Salafus-Saaliheen سلف صالحين

Dear noble reader, may Allaah shower his mercy upon you, have we ever wondered what is the Sunnah (way), and what is it’s place in Islaam? Know that Allaah, by His mercy upon us, has not just sent us His Words, the Qur’aan, but He also sent a messenger to teach us, even though we have the ability to read the Qur’aan.

This is why Allaah said:

“And We (Allaah) have revealed to you Muhammad, The Reminder (The Qur’aan) so that you may explain clearly to mankind that which has been revealed to them.” [an-Nahl 16:44]




THE DEFINITION

By definition the Sunnah is
• whatever the Prophet sallallaahu 'alahi wa sallam said,
• whatever the Prophet sallallaahu 'alahi wa sallam did or
• whatever the Prophet sallallaahu 'alahi wa sallam approved of by being silent.

This means, that whatever the Prophet sallallaahu 'alahi wa sallam commanded us to do, and commanded us to stay away from, and whatever occurred in front of him or was narrated to him and he kept silent about, all of it is the Sunnah.

The term Sunnah is also referred to in matters of Creed and Methodology. This reference can be seen in many of the books of the scholars of the past, ranging from the time of the Sahaabah up until our times.




THE EVIDENCES TO FOLLOW THE SUNNAH


EVIDENCES FROM THE QUR’AAN

• Hold on to whatever the Prophet sallallaahu 'alahi wa sallam gave us:

"Whatever the Prophet sallallaahu 'alahi wa sallam orders you with, then hold on to it, and whatever he forbade, then stay away from it." [al-Hashr 59:7]

• Whatever he sallallaahu 'alahi wa sallam said was revelation:

"He does not speak out of his own desire, but it is revelation that is revealed to him." [an-Najm 53:3-4]

• The Prophet sallallaahu 'alahi wa sallam is an example:

"Indeed, in the Messenger of Allaah (Muhammad) you have a good example to follow..." [al-Ahzab 33:21]

• Obeying him sallallaahu 'alahi wa sallam gives life:

"O you who believe! Answer Allaah, by obeying Him and His Messenger when he (sallallaahu 'alahi wa sallam) calls you to that which will give you life, and know that Allaah comes in between a person and his heart (i.e. He prevents an evil person to decide anything). And verily to Him you shall (all) be gathered." [al-Anfal 8:24]

• Loving Allaah is by following the Prophet sallallaahu 'alahi wa sallam:

"Say (O Muhammad to mankind): "If you really love Allaah, then follow me (i.e. accept Islaamic Monotheism, follow the Qur'aan and the Sunnah), Allaah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."" [Aali Imran 3:31]



EVIDENCES FROM THE AUTHENTICE AHADEETH

• By following the Sunnah one will never be misguided:

“I have left amongst you two matters that if you adhere to them you will never be misguided; The Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Prophet.” [Maalik, al-Haakim, al-Baihaaqee]

• Obeying the Prophet results in entering Paradise:

“All of my Ummah will enter Paradise except those who refuse.” It was said, “Who will refuse?” He replied, “Whoever obeys me enters Paradise and whoever disobeys me has refused.” [al-Bukhaaree]

• Breaking away from the Sunnah results in not being from the Prophet sallallaahu 'alahi wa sallam :

“Whoever breaks away from my Sunnah is not from me.” [al-Bukhaaree]




OBEYING THE MESSENGER IS LIKE OBEYING ALLAAH


Allaah attests to this fact:

"Whoever obeys the Messenger then verily he obeys Allaah" [an-Nisaa 4:80]

"He does not speak out of his own desire, but it is revelation that is revealed to him." [an-Najm 53:3-4]


The Prophet sallallaahu 'alahi wa sallam also attests to this fact:

“Whoever obeys me, obeys Allaah. Whoever disobeys me, disobeys Allaah.” [al-Bukhaaree & Muslim]




THE MISUNDERSTANDING

After understanding this we should also be aware of the misunderstanding of some people of what the Sunnah is. They hold the belief that the Sunnah is something voluntary and therefore if done, one will be rewarded and if left off, one will not be punished. This definition of the Sunnah is used strictly in the area of Islamic jurisprudence as termed by the scholars of Fiqh. For example, the voluntary payers before and after Salaatudh-Dhuhr is called the “Sunnah of Dhuhr.” As for the Shari’ah then this understanding is not applied.

