The Importance of the Sunnah

The Quran and Sunnah contains within it all that we need as the Holy Quran states, “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” (Translation of the Meaning of the Holy Quran, 4:59).  Therefore, as Muslims and as Mumins (believers) insha’Allah, we must take everything back to Allah (the Quran) and the Prophet (the Sunnah).

The Holy Quran states, “…and all things have we explained in detail” (Translation of the Meaning of the Holy Quran, 17:12).  As Muslims, we should not look at the Quran and Sunnah with any preconceived notions.  We should accept wholeheartedly everything that is in the Holy Quran and in the authentic hadith of Rasoolullah (SAW).

Indeed, many people nowadays accept the Quran, yet some people who are very ignorant dispute the Sunnah.  Rasoolullah (SAW) informed us all that we need to know as the Holy Quran states, “O Messenger.  Proclaim the (message) which hath been sent to Thee from Thy Lord.  If Thou Didst not, Thou wouldse not have fulfilled and proclaimed His mission.  And Allah will defend Thee from men (Who mean mischief), for Allah guides not those who reject Faith” (Translation of the Meaning of the Holy Quran, 5:67).  According to the Holy Quran, we need to follow the way of Rasoolullah (SAW), “…if ye obey him, ye shall be on the right guidance…” (Translation of the Meaning of the Holy Quran, 24:54).

Verily, any guidance other than the guidance of the Prophet (SAW) is misguidance as the Holy Quran states, “Say: ‘Then bring ye a Book from Allah, which is a better guide than either of them, that I may follow it!  (Do), if ye are truthful!’  But if they hearken not to thee, know that they only follow their own lusts: and who is more astray than one who follows his own lists, devoid of guidance from Allah.  For Allah guides not people given to wrong-doing” (Translation of the Meaning of the Holy Quran, 28:49-50).  When asked about a good bidah, Imam Malik said it is for one who believes that the Prophet (SAW) did not fulfill his message (Umar did not commit a good bidah by congregating the taraweeh prayer in Ramadan, instead he revived a Sunnah).  Know that the people that reject Islam are following their desires. 

There is nothing that brings people closer to Paradise except that Rasoolullah (SAW) commanded us to it and there is nothing that brings us closer to the Hell-Fire except that Rasoolullah (SAW) warned us against it (recorded by Tabarani).  No prophet had come before Rasoolullah (SAW) except that he informed his nation of the good he knew and warned it against the fitna he knew (recorded by Muslim).  Rasoolullah told us that he left us upon the shining path.  Its nigh is like its day.  No one would deviate from it except (unless he would want to be) he would be destroyed (recorded by Abu Dawud).  The narrator of the hadith just mentioned (I believe it was Abu Dharr) said, “He (SAW) has told the truth, I swear by Allah.”

When Imam Ahmed ibn Hambal was being whipped while chained by the Khalifah, he would said, “O Khalifah, is this something the Prophet (SAW) claimed/believed, if not, then how do you know of something the Prophet (SAW) did not?”  Rasoolullah (SAW) told us his nation will divide into 73 sects.  We were told to follow the way Rasoolullah (SAW) and those with him (the Sahabah).  We are commanded to follow the Sunnah of the Rasoolullah (SAW) and the Sunnah of the right-guided khulafa (Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali).  Indeed, may Allah (SWT) make us all amongst the people who follow the example set forth by our beloved Prophet (SAW).