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The Authority of
SunnahA Brief Overview
Prepared by: Sheikh Mohammed-Umer Esmail(based on the dictations of Shaikh Muhammad Taqi Uthmani)
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Aims & Objectives
1. Sunnah; the 2nd source of Shariah
2. Definition of Sunnah
3. Status of the Prophet in the Quran4. Itaah Obedience of the Prophet
5. IttibaaFollowing of the Prophet
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Sunnah: The Second Source ofIslamic Law
Next in importance only to the Holy Qurn
This status of the sunnahhas remainedunchallenged and undisputed throughout the
centuries
Despite the differences among Muslims in their
juristic opinions, the authority of the Holy Qurn
and the Sunnahof the Holy Prophet wasnever denied by any jurist.
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Definition of Sunnah
A word spoken, or an act done,
or a confirmation given by the Holy Prophet
Muhammad Confirmation is termed in Arabic as Taqreeri.e.
somebody said something, or acted in a
particular manner, and his saying or act cameto the knowledge of the Holy Prophet and heeither confirmed it in express words orremained silent without giving any indication of
disapproval
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The Status of the Holy Prophet
He is not a postman who, after delivering theletter, has no concern with it. The prophets are
not sent merely to deliver or recite the word of
Allh. They are also required to: explain the divine Book
to interpret it
to expound it to demonstrate the ways of its application
to present a practical example of its contents
and requirements
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1. Allh has surely blessed the
believers with His favor when
He raised in their midst a
Messenger from amongthemselves, who recites to
them His verses and makes
them pure and teaches them
the Book and the Wisdom,
while they were, earlier inopen error. (3:164)
2. He (Allh) is the One who
raised up, among theunlettered, a Messenger from
among themselves who recites
the verses of Allh, and makes
them pure, and teaches them
the Book and the Wisdom.(62:2)
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Our Lord, raise in their midst
a messenger from among
themselves who recites to
them Your verses andteaches them the Book and
the Wisdom and purifies
them (2:129)
These verses of the Holy Qurn describe the following
functions of the Holy Prophet :
1. He is the authority in the way the Qurn has to be recited.
2. He has the final word in the interpretation of the Book.3. He is the only source at which the wisdom based on divine
guidance can be learned.
4. He is entrusted with the practical training of the people to
bring his teachings into practice.
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These functions of the Holy Prophet can never be carried outunless his teachings, both oral and practical, are held to beauthoritative for his followers, and the Muslims are made boundto obey and follow him.
The teaching of the Book and Wisdom require that his sayingsshould be binding on the followers.
Practical training requires that his actsshould be anauthoritative example for the Ummah, and the Ummahshouldbe bound to follow it.
The Holy Qurn in a large number of verses has given theMuslims a mandatory command to obey and follow him.
The Holy Qurn has used two different terms, itaaah (toobey) and ittibaa (to follow).
The first term refers to the orders and sayings of the HolyProphet
The second relates to his acts and practice.
By ordering the Muslims both to obey and to follow the Holy
Prophet ,the Holy Qurn has given an authority to both hissayings and acts.
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The Command to Obey (Itaaah) the
Messenger
1. Say: Obey Allh and the
Messenger, but if they turn
their backs, Allh loves not the
disbelievers. (3:32)
2. And obey Allh and the
Messenger so that you may
be shown mercy. (3:132)
3. O those who believe, obey
Allh and obey the Messenger
and those in authority among
you. (4:59)
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4. And obey Allh and obey the
Messenger and beware 5:92
5. So fear Allh and set things
right between you, and obey
Allh and His Messenger if
you are believers. (8:1)
6. O those who believe, obey
Allh and His Messenger and
do not turn away from him,while you are listening. (8:20)
7. And obey Allh and His
Messenger and do not quarrel
with each other, and so loseheart. (8:46)
8. So establish salah and pay
zakah and obey Allh and His
Messenger. (58:13)
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9. Say: Obey Allh and obey the
Messenger; then if you turn
away, upon him rests what is
laid on him, and upon you rests
what is laid on you. And If youobey him, you will be guided.
24:54
10. O those who believe, obeyAllh and obey the Messenger
and do not make your deeds
vain. (47:33)
11..And obey Allh and obey the
Messenger but if you turn your
backs, Our Messenger has
only to deliver the manifestmessage. (64:12)
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Results of Obedience1. If you obey Allh and His
Messenger, He will not
diminish you anything ofyour deeds. (49:14)
2. And whoever obeys Allhand His Messenger, he haswon a great success. (33:71)
3. All that the believers say,when they are called to Allhand His Messenger that hemay judge between them, is
that they say, We hear andwe obey: it is these who aresuccessful. Whoever obeys
Allh and His Messengerand fears Allh and has awe
of Him: it is these who arethe winners. 24:52
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4. And whoever obeys Allh and
His Messenger, Allh shall
admit him in the Gardens
underneath which rivers flow.
