Table of Contents
Introduction
In Islam, the word “Sunnah” is one of the most important terms for understanding how a Muslim believes, worships, and lives. It is directly connected to revelation, to love of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and to the practical details of religion. For a beginner, it is essential to know what Sunnah means, what it includes, and how it relates to the Qur’an.
This chapter will explain the meaning of Sunnah in a simple way, without entering into details that belong to other chapters that discuss preservation of hadith or following the Prophet ﷺ.
The Basic Meaning of Sunnah
Linguistically, in Arabic, “sunnah” means a way, a path, or a practice that is followed. It can be a good way or a bad way. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever starts in Islam a good sunnah, then he will have its reward and the reward of whoever acts upon it after him, without that decreasing any of their rewards. And whoever starts in Islam an evil sunnah, he will bear its sin and the sin of whoever acts upon it after him, without that decreasing any of their sins.”
(Sahih Muslim)
Here the word “sunnah” is used in its general, linguistic sense of a way that people follow.
In religious usage, however, when Muslims say “the Sunnah” they usually mean the specific way of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, his teachings, and his example.
In Islam, “the Sunnah” is the guided way of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in beliefs, words, actions, approvals, and character.
Sunnah as the Way of the Prophet ﷺ
The Sunnah is the practical explanation of the Qur’an. Allah sent the Qur’an as a book of guidance and sent the Prophet ﷺ to show how this guidance looks in real life. Allah says:
“Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have a good example for whoever hopes in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.”
Qur’an 33:21
The words “a good example” show that the life of the Prophet ﷺ is the model to be followed, and this model is what Muslims call “the Sunnah.”
Allah also commands the believers to obey and follow the Messenger:
“And whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it. And fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is severe in punishment.”
Qur’an 59:7
“Say, ‘Obey Allah and obey the Messenger.’ But if you turn away, then upon him is only what he has been charged with, and upon you is what you have been charged with.”
Qur’an 24:54
From these verses we understand that following the Sunnah is not just optional advice. It is part of obeying Allah Himself, because Allah commanded obedience to His Messenger.
The Prophet ﷺ explained his own role in making the way clear:
“I have left you upon clear whiteness, its night is like its day, no one deviates from it except that he is destroyed.”
(Musnad Ahmad)
That clear way is his Sunnah.
Components of the Sunnah
When scholars speak about the Sunnah in detail, they show that it covers different aspects of the Prophet’s life. This helps us see how complete and practical the Sunnah is.
First, there is what the Prophet ﷺ said. His statements explain the meaning of verses, give new rulings, and guide people in belief and behavior. He ﷺ said:
“Indeed, I have been given the Qur’an and something like it along with it.”
(Abu Dawud)
The “something like it” here refers to his Sunnah, especially his spoken teachings, because they are also a form of revelation from Allah:
“Nor does he speak from his own desire. It is only a revelation revealed.”
Qur’an 53:3–4
Second, there is what the Prophet ﷺ did. His actions in worship, such as how he prayed, fasted, gave charity, and performed pilgrimage, are part of his Sunnah. They show how the commands of the Qur’an are carried out. For example, the Qur’an commands prayer in general, but it does not detail the movements and words. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Pray as you have seen me praying.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari)
His manner of prayer is therefore Sunnah and is the explanation of the Qur’anic command to establish prayer.
Third, there is what the Prophet ﷺ approved. When his Companions did something in his presence and he did not object, or he later confirmed it, this silent approval became part of the Sunnah. It showed that the action was allowed or liked in Islam. This is important, because the Prophet ﷺ was sent to clarify the lawful and the unlawful:
“…and he makes lawful for them the good things and forbids for them the evil…”
Qur’an 7:157
If something wrong had been done before him, he would not have remained silent. His silence in such situations is therefore a form of approval and a part of the Sunnah.
Finally, his character and manners are also part of the Sunnah. Allah praised his character in the Qur’an:
“And indeed, you are surely upon an exalted standard of character.”
Qur’an 68:4
The Companions understood that the best way to follow Islam was to imitate his character, because he was the practical example of the Qur’an. When ʿA’ishah رضي الله عنها was asked about his character, she replied:
“His character was the Qur’an.”
(Sahih Muslim)
Living by his character is therefore living by his Sunnah.
Sunnah and the Qur’an
The Sunnah does not stand outside the Qur’an, and it is not in competition with the Qur’an. It is connected to it and supports it. The Qur’an is the word of Allah that is recited, written, and memorized. The Sunnah is the explanation, application, and completion of that revelation through the life and teachings of the Prophet ﷺ.
Allah describes one of the purposes of sending the Prophet:
“And We have sent down to you the Reminder so that you may explain to the people what has been sent down to them and so that they may reflect.”
Qur’an 16:44
The Prophet ﷺ therefore explains the Qur’an by his Sunnah in three main ways.
He clarifies what is general. For example, the Qur’an commands charity and prayer in general, but the Sunnah explains the specific details, such as the amount of zakah and the method of prayer.
He restricts what is absolute. Sometimes the Qur’an mentions a ruling in general terms. The Sunnah explains when and how it applies.
He may add details that are not mentioned directly in the Qur’an, but are still from revelation. For example, specific punishments or rules around marriage and trade may come in the Sunnah.