To give an example of the application of this (mis)understanding: We all agree that the Salaah (the Prayer) is from the Sunnah (the way) of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alahi wa sallam. Now, if we were to apply this (mis)understanding we would come to the conclusion that the five obligatory prayers are merely voluntary. And if we perform them, we would be rewarded, and if we abandon them, we would not be punished. This clearly contradicts the order of Allaah in His book and the order of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alahi wa sallam in the authenticated Hadeeth of the obligation of the five daily prayers.

Clearly we can see that the Sunnah has a more profound meaning than that of just being voluntary acts. We should understand that even the smallest of actions of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alahi wa sallam, for example: his manner of eating, walking, or sleeping, are from his Sunnah and should be respected and not ridiculed or thought as something meager. Also, one should not ridicule anyone who tries to implement the Sunnah. This is because, one who ridicules this person, is in fact ridiculing the Sunnah of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alahi wa sallam.



THE WARNINGS FOR NOT FOLLOWING THE SUNNAH


WARNINGS FROM THE QUR’AAN:

Allaah threatens by His Fire:

"Whosoever opposes the messenger even after guidance has been conveyed to him…Allaah will leave him the path he has chosen and land him in the Fire. What an evil abode." [an-Nisaa 4:115]

Allaah threatens by denial of Eemaan (Faith):

"But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission." [An-Nisa 4:65]

Allaah threatens by some Fitnah:

"And let those who oppose the Messenger's (Muhammad sallallaahu 'alahi wa sallam) commandment (i.e. his Sunnah legal ways, orders, acts of worship, statements, etc.) beware, lest some Fitnah (disbelief, trials, afflictions, earthquakes, killing, overpowered by a tyrant, etc.) befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them." [an-Nur 24:63]

Allaah threatens with disbelief:

"Say (O Muhammad): "Obey Allaah and the Messenger (Muhammad)." But if they turn away, then Allaah does not like the disbelievers." [Aali Imran 3:32]



WARNINGS FROM THE PROPHET:

The rejecters of the Sunnah:

“I had better not find anyone of you reclining on his bed and there comes to him one of my commandments or one of my prohibitions and he says about it, ‘I don’t know. Whatever we find in the Book of Allaah only do we follow.” [al-Baihaaqee, Ahmad, Abu Daawood & others]

“Soon it will be that a man will recline on his couch and will be narrated a hadeeth of my hadeeth and he will say: ‘Between us and you is the Book of Allaah. What we find allowed therein, we allow. What we find prohibited therein, we prohibit.’ But truly, what the Messenger of Allaah has forbidden is similar to what Allaah has forbidden.” [al-Baihaaqee, Ahmad & Ibn Maajah]


The threat of not entering Paradise:

“All of my Ummah will enter Paradise except those who refuse.” It was said, “Who will refuse?” He replied, “Whoever obeys me enters Paradise and whoever disobeys me has refused.” [al-Bukhaaree]




CONCLUSION

In conclusion, -may Allaah bless you- this matter of the Sunnah is undoubtedly an important one. Whether it is from the manner of the Salaah (Prayer), and Hajj, to growing the beards, and wearing the proper hijaab, to the manner of eating and sleeping, or even walking in the streets, all of it is important. They only vary in whether it is a matter that if left-off it would incur punishment or not. Therefore it is for each one of us to rectify ourselves with regard to the Sunnah, and thus reach success in this world and the next.

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