Assalam Walaikum Wa Rehmat Ullahi Wa Bara Katu Hu,
The Sunnah of Prophet (s) has a great importance in Islam. The Holy Quran has ordered us
to follow which has been revealed to Prophet (s) by Allah swt. Such as in this verse :
“[Say (O Muhammad SAW) to these idolaters (pagan Arabs) of your folk:] Follow what has been sent down unto you from your Lord (the Qur’ân and Prophet Muhammad’s Sunnah), and follow not any Auliyâ’ (protectors and helpers who order you to associate partners in worship with Allâh)” (Surah Al Araf Verse 3)
The Hadith of Prophet (s) is also a form of Revelation, Therefore The Great Jurist Imam Shafai (rahimaullah) states :
– قَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ: ذَكَرَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ ثَنَاؤُهُ الْكِتَابَ وَهُوَ الْقُرْآنُ، وَذَكَرَ الْحِكْمَةَ، فَسَمِعْتُ مَنْ أَرْضَى مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ بِالْقُرْآنِ يَقُولُ: الْحِكْمَةُ سُنَّةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
Kitab Al Sunnah Al Marozi : 396
Allah swt mentions about two things Book and Wisdom, From the Book it means Quran and about Wisdom I heard from those favorite Teachers who possess the knowledge of Quran that it means Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Salalahoalayhiwasalam. (End Quote)
So this Proves that the word Hikmah used in the Quran mentions the Sunnah of Prophet (s), Allah has given Hikmah to every human being but mentioning specifically with Prophet (s) along with the Book it means none other than Sunnah because otherwise it contains no meaning to bestow the same thing on Prophet (s) which has been given to all other human beings while Prophet (s) is greater in status than all the other human beings.
The best People to Understand the Quran and Sunnah was the Companions of Prophet (s), and then the next 2 generations which are known as Salaf As Saliheen.
The Quran also states the Importance of Companions as they have been declared as best Community in Quran :
“O Ye are the best community sent forth unto mankind; ye command that which is reputable and ye prevent that which is disreputable. and ye believe in Allah” (Surah Al Imran 110)
Although this Ayah is General but it addresses the Companions of Prophet (s), because at the time when this Ayah was revealed no one was there present with Prophet (s) except the Companions. So Quran addresses directly the Companions. It Shows their virtues as well in the Islam.
Similarly Prophet (s) in a hadith of Sahih Al Bukhari Prophet (s) stated :
“Narrated Abdullah: The Prophet said, “The best people are those living in my generation, and then those who will follow them, and then those who will follow the latter.”
InshAllah I will present the importance of Sunnah of Prophet (s) in the eyes of Salaf As Saliheen.
InshAllah I will present the importance of Sunnah of Prophet (s) in the eyes of Salaf As Saliheen.
1.From Urwa (rah)
1. 110 – حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو حَاتِمٍ الرَّازِيُّ، ثنا عَمْرُو بْنُ الرَّبِيعِ بْنِ طَارِقٍ، أَنْبَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ: «السُّنَنَ السُّنَنَ فَإِنَّ السُّنَنَ قِوَامُ الدِّينِ»
Kitab Al Sunnah Marozi 110
Urwa (rah) says that adopt the Sunnah, and Start following it because no doubt Sunnah is the Foundation of Islam.
2.From Ismael bin UbaidUllah (rah)
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْوَرَّاقُ، ثنا الْهَيْثَمُ بْنُ خَارِجَةَ، ثنا الْهَيْثَمُ بْنُ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْعَبْسِيُّ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنَ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، يَقُولُ: ” يَنْبَغِي لَنَا أَنْ نَحْفَظَ مَا جَاءَنَا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَقُولُ: {وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانْتَهُوا} [الحشر: 7] فَهُوَ عِنْدَنَا بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْقُرْآنِ ”
Al Kifaya lil Khattib 17, Kitab Al Sunnah 101.
Ismael bin UbaidUllah (rah) says we want that we should memorize the hadith of Prophet (s). As Allah swt says in the Quran “And whatsoever the messenger giveth you, take it. And whatsoever he forbiddeth, abstain (from it)”, The Hadith of Prophet (s) according to us is like Quran.
3.From Hassan bin Atiya Tabae (rah)
102 – حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ، أَنْبَأَ عَنْ عِيسَى بْنِ يُونُسَ، عَنِ الْأَوْزَاعِيِّ، عَنْ حَسَّانَ بْنِ عَطِيَّةَ [ص:33]، قَالَ: «كَانَ جِبْرِيلُ يَنْزِلُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِالسُّنَّةِ كَمَا يَنْزِلُ عَلَيْهِ بِالْقُرْآنِ وَيُعَلِّمُهُ إِيَّاهَا كَمَا يُعَلِّمُهُ الْقُرْآنَ»
(Sunan Darimi 588, Kitab Al Sunnah 102)
It is further mentioned from Trustworthy Tabae (Successor) Imam Hassan bin Atiya Abu Bakr Al-Shami that the Angel Gibrael (a.s) used to reveal Sunnah on Prophet salalahoalayhiwasalam as he used to reveal Quran on him, and he used to teach the Sunnah as same as he used to teach the Quran.
4. From Yahya bin Abi Kasir (rah)
90 – قال : وقال يحيى بن أبي كثير : « السنة قاضية على الكتاب ، وليس الكتاب قاضيا على السنة »
(al Abnah 90, Sharah Mazhab Ahle Sunnah Ibn e Shaheen 48)
Yahya bin Abi Kasir (rah) says : Sunnah is a judge over the Quran, not the Quran is a judge over the Sunnah. (End Quote)
Means it explains the Quran.
5.From Imam Ibn e Shihab Al Zuhri (rah)
97 – أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الْمُغِيرَةَ حَدَّثَنَا الأَوْزَاعِىُّ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنِ الزُّهْرِىِّ قَالَ كَانَ مَنْ مَضَى مِنْ عُلَمَائِنَا يَقُولُونَ : الاِعْتِصَامُ بِالسُّنَّةِ نَجَاةٌ ، وَالْعِلْمُ يُقْبَضُ قَبْضاً سَرِيعاً ، فَنَعْشُ الْعِلْمِ ثَبَاتُ الدِّينِ وَالدُّنْيَا ، وَفِى ذَهَابِ الْعِلْمِ ذَهَابُ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ.
(Sunan Darimi 1/113 H:97)
Imam Zuhri (rah) says those of our Scholars who have passed away they used to say “To hold the Sunnah firmly is salvation, and the knowledge will be taken away soon. The Success of Knowledge is the Stability of Religion and World. And the lacking of Knowledge is the lacking of the whole Religion and World.
6.From Abdullah bin Dailmi (rah)
98 – أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الْمُغِيرَةِ حَدَّثَنَا الأَوْزَاعِىُّ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِى عَمْرٍو السَّيْبَانِىِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الدَّيْلَمِىِّ قَالَ : بَلَغَنِى أَنَّ أَوَّلَ الدِّينِ تَرْكاً السُّنَّةُ ، يَذْهَبُ الدِّينُ سُنَّةً سُنَّةً كَمَا يَذْهَبُ الْحَبْلُ قُوَّةً قُوَّةً
(Sunan Darimi 98, Al Anba 1/350)
Abdullah bin Dailmi(rah) states that I have been informed that withdrawal from Religion will start from leaving the Sunnah. The Religion will depart from the going of Sunnah one by one. Similarly as the threads split from cord one by one