The Meaning of Sunnah

by Dr. G. F. Haddad

The Arabic word sunnah lexically means "road" or "practice." In the language of the Prophet and the Companions it denotes the whole of licit [lawful] practices followed in the Religion [dîn], particularly the pristine (hanîf) path of Prophets, whether pertaining to belief, religious and social practice, or ethics generally speaking.

In its technical sense sunnah has three meanings. In hadith terminology it denotes any saying (qawl), action (fi'l), approval (taqrîr), or attribute (sifa), whether physical (khilqiyya) or moral (khuluqiyya) ascribed to (udîfa ila) the Prophet , whether before or after the beginning of his prophethood.1 This meaning is used in contradistinction to the Qur'an in expressions such as "Qur'an and sunnah " and applies in the usage of hadith scholars.

In the terminology of usul al-fiqh or principles of jurisprudence, sunnah denotes a saying (qawl), action (fi'l) or approval (taqrîr) related from (nuqila 'an) the Prophet or issuing (sadara) from him other than the Qur'an.

In the terminology of fiqh or jurisprudence, sunnah denotes whatever is firmly established (thabata) as called for (matlub) in the Religion on the basis of a legal proof (dalîl shar'î) but without being obligatory, the continued abandonment of which constitutes disregard (istikhfaf) of the Religion - also sin (ithm) according to some jurists - and incurs blame (lawm, 'itab, tadlîl) - also punishment ('uquba) according to some jurists.2 However, some jurists have made a distinction between what they called "Emphasized sunnah " (sunnah mu'akkada) or "sunnah of Guidance" (sunnah al-huda), such as what the Prophet ordered or emphasized in word or in deed, and other types of sunnah considered less binding in their legal status, such as what they called "Non-Emphasized sunnah " (sunnah ghayr mu'akkada) or "sunnah of Habit" (sunnah al-'ada).

The above meanings of sunnah are used in contradistinction to the other four of the five legal categories for human actions - fard (obligatory), sunnah , mubah (indifferent), makruh (disliked), haram (prohibited) - and applies in the usage of jurists from the second Hijri century onwards. However, the jurists have stressed that the basis for all acts of worship categorized as sunnah is "obligatoriness" not "permissiveness" (al-asl fî al-sunnah al-wujub la al-ibaha). sunnah is thus defined as the strongest of the following near-synonymous categories:

"praiseworthy" (mandub)
"desirable" (mustahabb)
"voluntary" (tatawwu')
"refinement" (adab)
"obedience" (ta'a)
"supererogatory" (nafl)
"drawing near" (qurba)
"recommended" (raghîba, murghab fîh)
"excellent" (hasan)
"excellence" (ihsan)
"meritorious" (fadîla)
"best" (afdal).
It is antonymous with "innovation" (bid'a), as in the expression "People of the sunnah " or Sunnis (Ahl al-sunnah ).

Al-Dhahabi relates from Ishaq ibn Rahuyah the saying: "If al-Thawri, al-Awza'i, and Malik concur on a given matter, that matter is a sunnah ." Al-Dhahabi comments:

Rather, the sunnah is whatever the Prophet made sunnah , and the rightly-guided Caliphs after him. As for Consensus (ijma'), it is whatever the ulama of the Community both early and late have unanimously agreed upon, through either assumed (zannî) or tacit (sukutî) agreement. Whoever deviates from such consensus among the Successors or their successors, it is tolerated for him alone. As for those who deviate from the three above-named imams, then such is not named a deviation from Consensus, nor from the sunnah . All that Ishaq meant was that if they concur on a given matter then it is most probably correct, just as we say, today, that it is nearly impossible to find the truth outside of what the Four Imams of scholarly endeavor agreed upon. We say this at the same time as we admit that their agreement on a given matter does not dictate the consensus of the Community, but we refrain from asserting, in relation to a matter upon which they all agreed, that the correct position is otherwise.3

NOTES

1 See al-Siba'i, Al-sunnah wa Makanatuha fi al-Tashri' al-Islami (p.47).
2 See al-Lucknawi, Tuhfa al-Abrar, chapter entitled "The Legal Status of the Emphasized sunnah and of its Abandonment" (Hukm al-sunnah al-Mu'akkada wa Tarkiha) (p. 87-92).

Allah does not EXIST

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of Allah, the barber said
"I don't believe that Allah exists."
"Why do you say that?" asked the customer.
"Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that Allah doesn't exist. Tell me, if Allah exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If Allah existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine loving a God who would allow all of these things."
The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument.The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and un-kept. The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber:
"You know what? Barbers do not exist."
" How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber.
"I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!"
"No!" the customer exclaimed.
"Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."
"Ah, but barbers DO exist! What happens is, people do not come to me."
"Exactly !"- affirmed the customer.
"That's the point! Allah, too, DOES exist! What happens, is, people don't go to Him and do not look for Him. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world" said the customer.

Democracy & Islam – Compatible or Incompatible?

Democracy & Islam – Compatible or Incompatible?

By Shais

1. Introduction
2. Meaning of the words “democracy” and “Islam”
3. Is Democracy Compatible with Islam?
4. What does the Quran say?

