. You have no choice.
You say, oh, I don't like it. It's not up to you anymore. Whatever Allah decide, whatever the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ said, you have no choice. Then he said, whoever will disobey Allah and His Messenger, he is clearly in a clear misguidance.
Allah said,
Quran 4:80) - Whoever obey the Prophet, he's obeying Allah.
Quran 4:65) - By Allah, they will not be a believer. Until they will submit themselves to whatever judgment you will judge between them, or whatever you they will not feel any hesitation in their hearts against your judgment. Any against to the Prophet's صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ judgment.
It's so many verses. Allah said,
Quran 4:115) - In Surah An-Nisa, Allah said in verses 115, who the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ, the order of the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَafter he knows this is the guidance of Muhammad صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ, and he will follow other way, other the way of the believers, Allah will let him go astray, and his destiny will be in the jahannam. His destiny will be in the jahannam.
The Clear Command to Obey the Prophet
So Allah in Qur'an once ordered us to obey the Prophet. Once ordered us to obey Allah and the Prophet together. And it's also you find Allah said that obeying the Prophet is the sign of iman.
And disobeying the Prophet is the sign of disbelief. And saying that whoever obey the Prophet go to the jannah. And whoever disobey the Prophet go to the jahannam.
And order us to respond quickly, and with full submission to the Prophet when he call us, or ask us to do something. Very clear. In the sunnah of the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَan-Nabi صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ said it clearly, that he must be followed.
That an-Nabi صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ said, whoever will follow other my sunnah, is not among my ummah, is not among my nation. An-Nabi صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ said, the best guidance is the guidance of the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ. And the best matter is the innovation, which is other than the way of the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ. And every innovation goes and lead to jahannam. It's very simple.
The Path to Paradise
This is your target. This is the jannah. This is the paradise. So you want to go to the paradise. And this is the way to the paradise, the jannah. The sunnah, the way of the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ. An-Nabi صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ said, every innovation, is leading to the jahannam.
Every innovation leading to the jahannam. So if you use other way than the sunnah, what happen to you? Use another path other than the sunnah. Where to go? You miss your goal.
You go this way, you go this way, you go this way. Okay? So, simple as that. There is only two places in the hereafter. Paradise and jahannam. So if you miss this, you are in the other one. So that's why the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ said every misguided is leading to the jahannam.
Because you miss your goal. Because the only way to this way, is the way of the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ. The sunnah of the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ.
Prophecy About Future Rejection of Sunnah
An-Nabi صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ actually have said to us, like told us, said one day will come. And there is a man will be sitting in his couch. And he will hear the hadith. And he would say, is this in the Qur'an? Whatever in Qur'an we accept. Whatever is not in the Qur'an we will not accept.
Then the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ said, by the one my soul in his hand, whatever I say, or obeying me like obeying Allah. Because An-Nabi صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ does not say anything from his own. Allah said, everything he said to you from the religion, or related to the religion, it is something Allah have revealed it to him. (وَمَا يَنْطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ - 53:3-4 Quran)
Examples of the Companions' Adherence to Sunnah
why you will see a great Imam like Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ said I will never leave anything from the sunnah of the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم. Anything any tiny thing I will not leave it. Because if I'm afraid if I leave it, I will be among those who will be misguided, and I will go to jahannam.
You will see that As-Sahaba رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُم used to be very careful about following the footsteps of the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم. Sometimes to very literal way. Ibn Mas'ud once said, An-Nabi صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم stand up in the minbar after the Salat, and he was walking inside the masjid.
An-Nabi صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم said, Everybody sit down. Ibn Mas'ud said, Wallahi, one feet was outside the masjid, and the other feet is inside the masjid. He said, when I heard him said sit down, I sat just right there. I did not put the feet outside inside, or the one inside outside. I just sat the same way. Full obedience. Full obedience to the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم
The Companions Never Questioned Obligations
As-Sahaba were the best example. As Ibn Al-Qayyim رَحِمَهُ اللهُ said, We never heard, ever, that An-Nabi صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم told the companions something, and one of the Sahaba said, Ya Rasulallah, is this a wajib, obligation or just recommended? I'm like, you know, when somebody tell you, Shaykh, I have a question. I said, yes. I said, don't do it. He said, yeah, yeah, it is haram, or it's makruh, you know. I said, don't do it.
