SUNNAH
THE INTEGRAL PART OF DIVINE TEACHING

Sheikh Muhammad   

One of the false ideas still being advanced by the enemies of Islam is that of the categorical rejection of the Sunnah. The argument that they advance is that it is enough to rely exclusively on the Quraan, since it is indeed a “book explaining all things.” (Surah al-Nahl: 89) Their objective in doing this is nothing less than to destroy Islam and overturn its teachings.

The Sunnah is explanatory of the Quraan and any vilification of Sunnah is consequently a vilification of the Quraan and a call to abandon several texts of the Quraan.

This claim appeared for the first time at the end of the Companions’ era. It developed until the time of the Western occupation.

The colonial powers, during their heyday, employed a number of Orientalists and Muslim pseudo-scholars to promote this idea as well as other deviant beliefs in the Muslim world.

The Companions, in their day, had confronted these claims. Hadhrat Hasan al-Basri related the following incident:

Hadhrat Imran bin Husain was sitting with his peers. One of them said to him: “Do not speak to us using anything except the Quraan.”

Hadhrat Imran told him: “Come closer.” When the man approached Hadhrat Imran asked him: “If you and your colleagues had nothing but the Quraan, would you find out that the Salaat uz Zuhr (Noon prayer) is four Rak’aat (units), the Salaat ul `Asr (Afternoon prayer) is four Rak’aat (units), and the Salaat ul Maghrib (prayer at sunset) is three Rak’aat (units) and that in it you read loudly in the first two Rak’aat (units)? Would you know that the Tawaaf around Ka`bah is completed in seven circuits and that the Sa’ee between Mounts Safaa and Marwah is seven?”

Then Imran said: “O people take this from me or otherwise you will be misguided.”(Al-Bayhaqî in Madkhal al-Dalâ’il 1/25, al-Khateeb in al-Kifaayah 48 and Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr in al-Jaam)

Scholars in the past were confronted with many similar ideas and expounded upon the evidence indicating the authority of the Sunnah. Imam Shaafi’ee, for example, clearly explained this issue in one of his books. He devotes a chapter to discussing the claims of those who reject the Sunnah.

The Sunnah of the Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) has to be followed as a source of Islamic knowledge. Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) commands us to do so, saying: “O ye who believe, obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and those charged with authority among you. If ye differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if ye do believe in Allah and the Last Day; that is best and most suitable for final determination” (Surah al-Nisaa: 59)

Shaikh Maymoon bin Mahraan explains:

The phrase “refer it to Allah” means to refer it to His Book, while the phrase “…and His Messenger” means to refer to him personally during his lifetime and to his Sunnah after him.

Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) says: “Say: If ye do love Allah, follow me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sins.” (Surah Aale-`Imraan: 31)

He says: “He who obeys the Messenger, obeys Allah.” (Surah al-Nisaa: 80)

He says: “So take what the Messenger gives you and refrain from what he prohibits you.” (Surah al-Hashr: 7)

Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) makes it clear that obedience to His Messenger (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) is obedience to Him. At the same time, He warns us not to disobey His Messenger (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam). Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) says: “Let those beware who disobey the Messenger’s order, lest some trial befall them, or a grievous chastisement be inflicted on them.” (Surah al-Noor: 64)

If the orders of the Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) were not important or obligatory, Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) would not warn against the disobedience by grievous chastisement.

Emulation of the Messenger (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) is described in the Quraan as a condition of faith and a means of salvation. Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) says: “You have indeed in the Messenger of Allah as excellent example for him whose hopes are in Allah and the final day” (Surah al-Ahzaab: 21)

He says: “But no, by your Lord, they can have no (real) faith, until they make you judge in all disputes between them and find in their souls no resistance against thy decisions but accept them with the fullest conviction.” (Surah al-Nisaa: 65)

The Sahaabah (Companions of the Prophet SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) understood from these verses that they refer to the Sunnah and they acted accordingly. Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood said: “Allah curses women who apply tattoos and who get themselves tattooed, women who pluck their eyebrows, and women who file their teeth to make gaps for beauty, altering Allah’s creation!” A woman who heard him say this took him to task for invoking such a curse. To this he replied: “Why should I not curse those whom the Messenger of Allah (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) cursed when that is in the Book of Allah? Allah Almighty says: ‘ So take what the Messenger gives you and refrain from what he prohibits you. ’” (Saheeh al-Bukhaari and Saheeh Muslim)

This understanding was articulated by Hadhrat Mo’aaz bin Jabal when the Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) sent him to Yemen :

The Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) asked him: “How will you judge among the people?”

Hadhrat Mo’aaz said: “By Allah’s book.”

The Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) asked him: “What if do not find a ruling for it therein?”

He said: “By the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger.”

The Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) said: “What if do not find a ruling for it therein?”