1. Introduction

Lets now talk about the topic of “democracy” which Muslims are demanding today and what USA wants to restore in Pakistan.

Whether democracy and Islam are compatible or incompatible, I wouldn’t be giving my personal opinion but I’ll establish my point from the Quran and you be the judge.

2. Meaning of the words “democracy” and “Islam”

Democracy:

(i) government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.

(ii) American heritage dictionary : Government by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives.

Though I can copy the meaning from more dictionaries but these will suffice. You can see more here.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/democracy

In short, democracy means “rule of the people”

Islam :

Islam comes from the Arabic word “Aslama” or “silm’ which means “to submit, to surrender and to obey” Allah (SWT) with sincerity and Peace and both these words can be found in the Quran

“Who can be better in religion than one who submits (Aslama) his whole self to Allah, does good, and follows the way of Abraham the true in Faith? For Allah did take Abraham for a friend.” (Quran 4:125)

“O ye who believe! Enter into Islam (Silm) whole-heartedly;” (Quran 2:208)

“O ye who believe! Come, all of you, into submission (unto Him) (silm); and follow not the footsteps of the devil. Lo! he is an open enemy for you.” (Quran 2:208, Marmaduke Pickethall)

In short, Islam means “to submit your will to God”. One should do whatever God wants him to do.

3. Is democracy compatible with Islam?

As I mentioned that today Muslims are demanding democracy. I don’t actually have a low opinion of Muslims, but I feel they are ignorant either of what democracy is or what Islam is.

To say that Islam and democracy can go together is as similar to say “Kufr (blasphemy) and Eeman (faith) can go together”. It is as similar as to say “A human being can worship idols and still remain a Muslim”.

Democracy is “rule of the people”. It is people who decide what is halal and what is haraam. It is people who decide what is lawful and what is unlawful, by what law they should abide and by what laws they shouldn’t abide.

In short, the sovereignty belongs to people and NOT to Allah. In Islam, sovereignty belongs to Allah alone. People can pass any law they wish to. They can legalize anything they wish to.

Some time ago in the west, adultery was a crime. Then it became legalized and homosexuality was a crime. Then they legalized it and today it is a crime to condemn homosexuality.

The fallen evangelist Jimmy Swaggart had to apologize and take his words back when he joked and said this about gays during one of his sermons.

“this utter absolute, asinine, idiotic stupidity of men marrying men. … I've never seen a man in my life I wanted to marry. And I'm gonna be blunt and plain; if one ever looks at me like that, I'm gonna kill him and tell God he died."

Now is democracy compatible with Islam in any form, shape or size? Can anyone who denies and says that sovereignty shouldn’t belong to Allah and it should belong to human beings, be a Muslim?

Now lets see what the Quran says about it

4. What does the Quran says?

“They (The Jews and Christians) take their priests and their anchorites to be their lords in derogation of Allah,” (Quran 9:31)

There used to be one Sahaba (companion) of the Prophet (pbuh) who used to be a Christian. He said that we did not use to worship our priests, we dint use to bow down in front of them. Then the Prophet (pbuh) went on to explain the meaning of this verse.

He said that did they not make lawful what Allah (SWT) made unlawful and did they not make it unlawful what Allah made lawful and he said “yes”. The prophet (pbuh) said that it was their worship of them.

In short, any human being who believes that some other human being has a right to legislate regardless of whether it goes against Allah or not then he has done the same thing what the Jews and Christians did and he has taken that person to be as a god along with Allah!

But do you want something simpler than that? I’ll give it to you.

Allah literally declares those people who say that Allah shouldn’t be soverign as “Kafirs (unbelievers), Zalim (Wrongdoers) and Fasiq (rebels)

“If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) Unbelievers.” (Quran 5:44)

“And if any fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (No better than) wrong-doers.” (Quran 5:45)

“If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) those who rebel.” (Quran 5:47)

It is also compulsory to judge by what Muhammad (pbuh) said.

“But no, by the Lord, they can have no (real) Faith, until they make thee judge in all disputes between them, and find in their souls no resistance against Thy decisions, but accept them with the fullest conviction.” (Quran 4:65)

The best of judges is Allah (SWT). No human being has any right to legislate above the right of Allah (SWT). The Quran says

“But who, for a people whose faith is assured, can give better judgment than Allah.” (Quran 5:50)

“Is not Allah the wisest of judges?” (Quran 95:8)

Allah is questioning that is he not the wisest of judges? The answering is reposed in the question, the wisest of judges is indeed Allah.

So anyone who calls for democracy i.e.rule of people in which people can legislate anything regardless of whether it goes against Allah and his messenger (SAW) are indeed unbelievers according to the Quran and they are inviting people to disbelieve in Allah!!

The Quran says

“It is not fitting for a Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and His Messenger to have any option about their decision: if any one disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path.” (Quran 33:36)

All those people who call for democracy are indeed on the wrong. They normally opt other options in matters which have been decided by Allah and his messenger (peace be upon him).

Any Muslim who says that Sharia law shouldn’t be there but instead democracy should be there says NO to Allah and yes to man-made laws which is indeed blasphemy!!

I rest my case. Any Muslim after reading this article will never demand democracy even if he/she has mustard seed of Eeman (faith).