An-Nabi صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم ever see the books of hadith you have, research it until the Day of Judgment. Okay? You will never see a single incident. One of them said, Ya Rasulallah, it's really, I don't have to do it? Or can I do it, you know? There is nothing like that.
Do it, do it. Don't do it, don't do it. That's it. All of it. Whenever the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم ordered them to do something, Yaqul Ibn Al-Qayyimtaqa' min qulubihim mawqa' al-qabuli wa'l-taslim. It only reach their heart with an open heart. No finish, no problem. Right. With open heart.
So they will, having an open heart, and they will not ever question the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم about these things. Whatever he said, he will do it. He will obey the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم's order.
Consensus and Logic Supporting Obedience to the Prophet
There is a consensus among the Muslims, ummah, that following the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم is must. You know, also logic lead to that. You know, Nabi صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم order us to follow the amirs, the leaders.
So what about the amir of all amirs? Allah order us to follow the scholars when they give you the knowledge. What about the scholar who over all other scholars? Which is Muhammad صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم . Is it make more sense to follow him? If you have to follow your leader, the scholar, so it make more sense to follow the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم.
Also, it make sense, the logic also lead to this conclusion. Because we know that whatever the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم tell us from the religion, it is from Allah. It's not from his own. So, it is in one sense equal to the Qur'an. That's why Nabi صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم said in the very beautiful hadith, make it very clear.
He said, I have been given a Qur'an and what is similar to it. Which is his sunnah. So, if the Qur'an and sunnah come from the same resource, so they should have the same authority. Make sense, you know what I'm saying? Otherwise, when you differentiate between things are similar to each other, you're not making any sense. So the logic lead to this conclusion.
Allah's Promise to Protect the Deen
Also from another perspective, logically we can prove it, that if we know that Allah when he said, Surah Al-Hijr verse 9, I want you to remember this verse very well. This verse Allah said,
Quran 15:9) - we have sent down the dhikr. We have sent down the dhikr. And we are going to protect it. We are going to protect it.
Al-dhikr referred here in this surah to Al-Qur'an and al-sunnah together. So many people think this surah only related or this verse only related or ayah to the Qur'an. That's absolutely not right. As Imam Ibn Hazm رَحِمَهُ اللهُ said beautiful words. He said, if this verse related only to Qur'an, that Allah protecting Al-Qur'an is not gonna protect the sunnah from being lost or being changed.
It wouldn't make any sense to protect Al-Qur'an only. If Allah protect for us, perform the salat. And he will not protect and save for us how to pray. It doesn't make any sense to save this verse, pray, perform prayer. Okay, how? How to make hajj? Okay, Allah order us to make hajj, to make zakat. How we do that? So the explanation of this word must to be saved in order for the Qur'an to be saved.
Because Allah doesn't wanna save words with no meanings. Allah wanna save the words and the meanings of the words. So that's why Al-Qur'an and sunnah included in this verse.
Revelation of Sunnah to the Prophet
And Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala have revealed the sunnah to Muhammad. Listen to what Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala said in surah An-Nisa verse 113
Quran 4:113) - Allah have sent down to you the book and the hikmah. And he taught you what you didn't know before.
And listen to the verse in surah before that, surah Al-Baqarah verse 231
Quran (2:231) - subhanahu wa ta'ala have bestowed upon you. That he sent down to you the book and the hikmah. The book and the hikmah. And no doubt that the hikmah here in these verses is the sunnah. Is the sunnah which Allah have send it to people.
And Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala said in this surah Al-Nahl, write it down you can read it later. Verse 44,
Quran 16:44) - Listen carefully, we have sent down to you a dhikr. So a dhikr will explain to people what Allah have revealed to them. I would say that again, we have sent down to you a dhikr. So this dhikr will explain what Allah have sent down to them.
What Allah have sent down to us? Al-Qur'an. But he sent down to us in the same times a dhikr. So a dhikr will explain the Qur'an. Al-Qur'an said perform the salat. Al-Dhikr tell you how and when and what is the
Documentation of the Sunnah
In this case, I would like to ask you a question. And you raise your hand. When you think Al-Sunnah was written? Al-Sunnah, the process statement and actions and descriptions and approve. When it was documented? When you think it was documented? Raise your hand if you know the answer. I'll give you three options.
You can choose other option if you want. It's totally up to you. It's a free country, isn't it? Okay. It's a carnival time as well. So you're free to do whatever you want. Go ahead.
100 Hijri, 150 Hijri, 83 Hijri, 0 Hijri. Means in the Prophet's time. Huh? Zero? That's what it refers? No, no. Zero refers to the time of the Prophet. When he was living in Medina. Raise your hand. Raise your hand, man. Okay. So, let's make it more clear.
Documentation During the Prophet's Lifetime
Okay. The zero one. So, the sunnah was documented in the Prophet's time? Absolutely correct. But not the whole entire sunnah. But the documenting the sunnah, been written during the Prophet's life. So many people, they don't know that.
They don't know that the sunnah, the Prophet's hadith, and the Prophet's statement, and the Prophet's whatever teaching he used to teach, it was documented during the Prophet's time. Even in the Prophet's time, had the specified special writers, who only allowed to write his sunnah, such as Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As. He said, Ya Rasulallah, some of the companions telling me, I should not write what you're saying.
He said, wait. Why? Everything comes out of my mouth is the truth. Write what I'm saying. Write what I'm saying. But in the Prophet's time, told the people who used to write al-Qur'an, to write al-Qur'an, the Qur'an, they are not allowed to write the sunnah. So has a special writer for the Qur'an, special writer for the sunnah.
Or whoever will write some verses, he is forbidden to write with the verses of the Qur'an, anything else other than the Qur'an.
Comparison with Other Religious Texts
You know, one of the biggest problem when you study the history of any religion, especially when you study the history of the Bible, Christianity and things like that, you will see the problem, the big problem happen, when they mix the word of Jesus and the word of the narrators. And the word of somebody adding his own words.
Or the word of God and the word of Jesus himself. So it became mixed. And generation after generation, you can split, you can separate them. You see, one of the edition I saw for the Bible written, they said, whatever in red is only what Jesus said. And whatever in black is what the scholars or his companions said. And it was very surprised to me when I read, when I go over the whole book, and then there is like some statistics, that only 35% of the Bible is actually what referred that statement of Jesus, or something close to that.
But the rest of it, it's more like the narrator, saying and describing what happening. So, this is something very interesting, very interesting to know, that Nabi (صلى الله عليه وسلم) follow this method, to save Al- Qur'an from being mixed as a text with anything else.
Official Documentation Projects
So, As-Sunnah was documented in the early time of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) but the official, official order for documenting and collecting the Sunnah, in one book, actually it goes back to the prince of Egypt in that time, his name Abdulaziz ibn Marwan, who was living in the year 85 Hijri.
Okay, he died in 85 Hijri. He ordered somebody, his name Quthayr ibn Murrah, to collect the Ahadith of the Sahaba that he met. Quthayr, he met 70 companions who witnessed the battle of Badr. He met 70 Badri. This Tabi, met 70 from the Badriyyil, from the early Muslims' companions. And he collected the Ahadith of them, and the Ahadith of Abu Hurairah, and he collected over 5,000 Hadith. 5,000 Hadith. And this documentary is existed until today.
Books Written by the Companions
And you will see some letters or some books written by the companions themselves. By the companion themselves. It is been narrated and until today we have it. We have it.
