Introduction
In the Brief guide to Hadeeth and Sunnah Part 2, we looked at the authority of the Sunnah from as stated in various verses of the Quran. We now look at some further proofs, starting with the hadeeth.
The proofs for the Suunah from the Hadeeth
1. Al-Tirmidhi reported from Abu Raafi’ and others that the Prophet (salalahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “I do not want to see any one of you reclining on his couch and, when he hears of my instructions or prohibitions, saying ‘I don’t accept it; we didn’t find any such thing in the Book of Allaah.’” Abu ‘Eesaa said: This is a saheeh hasan hadeeth. (Sunan al-Tirmidhi,).
2. Also the Messenger of Allah (salalahu alaihi wa sallam), after prohibiting the flesh of the domestic donkey. “Soon there will be a time when a man will be reclining on his couch, narrating a hadeeth from me, and he will say, ‘Between us and you is the Book of Allaah: what it says is halaal, we take as halaal, and what it says is haraam, we take as haraam.’ But listen! Whatever the Messenger of Allaah forbids is like what Allaah forbids.” (Al-Fath al-Kabeer, 3/438. Ahmad, Abu Dawood and al-Haakim reported with a saheeh isnaad, Al-Tirmidhi reported it with different wording, and said that it is hasan saheeh).
In these two hadith the Messenger has warned, in fact prophesied that there will come a people who neglect the Sunnah and claim that they only need to live by the injunctions of the Quran. In the second hadith he(s) has stated that what he declares to be illegal should be treated in the same way as what Allah has declared illegal. E.g. the prohibition of eating the domestic donkey not stated in the Quran.
The Prophet also described these people, and the description of them was not positive – one who reclining on his couch. The scholars have explained this as one who is interested in luxuries and heresies in the religion, who stays at home and away from seeking knowledge.
3. Also: Verily I have been given the Book and something similar to it . (Abu Dawood, Saheeh) In other words, he (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam) has been given the Quran – which is the recited revelation, and in addition to this, he has been given its explanation – which is the Sunnah. Hence the Sunnah is another type of revelation. Hasaan ibn Attiyah a senior atba tabi’een said: “Jibreel would reveal the sunnah to the Messenger of Allah like he would reveal the Quran. He would teach him it like he would teach him the Quran”.
4. I have left you among two matters that if you adhere to them, you will never go astray, the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Prophet. (Malik) This hadith was said during the farewell pilgrimage, attended by thousands of Companions. The Messenger gave this advice when he knew his death was near – and it was like a farewell advice.
5. There is nothing left that takes one closer to Paradise or distances one from the Fire, except that I have made it clear it to you. (Tabrani – Saheeh)
Conclusion from these hadeeth
The Prophet made it clear that Muslims must follow his sunnah in order to be rightly guided. Allah revealed to the Prophet that in later times would come a people that would reject his Sunnah. Therefore the Prophet warned against such people.
The Companions view of the Sunnah
1. ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ood quoted said “May Allah curse the women who tattoo their bodies and those who pluck their eyebrows; those who separate their teeth in order to change the creation of Allah.” A woman named Umm Yaqub from the tribe of Banu Asad came to know of these words. She approached Ibn Mas’ood and said: “O Abu ‘Abd ar-Rahman! It was reported to me that you have cursed such and such women.” He said: “Why should I not curse those whom the Prophet, peace be upon him, cursed and who are cursed in the Book of Allah as well.” She said: “I have read whatever is contained between the two covers (i.e. the whole Qur’an).” Had you been a good reader, you would have discovered it. Did you not read the following verse? “So take whatever the Messenger gives you and keep away from what he forbids you.” (Surah Al-Hashr 59:7) She Said “Yes”. He said: He (s) forbade these things.
2. Abu Bakr was asked to rule in the case of a grandmother who came asking for her right in inheritance, he said that he knew of no amount due to her neither in the Book of Allaah (i.e., Quran) nor the Sunnah of the Prophet . But when Al-Mugheera told that he has witnessed the Prophet give one-sixth of the total amount of the inheritance, he asked him if he had witness to substantiate this claim. And when Muhammad Ibn Maslamah witnessed to the truth of that figure, Abu Bakr accepted it and gave the grandmother exactly that.
Following the guidance of the Prophet after his death
There are numerous examples set by the Companions which show how emphatically they abided by the sunnah of the Prophet, peace be upon him, to the extent of severing their relations with their kith and kin once they discovered someone going against the sunnah. Let us have some examples from the lives of the great khulafah (Caliphs) of Islam followed by a host of other Companions. Just after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, three major issues confronted the Muslim community. They could have left it apart and disunited, had it not been for the wise guidance of Abu Bakr who settled them amicably in the light of the sunnah of the Prophet, peace be upon him.
