What is Sunnah and Hadith? - Importance of Sunnah and Hadith in Islam

What is Sunnah?

Sunnah is the way of life prescribed as normative for Muslims on the basis of the teachings and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) and interpretations of the Qur'an.
The word sunnah (���, Arabic: [?sunna], plural ��� sunan [?sunan]) is derived from the root (�� [sa-n-na]), meaning smooth and easy flow or direct flow path. The word literally means a clear and well trodden path. In the discussion of the sources of religion, sunnah denotes the practices of Muhammad (P.B.U.H) that he taught and practically instituted as a teacher of the shar?�ah and the best exemplar.
 According to Muslim belief, this practice is to be adhered to in fulfilling the divine injunctions, carrying out religious rites, and moulding life in accord with the will of God. Instituting these practices was, as the Qur'an states, a part of Muhammad's responsibility as a Messenger of Allah. (Qur'an 3:164, 33:21).
The sunnah of Muhammad includes his specific words, habits, practices, and silent approvals: it is significant because it addresses ways of life dealing with friends, family and government. Recording the sunnah was an Arabian tradition and, once people converted to Islam, they brought this custom to their religion. The sunnah is a source of Islamic law.

What is Hadith? 

 Hadith  is often translated as "prophetic traditions", meaning the corpus of the reports of the teachings, deeds and sayings of the Islamic prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H). The hadith literature was compiled from oral reports that were in circulation in society around the time of their compilation long after the death of Muhammad. Bukhari's collection is considered the most reliable by many traditional religious scholars who are Sunnis. The Shi'as believe in an entirely separate body of Hadith.
The Hadith also had a profound and controversial influence on molding the commentaries (tafsir) on the Qur'an. The earliest commentary of the Qur'an by Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari is mostly sourced from the hadith. The hadith was used in forming the basis of 'Shariah' Law. Much of early Islamic history available today is also based on the hadith and is challenged for lack of basis in primary source material and contradictions based on secondary material available.

Each hadith is based on two parts, a chain of narrators reporting the hadith (isnad), and the text itself (matn). Hadiths are still regarded by traditional Islamic schools of jurisprudence as important tools for understanding the Qur'an and in matters of jurisprudence. Hadith were evaluated and gathered into large collections during the 8th and 9th centuries.

Importance of Sunnah 

The Sunnah is the an important source, and is commonly defined as "the traditions and customs of Muhammad" or "the words, actions and silent assertions of him".
 The Qur'an commands Muslims to follow Muhammad. During his lifetime, Muhammad (P.B.U.H) made it clear that his traditions (along with the Qur'an) should be followed after his death.

 
The Prophet Muhammad said: �I have left for you two things: The Book of
Allah and my Sunnah.�

Importance of Hadith 

 

It is impossible to understand the Qur'an without Hadith. The Quran is the message and the hadith is the explanation of the message.

  For example, the details of how to perform salah (prayer), for instance, were given by the Prophet through his words and action, and not by the Qur'an. This means that we wouldn't know how to pray, fast, pay zakah, or perform Hajj without the examples given by the Prophet (P.B.U.H) as recorded in the Hadith. Indeed, all necessary details are given in the Hadith.

In the hadith, there is always a teaching to it and this will give one the guidance, the deeper meaning and the right to solve the issue at hand thanks to the Holy word. It is advisable for every Muslim to know the different sunnah and hadith as portrayed in the Quran and this will make them live together in harmony. When it is given to them in a simplified form, it gets very easy for them to end up understanding the word and this will make them follow the teachings of Allah, and Prophet Muhammad, (PBUH). This makes it easier to sort issues and to know how to live by the code of Islam. - See more at: http://muslim-academy.com/the-importance-of-sunnah-and-hadith-to-muslims/#sthash.IXMt2gl4.dpufFor example, the details of how to perform salah (ritual prayer), for instance, were given by the Prophet through his words and action, and not by the Qur'an. This means that we wouldn't know how to pray, fast, pay zakah, or perform Hajj without the examples given by the Prophet as recorded in the Hadith. Indeed, all necessary details are given in the Hadith,

In the hadith, there is always a teaching to it and this will give one the guidance, the deeper meaning and the right to solve the issue at hand thanks to the Holy word. It is advisable for every Muslim to know the different sunnah and hadith as portrayed in the Quran and this will make them live together in harmony. When it is given to them in a simplified form, it gets very easy for them to end up understanding the word and this will make them follow the teachings of Allah, and Prophet Muhammad, (PBUH). This makes it easier to sort issues and to know how to live by the code of Islam. - See more at: http://muslim-academy.com/the-importance-of-sunnah-and-hadith-to-muslims/#sthash.IXMt2gl4.dpuf

In the hadith, there is always a teaching to it and this will give one the guidance, the deeper meaning and the right to solve the issue at hand thanks to the Holy word. It is advisable for every Muslim to know the different sunnah and hadith as portrayed in the Quran and this will make them live together in harmony. When it is given to them in a simplified form, it gets very easy for them to end up understanding the word and this will make them follow the teachings of Allah, and Prophet Muhammad, (PBUH). This makes it easier to sort issues and to know how to live by the code of Islam. - See more at: http://muslim-academy.com/the-importance-of-sunnah-and-hadith-to-muslims/#sthash.IXMt2gl4.dpuf

In the hadith, there is always a teaching to it and this will give one the guidance, the deeper meaning and the right to solve the issue at hand thanks to the Holy word. It is advisable for every Muslim to know the different sunnah and hadith as portrayed in the Quran and this will make them live together in harmony. When it is given to them in a simplified form, it gets very easy for them to end up understanding the word and this will make them follow the teachings of Allah, and Prophet Muhammad, (PBUH). This makes it easier to sort issues and to know how to live by the code of Islam. - See more at: http://muslim-academy.com/the-importance-of-sunnah-and-hadith-to-muslims/#sthash.IXMt2gl4.dpuf

In the hadith, there is always a teaching to it and this will give one the guidance, the deeper meaning and the right to solve the issue at hand thanks to the Holy word. It is advisable for every Muslim to know the different sunnah and hadith as portrayed in the Quran and this will make them live together in harmony. When it is given to them in a simplified form, it gets very easy for them to end up understanding the word and this will make them follow the teachings of Allah, and Prophet Muhammad, (PBUH). This makes it easier to sort issues and to know how to live by the code of Islam. - See more at: http://muslim-academy.com/the-importance-of-sunnah-and-hadith-to-muslims/#sthash.IXMt2gl4.dpuf