Just give you an example. Anas ibn Malik (رضي الله عنه ورحمه الله), he used to have books. He wrote all the Ahadith that he memorized in a book. And he used to read from it when he teach the second generation. The Tabi'een. Also Ibn Mas'ud.
Ibn Mas'ud had a book. And this book he wrote, and the Ahadith that he collected from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and heard from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). That's why his son Abdurrahman was a Tabi'ee. When you read in the biography, before he goes outside to narrate the Ahadith, he will read in the book of his father.
And Ali (رضي الله عنه) also has a documentary, or has a book that he document in it, some of the Ahadith. And the whole entire book been narrated and reported by Musnad Imam Ahmed.
Ibn Umar has the same thing. Samurah Ibn Jundub has another book. And the whole entire book exists in the book called Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd, which is published today.
If you want to use your cell phone, you can go outside and use the phone. Also Sa'd Ibn Ubadah, another companion. The whole entire book that he wrote, or collected from the Sunnah, had been reported, or been narrated through, or exists in the book of Al-Umm by Al-Shafi'i and Al-Kamil.
Also, Ibn A'idh had collected the Ahadith of Mu'adh Ibn Jabal. And Jabir has another book. It also exists in Musannaf Abdul Razzaq.
Importance of Early Documentation
So when you look at this, you will understand clearly that the Sunnah documented in the very early age, in the very early time, in the time of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). That give you kind of trust, because we have a big problem with people raising doubts about the authenticity of Sunnah. Authenticity of Sunnah that it has root, or a connected root. Also, this will refute some big misconception people think, Al-Bukhari is the first one who collected the Sunnah.
That's absolutely wrong. Absolutely wrong. The Sunnah collects a hundred years, or been officially documented before that.
Ibn Shihab Al-Zuhri's Role
Also, Ibn Shihab Al-Zuhri had a great role in collecting the Sunnah. And who ordered him to do that? The prince of Medina in that time, his name is Umar Ibn Abdul Aziz, who became Khalifa later on. He ordered Ibn Shihab Al-Zuhri to collect the Sunnah in a formal way.
Okay, Shaykh, that means it was not documented. No, it's documented, but was not collected. The same thing, the Qur'an was written, but when it was officially gathered in one Mus'haf, in one Mus'haf, in the time of Abu Bakr, then in the time of Uthman.
The same thing with the Sunnah. The same thing with the Sunnah. But the Sunnah came later, because now they concentrate about the Qur'an, and they were working the Sunnah at the same time, but in the time of the Bani Umayyah, it had been completely done and been documented, and there is a lot of work been done to that.
Building Trust in the Sunnah
How can we trust the Sunnah first, before we understand it? How can we trust it? One, we trust it because I told you Allah promised that He will save this book, and this Deen. Allah promised to save the Deen.
And the Deen cannot be understand without the Sunnah. So the Sunnah also been saved.
Two, if you understand the methodology of the scars of Hadith, you will understand why you should trust the Sunnah. Because when you deal with the Sunnah with trust, you understand how to deal with it.
So many people, brother and sister, who had a problem with so many Hadith, because they don't have trust. If you go back to this foundation, you will find the foundation shaking. They don't have a trust that the Sunnah is an authentic source of information.
Story of the American Professor's Conversion
I met in Chicago once a professor, he's a white American brother, who was not Muslim, when he start studying the history of Sunnah and the Hadith. He said, I always had this doubt, because I raised in the western universities, about the authenticity of how accurate and can be trusted the verbal way of transferring information. When I tell you something, you carry it to another. How much can we trust that? You know, we always have a doubt about that. And I couldn't imagine somebody can memorize all these numbers of Hadith in the same words, so what if it's changed? Always.
He said, until one day I come across the internet Shaykh in Saudi Arabia, his name is Abdullah Saad. He's a good, he's a well-known Shaykh, I know him personally. Anyway, this man is amazing. He's really amazing. He said, when I come across one of his lectures, I became Muslim. He has a PhD in Hadith, in science of Hadith. He became Muslim after he heard this Shaykh. He said, I understand why. But I'll tell you why.