He said: “I will employ my opinion to the best of my knowledge and will not hesitate.”

The Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) slapped on his chest and said: “All praise is due to Allah that He guided the messenger of Allah’s Messenger to what pleases Allah and His Messenger.” (Sunan Abi Dawood 3592)

The Hadeeth that support the obligation to follow Sunnah are numerous.

The Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) said: “Verily I was given the Quraan and something else like it. It is feared that a man will sit fully satiated and backed by pillow and say: ‘You only have to abide by the Quraan. Whatever you find lawful, take it as lawful, and whatever you find unlawful take it as unlawful’. Nay! It is unlawful for you to eat the flesh of donkeys and carnivores possessing fangs. If you find something that belongs to someone who lives under (peace) treaty with Muslims, do not take it unless it is given up by its owner…” (Sunan Abi Dawood)

Imam al-Khattaabi discusses this Hadeeth saying: “The Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) warns against opposing the Sunnah that is not mentioned in the Quraan. This was actually the practice of the Khawaarij and Shi’ah who used to adhere to the apparent meanings of the Quraan and abandon the Sunnah that explains the Quraan. This was, in fact, the cause of their misguidance.”

Moreover, the Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) said: “Hold fast my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the righteous guided Caliphs, seize onto it with your molars.” (Sunan al-Tirmizi)

The Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) said: “Shaitaan (Satan) has despaired from being worshiped in your land, but he has reconciled himself to be obeyed in other issues that you do not feel are very important. Beware, I have left among you that which, if you adhere to them, you will never go astray: Allah’s book and His Prophet’s Sunnah.” (al-Muwattaa)

The need to follow the Sunnah, is one of the matters that the Quraan has explained to us and made clear to us. Indeed, Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) says: “And We have sent to thee the book explaining all things.” (Surah al-Nahl: 89)

The description of Quraan as “an explanation” does not mean that there is no need for further explaining, since Allah (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) says: “And We have sent down unto you (O Muhammad!) the Message; that you may explain clearly to men what is sent for them, and that they may give thought.” (Surah al-Nahl: 44).

Matters explained in the Quraan are of two kinds:
1. Those matters that are fully explained to us and expounded in such detail that they require no further explanation.

2. Matters that are mentioned in the Quraan, but that need further elaboration in order to be carried out, such as Salaah (prayers), Saum (fasting), Hajj (pilgrimage), and I’tikaaf (the isolation in Masjid).

For example, with respect to Salaah, we find that their exact times and the manner of their performance need elaboration. The Sunnah explai-ns all of that. The Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) said: “Pray as you see me praying”. If we consider the Quraan as the sole source of information, we would not know how to pray. The same thing can be said about the other pillars of Islam.

The Quraan speaks to us very generally about the Hajj. However, the Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) said to the people during the last Hajj: “Take from me your rites of Hajj”.

Imam Shaaf’ writes:
“The obligations stated in Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa)’s book may be precisely explained, not needing any further elaboration. In some other contexts, the fulfillment of these obligations requires obedience to Messenger (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa). It is the Messenger (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) who explains how such obligations are set forth, on whom they are required, and when someone might be exempted from carrying them out. Some other obligations were set forth by the Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) that you will not find stated in the Quraan. Yet, Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) has made it obligatory on us to obey His Messenger (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam). Hence, whoever accepts what the Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) has brought will be accepting what Allah has obliged him to accept.”

Imam al-Khattaabi mentions Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa)’s words: “And We have sent to thee the book explaining all things.” (Surah al-Nahl: 89), then writes:

Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) tells us that He did not leave out anything regarding His religion and that He has stated everything in His book. However, the explanations of the Quraan may be clear or they might contain subtle implications. For this second aspect, the Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) was authorized to explain it.

This is confirmed by Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa)’s saying: “And We have sent down unto thee (also) the Message; that you may explain clearly to men what is sent for them, and that they may give thought.” (Surah al-Nahl: 44)

Whoever gathers between Quraan and the Sunnah has attained both aspects of the explanation of the Quraan.

Imam Ahmad wrote a book about obeying the Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam). He replied to the people who want to apply only the apparent texts of the Quraan in order to reject the Sunnah. He said in the introduction:

Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aal-aa) sent Muhammad (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) “…with guidance and the religion of truth that He make it prevail over all religion even though the pagans may detest (it)”. He revealed His book to him and made the Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) a guidance in all aspects of the subtle and clear, the general and particular, the effected and abrogated rulings. The Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) was the one who was to explain the meaning of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa)’s book. Sahaabah (Companions) witnessed all of this and passed on all that the Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) understood, so that it would become the source to explain the Quraan after him.

Hadrat Jaabir said: ‘While Allah’s Messenger (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) was among us and the Quraan was being revealed, he was the one who knew its interpretation. Whatever he did, we do.” (I'laam al-Muwaqiyyeen 2/290)

May Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) guide us all.

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