Because of this close relationship, the Sunnah is an essential source of Islamic guidance after the Qur’an. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“I have left among you two things; you will never go astray as long as you hold fast to them: the Book of Allah and my Sunnah.”
(Reported in al-Hakim and others)
A core rule in Islam is: The Qur’an is the primary source of guidance, and the Sunnah is the second source that explains and completes it. Both are forms of divine guidance.
Sunnah as a Source of Law and Guidance
The Sunnah is not only about extra, optional good deeds. It is a source of law and guidance in Islam. Through the Sunnah, Muslims learn what is obligatory, what is recommended, what is allowed, disliked, or forbidden. This is because the Prophet ﷺ was not speaking from his own ideas. Allah says:
“Whoever obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah.”
Qur’an 4:80
This verse shows that the authority of the Sunnah is the authority of Allah Himself, since the Messenger is only delivering and explaining Allah’s message.
The Prophet ﷺ also warned the believers against rejecting his Sunnah while claiming to follow the Qur’an alone. He said:
“Soon a man will be reclining on his couch, and when one of my commands reaches him regarding something I have ordered or forbidden, he will say: ‘Between us and you is the Book of Allah. Whatever we find in it of halal, we will take it as halal, and whatever we find in it of haram, we will take it as haram.’ Indeed, I have been given the Qur’an and something like it along with it.”
(Abu Dawud)
In this hadith the Prophet ﷺ made it clear that his Sunnah is binding and that one cannot separate Islam into “Qur’an only” while ignoring his teachings.
Different Usages of the Word “Sunnah”
Because the word “Sunnah” is used in different fields of Islamic knowledge, a beginner may hear it in slightly different contexts. The core idea remains the same, but the emphasis changes.
In general speech, when Muslims say, “This is Sunnah,” they often mean that it is a recommended practice taught by the Prophet ﷺ but not obligatory. For example, using a tooth-stick (siwāk) before prayer is called Sunnah in this sense. It is part of his example but not required for the validity of prayer.
In the science of hadith, “Sunnah” can be used broadly to refer to everything that has been reported about the Prophet’s sayings, actions, approvals, and descriptions. These reports are collected and preserved in books of hadith. The hadiths are the way by which the Sunnah has reached us.
In the study of Islamic belief and sects, “Ahl as-Sunnah” refers to the people who follow the authentic Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and the understanding of his Companions in matters of belief and practice. Here “Sunnah” is used to distinguish the correct path from deviant ways.
Despite these different usages, the central idea remains that Sunnah is the path of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which we are commanded to follow. He ﷺ said:
“You must follow my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided caliphs after me. Hold on to it and bite onto it with your molar teeth.”
(Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi)
This hadith shows the strong emphasis on sticking to his Sunnah as the safe path.
Sunnah and innovation (bidʿah)
To appreciate the meaning of Sunnah, it is helpful to know that it stands opposite to innovation in religion. “Bidʿah” is introducing beliefs or acts of worship into Islam that have no basis in the Qur’an or authentic Sunnah.
The Prophet ﷺ warned:
“Whoever introduces into this matter of ours that which is not from it, it is rejected.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)
“The most evil of affairs are newly invented matters, and every innovation is misguidance.”
(Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi)
From this, we understand that the correct way is to hold on to what the Prophet ﷺ taught and practiced, which is the Sunnah, and to avoid bringing in new religious practices without authentic proof.
Important principle: Every act of worship must have proof from the Qur’an or the authentic Sunnah. Acts with no basis in Sunnah are rejected innovations.
This shows how the Sunnah protects the purity of Islam. It defines the original form of the religion, so that Muslims can distinguish authentic worship from invented practices.
The Sunnah as a Living Example
The Sunnah is not only a set of rules. It is a living pattern of life that joins belief, worship, and character. Through the Sunnah, Muslims learn how to have mercy, humility, courage, patience, justice, and kindness, because the Prophet ﷺ lived these qualities.
Allah describes the Prophet ﷺ as a mercy:
“And We have not sent you, except as a mercy to the worlds.”
Qur’an 21:107
Living by his Sunnah means bringing mercy into one’s own behavior toward family, neighbors, strangers, animals, and the environment.
The Sunnah also guides a person in simple daily matters, such as how to greet others, how to eat, how to sleep, and how to speak. These may seem small, but they connect the entire life of a Muslim to the pleasure of Allah, since the person is intentionally following the way of the Messenger ﷺ.
Conclusion
The Sunnah is the way of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in belief, worship, actions, and character. It is based on revelation from Allah and is the practical explanation of the Qur’an. Through his words, actions, approvals, and noble manners, the Prophet ﷺ showed how to live Islam completely.
The Sunnah is therefore a source of guidance and law, not just optional customs. Obedience to the Sunnah is obedience to Allah, and holding firmly to it protects a Muslim from misguidance and from innovations that corrupt the religion.
As Allah says:
“And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him, and follows a way other than the way of the believers, We will turn him to what he has turned to and burn him in Hell, and evil it is as a destination.”
Qur’an 4:115
And as the Prophet ﷺ promised, sticking to the Qur’an and his Sunnah keeps the believer upon the straight path until meeting Allah.