Abdullah Saad's Remarkable Memory
Abdullah Saad basically memorized al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, with the chain of the narrators. Okay? And I remember once we were sitting in a dinner, then I said, Abdullah, I want to test you a little bit. I remember the book, he said, okay, I have here al-Tirmidhi, and I want you to narrate to me, to tell me all the Hadith that al-Hasan al-Basri narrated through Jabir ibn Samurah, for instance. Then he said, okay.
In al-Tirmidhi, in the first chapter, book this, there's one Hadith, the Hadith, he gave the whole chain of the narrator, then the text of the Hadith. Then you go to the second chapter, there's nothing there. Third and fourth, and so on.
And we have the book. Then he goes to Abu Dawood, then al-Tirmidhi, then al-Nasa'i, al-Bukhari, al- Muslim, six books, he talked about thousands of narrations, thousands of chain of narration, like this, like computer. You know, it says, research, enter. It's the same thing, research, enter. Then he come up with that.
He said, when he heard him talking, he never said any Hadith without mentioning the chain of narrator. This professor, Anthony, he told me, Sheikh Walid, when he heard that, when he heard that somebody in the 21st century can do that with barely, he said, I go and I check the Hadith myself, with barely, and not a single mistake. Not a single mistake, he said, I found.
I understand if this can be exist in the time of cable TVs and Super Nintendos and all these things in this centuries, it's very possible to be exist in 20th century ago. That's make a lot of, or 1400 years ago. That's very possible. But it can be transferred in a very thin way.
The Science of Hadith Authentication
And I told him, you don't need Abdullah Saad to believe that. I said, we have very easy, very simple method. I'm just, I can go over that, because that can be a whole course for a whole week. Talk about the authenticity of Sunnah. But, I just wanted to understand something. The big questions that people raise, especially whoever in universities, and meet intellectual people, debate happen about this issue.
I wanted you to understand something. The big question they always raise, how can you tell that this narrator did not make a mistake? How can you tell that Abu Huraira did not forget, or he'd mix up between the words? This is the biggest mistake, biggest argument they always have. I tell them, it's very simple.
The science of Hadith is not blind faith, taking for granted every word, every great person saying. No, let's say this narrator said something. Walid, let's say. I said one text. Then this text, it's almost impossible to find one text, only been narrated through one person. It's almost impossible.
Okay? So, that text must be narrated by through, or through other people as well. So if you found that Walid have said something different than these three people said. We said that's minus one. Good man, okay, I can take him for granted. No! They check, and let's say, also they have another very critical method.
The Method of Cross-Verification
There is a famous Shaykh, somebody like Sufyan al-Thawri. Sufyan al-Thawri for example, has one thousand students. One thousand narrator. It's impossible that one person will narrate something about Sufyan. And this is very, especially in Aqidah, or in Salat, very important Hadith, or very important issue. Only one person, and no other students narrated.
In this case, they call it (يَرْوِي الْمَنَاكِيرَ عَنِ الْمَشاهير) - He narrate weird things about famous people. That's not acceptable. Like if somebody said, Wallahi, I saw Shaykh Ibn Baz doing this and this. No! How can you say that? There is hundreds of students of Shaykh Ibn Baz. He cannot just came of nowhere saying he used to do that. Must be narrated by other people as well.
Moving to Understanding the Sunnah
So they have this method, and very picky, and very careful about the authenticity of the narrations. So, no doubt that Ulama has a methodology and conditions for the Hadith to be acceptable, and not to be acceptable, and to be rejected.
If now we understand what the meaning of Sunnah, we understand why it is obligated to follow the Sunnah, and now we coming to here, to the point we understand it's authentic, okay, I have this feeling. Now the next step, how can I understand the Sunnah? How to understand the Sunnah? Basically, you already understand the Sunnah through this process, but there is other tips I will give to you as well.
One, the Sunnah of the Prophet (صَلَّىٰ ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wasallam) you have to understand.