The first issue was related to the appointment of the Khalifah (i.e. leader of the Muslims). Assembled in Saqifa Bani Sa’ida, a great number of Muhajirin (i.e. those who emigrated from Makkah to Madinah) and Ansar (those helped the emigrants from Makkah) originally had been busy arguing this issue. The Ansar proposed that the leader should be appointed from both of the above communities. The noble companion Abu Bakr cited the saying of the Prophet, “Leaders should be from Quraysh” The Ansar immeidately conceded to this. The great companion ‘Umar proposed the name of Abu Bakr as the Khalifah which was accepted unanimously by those present there and later followed by all the inhabitants of Madinah through the oath of allegiance.
The second issue was related to the place where the Prophet should be buried. Again the companion Abu Bakr cited the saying of the Prophet, “A Prophet is to be buried where he breathes his last.” Accordingly, his burial took place in the apartment of his wife, the Mother of the Faithful – ‘Aishah, where he died.
The third issue was related to the inheritance of the Prophet, peace be upon him, as raised by his daughter Fatimah who came to the Caliph Abu Bakr asking for her share. Abu Bakr replied by reminding her of the saying of the Prophet, “We, the community of the Prophets, are not inherited from – whatever we leave behind us is a charity.” Fatimah didn’t argue further, but retired quietly.
Following the news of the Muslim’s victory in the conquest of Syria, ‘Umar advanced to Damascus with a number of Companions. On reaching the outskirts of Amwas, a town in Syria, the news of a widespread plague in the town reached him. ‘Umar consulted his people whether or not he should venture into the town. The heated discussion that followed came to an end when Abdur-Rahman ibn Awf cited this saying of the Prophet, “If you are inside a place where an epidemic breaks out, don’t come out of it. And don’t go in if you happen to be away from such a place.” ‘Umar, eventually commanded his people to retreat. Someone still remarked, “‘Umar! Do you run away from a destiny decreed by God?” To this ‘Umar replied. “Yes, we run away from one destiny to the other decreed by God as well.” Such was the wisdom of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and centuries ago it foreshadowed today’s quarantine regulations.
One final example from the lives of the Companions: ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud heard a man saying after a sneeze, “Alhamdulillah was salatu was salamu ‘ala rasulallah.” Ibn Mas’ud said to him, “Whatever you have said is true, but that is not the way that the Prophet has taught us. He instructed us to say simply alhamdulillah after sneezing.
Saying of the Scholars about the Sunnah
Imam Abu Hanifah
He was asked: "What do we do if we find a saying of yours opposing the Book of Allah?" He replied: "Leave my saying and stick to the Book of Allah." The questioner asked: "What if it contradicts a saying of the Prophet?" Abu Hanifah said: "Leave my saying in the face of the Prophet's saying." Again he was asked: "What if it goes against the saying of a Companion?" Again he said: "Leave my saying in the face of the Companion's saying." (Reported in Al-Qawl al-Mufeed by Shawkani.)
Imam Abu Hanifah also declared: “My way (madhhab) is whatever hadith that is proved to be authentic.” (Shami 1:50, Al-Fulani in Iqaz, p. 62.)
Imam Malik ibn Anas
He said: "The saying of any person can be accepted or rejected, except for the Prophet of Allah, peace be upon him." (Reported by Ibn 'Abd al-Barr and Ibn Hazm)
He also said: “I am just a mortal; sometimes I am wrong, sometimes I am right – so check my opinions. Whatever agrees with the Book (i.e. the Qu’ran) and the Sunnah, accept it; whatever disagrees with them, reject it.” (Reported by Al-Fulani in Iqaz, p. 72.)
Imam Shafi’i
Once he narrated a saying of the Prophet. Someone from the audience said: "Do you say so as well?" On hearing this, the Imam was enraged. His face turned pale and he said: "Woe to you! Which earth would carry me, which sky would shelter me if I narrate a saying of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and do not hold the same view! Do you see a zunnar (belt worn by non-Muslims) on me? Or have you noticed me coming out of a church? How can I report something from the Prophet, peace be upon him, and not agree with ?!!"
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal
He said: "Do not follow me or Malik or Shafi'i or Auza'i or Thawri, but take from where they took (i.e. from the Qu'ran and authentic Sunnah)."(Reported by Al-Fulani and Ibn al-Qayyim.) He also said: "He who is on the verge of destruction rejects a saying of the Messenger of Allah, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him." (Reported by Ibn al-Jauzi.)
Conclusion
The Sunnah is definitively an authority in Islamic law as stated in the Quran and the hadeeth, and as understood by the Companions. Therefore a believer with true faith has no option except to submit and surrender whatever decision, command or statement came from the Messenger of Allah.
There is a beautiful statement from Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyim in his oustanding book Madaarij Us-Saalikeen wherein he says: “Whoever obtains an authentic hadeeth from Allaah’s Messenger if he wants to turn away from it let him know that the Prophet is the one who is addressing you.