(4:13)5. And whoever obeys Allh and the
Messenger, they are in the
company of those who Allh has
blessed. (4:69)
6. And the believers, men andwomen, are friends of each
other; they bid the fair and
forbid the unfair; they
establish salh and payzakah and they obey Allh
and His Messenger. These
are those upon whom Allh
shall have mercy; Allh is All-
Mighty, All-Wise. (9:71)
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The Purpose of Messengerhood And we sent no messenger,
but that he should be obeyedby the leave of Allh. (4:64)
The Message of all the Prophets
Fear Allah and obey me
In Sura As Shuara, the above verse has been quoted as the
statement of Nuh, Hud, Lut, Salih and Shuaib (peace be upon
them all)
Failure to comply led to their destruction
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Obedience of Messenger isObedience of Allah
And whoever obeys the Messenger, thereby obeys Allh.
(4:80) It is also clarified by the Holy Qurn that the prophets are
the spokesmen of Allhs pleasure.
Hence, the obedience of the prophet is actually obedience
of Allh Himself. Nowhere in the Quran is it mentioned to obey only what is
in the Quran.
If obeying what is in the Quran was sufficient, then there
was no need to add obey the messenger
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Disobedience of Messenger And whoever disobeys Allh and
His Messenger and transgressesHis limits, He shall admit him toFire where he shall remain forever.(4:14)
And whoever disobeys Allh andHis Messenger has gone astrayinto manifest error. (33:36)
And whoever disobeys Allh andHis Messenger, for him there is the
fire of Jahannam. There they shallremain forever. (72:23)
And whoever makes a breach withAllh and His Messenger, then
Allh is severe in punishment.(8:13)
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Verses with only Obedience toMessenger
And establish salah and pay zakahand obey the Prophet so that you
may be blessed (24:56)
And if you obey him (the Prophet), you
shall find the right path. (24:54)
On that day those who disbelieved anddisobeyed the Messenger will wish that
the earth might be levelled with them.
(4:42)
And whoever makes a breach with
the Messenger after the right path
has become clear to him, and followsa way other than that of the
believers, We shall let him own what
he chose and shall admit him in the
Jahannam, and it is evil as a
returning place. (4:115)
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Ittibaa (Following) of the Prophet Say, if you love Allh, follow
me and Allh will love you and
forgive you your sins. (3:31)
Those who follow theMessenger, the unlettered
Prophet, whom they findwritten down with them in theTorah and the Injeel (7:157)
Believe, then, in Allh and His
Messenger, the unletteredProphet, who believes in Allhand His words, and follow himso that you may be on the rightpath. (7:158)
Allh h l l t d
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Allh has surely relentedtowards the Prophet and theEmigrants and the Helperswho followed him in an hour
of difficulty. (9:117)O Prophet, sufficient for you is
Allh and those who followedyou of the believers. (8:64)
Our Lord, we have come tobelieve in what You revealedand followed the Messenger.So write us among those
who bear witness. (3:53)
Say: This is my way. I call toAllh with sure knowledge, Iand whoever follows me.
(12:108)
Th l t f th l t
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The closest of the people to
Ibrahim are those who follow
him. (3:68)
And We set in the hearts of those
who followed him (Jesus)tenderness and mercy. (57:27)
And warn the people of the day
when the punishment comes on
them and those who did evil shallsay: Our Lord, defer us to a near
term and we shall respond to Your
call and shall follow the
messengers. (14:44)
And We did not appoint the Qiblahon which you were earlier, but that
We might know the people who
follow the Messenger as distinct
from those who turn back on their
heels. (2:143)
He said: My people follow
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He said: My people, followthe messengers! (36:20)
(Hrn said:) And your Lordis the All-Merciful, so follow
me and obey my command.(20:90)
So they (the disbelievers)said: Shall we follow a singlehuman being from among
us? Then, indeed we shouldbe in error and insanity.(54:24)
There is surely a good
example for you in theMessenger of Allh, for theone who hopes (to meet)
Allh and the Hereafter andremembers Allh abundantly.
(33:21)
Th ti l d ti i t ffi i t f f i
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Theoretical education is not sufficient for reforming a
people
The natural way of reformation is to set a practical
example which people may follow. Mere reading of books cannot make a person perfect in
any science or art, unless he is simultaneously trained by
a senior scholar or a skillful artist of that field.
Medicine, law, mechanics are examples It clearly shows that human beings are always in need of a
practical example in order to learn an important subject.
The same is true in the matter of religious teaching and
training.
That is why every book was sent with a messenger.
Many prophets were sent without a new divine book.
But there was no divine book sent down without a prophet.