Article Citation: Ahmad Maigari Dutsinma (2024). An Overview of the Indispensability of Sunnah in Islam. DEGEL: The Journal of the Faculty of Arts and Islamic Studies, Vol. 21, No. 1. ISSN 0794-9316
AN OVERVIEW OF THE INDISPENSABILITY OF SUNNAH IN ISLAM
By
Ahmad Maigari Dutsinma
Abstract
In the name of Allah, the Most
Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise and thanks are due to Allah, the
Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe. May the most perfect peace and
blessings be upon the seal of Allah's Prophets and Messengers, Muhammad ibn
Abdullah—the Qurayshite, the Hashimite, and the trustworthy—as well as upon his
noble household, prestigious companions, and those who follow them with
goodness until the Last Day. Amin ya Ahad! This paper highlights
evidence from the Sunnah and the sayings of the pious predecessors,
demonstrating the importance of the Sunnah. Additionally, it presents examples
from the Glorious Qur'an that emphasize the significance of Hadith. The
analytical method was employed in conducting this research.
Keywords: Glorious Qur'an,
Prophet, Hadith, Sunnah, Importance
Introduction
For a Muslim to fully understand the
importance of the Sunnah, one must consider the role of Prophet Muhammad (may
Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). This role becomes evident from the
very code of entry into Islam: “La ilaha illallah Muhammadur Rasulullah”—there
is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger.
Anyone who accepts Islam must testify
to this formula, which is a solemn covenant with Allah to worship Him alone and
to obey all commands, prohibitions, and practices of worship based on the
guidance and example of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Thus, the
Prophet’s role as the conveyor of Allah’s message and as a guide for correct
worship and righteous living is essential.
Surah 33:21 clearly shows that the
Prophet’s guidance is to be followed in all aspects of life. Failure to do so
is an indication of weak or unsound faith—may Allah protect us. Amin ya
Rahman. Other relevant verses include 3:32, 24:47–50, 24:63, 24:51–52,
49:1, and 24:62, which collectively affirm the necessity of following the
Prophet’s Sunnah.
Evidence from the
Sunnah and the Sayings of the Pious Predecessors Showing the Importance of the
Sunnah
Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi transmitted
through a sound chain from Irbad ibn Kathir that Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir said:
I heard Ja’far ibn Abdullah saying that Allah’s Apostle (peace be upon him)
said: “Behold! A man may be narrated a hadith from me while reclining on his
couch and say: ‘I do not know this—hold fast only to the Qur’an.’ Whoever is
conveyed a statement from me and rejects it or falsely attributes a lie to me
should prepare for his place in Hellfire.”
Among the strongest narrations after
the Prophet's own hadith is a report from Imran ibn Husayn, cited in various
versions. According to Shu’aib ibn Fudalah, as transmitted by Imam al-Bayhaqi
in his Sunan, Imran discussed intercession one day, and a man responded
by questioning the authenticity of such hadiths, claiming they were not found
in the Qur'an. Imran was displeased and replied:
"Have you read
the Qur'an?"
The man said, "Yes." He asked, "Then have you found in
it that Isha is four units, Maghrib three, Fajr two, Dhuhr and Asr four?"
The man said, "No." Imran responded: "Then from whom
did you learn this if not from us, who learned it from the Prophet (peace be
upon him)? Have you found in the Qur'an that one goat is due for every forty in
zakat, or the rulings for camels, or silver coins (dirhams)? Did you not receive
all of these from us—and we received them from the Prophet?"
He further quoted Qur'an 22:29 and
59:7:
"Take whatever the Messenger gives you, and refrain from what he forbids
you."
This indicates that without the Sunnah,
many aspects of the Qur’an would remain unclear or incomplete.
A narration from Irbad ibn Sariyah
recounts how the Prophet (peace be upon him) responded sternly to a Jewish
leader in Khaybar who attempted to insult the Muslims. The Prophet emphasized
that Paradise is only for believers and warned against assuming that only the
prohibitions in the Qur’an matter, while ignoring those conveyed through the
Sunnah.
He said: “Perhaps a well-fed man
reclining on his couch thinks that Allah’s prohibitions are limited to the
Qur’an. Indeed, I have prohibited matters that are equivalent to those in the
Qur'an—or even more.”
Sayings from the
Companions and Successors Emphasizing the Sunnah
Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be
pleased with him), the third Caliph, warned against people who abandon the
Sunnah in favor of personal opinion, often due to forgetfulness or ignorance of
prophetic traditions.
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud said:
"O people, seek knowledge before it is taken away through the death of
scholars. Beware of innovation and extremism. Stick to what is known and
authentic, for at the end of this Ummah, people will claim to follow the Qur’an
while abandoning it behind their backs."
Sa’id ibn Jubayr, a successor (tabi’i),
once narrated a hadith, and someone objected, claiming it contradicted the
Qur'an. Sa'id replied:
"I dislike narrating a hadith from the Prophet only for you to
contradict it using the Qur'an, for the Prophet had greater knowledge of the
Qur’an than anyone else."
Statements from Great
Imams
Imam al-Shafi’i once narrated a hadith
and deemed it authentic. A man asked, “Do you consider it valid as legal
evidence?” Imam al-Shafi’i was shaken by the question and responded:
"Do you take me
for a Christian? Have you seen me coming from a church? That I would narrate a
sound hadith from the Messenger of Allah and not consider it legal
evidence?"
He further said: “Whenever you see
me narrating an authentic hadith but refusing to accept it as evidence, then
know that I have lost my senses.”
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, in a well-known
poem, emphasized the importance of the Sunnah over personal opinion:
دين النبي محمد (صلي الله عليه وسلم اخبار
نعم المطية للفتى اثار لا ترغبن عن الحديث واهله فالراي ليل والحديث نهار ولربما
غلظ (جهل) الفتى اثر الهدى والشمس بازغة لها انوار
Translation:
The religion of the Prophet Muhammad is based on traditions (reports). What
a fine mount for the youth are these traditions! Do not turn away from hadith
and its people, for opinion is like darkness, but hadith is daylight. A youth
may err in pursuit of guidance, even while the sun shines brightly.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Imam
Malik and Imam Abu Hanifa, who emphasized adherence to the Sunnah and
discouraged personal interpretations that contradicted it.
Conclusion
A renowned scholar, Abu Ayyub
al-Sakhtiyani, reported in al-Bayhaqi:
"If you narrate a Sunnah to a man and he says, ‘Leave that aside and
tell us only about the Qur’an,’ know that he is misguided." Imam
al-Suyuti, in the introduction to his work Miftah al-Jannah fi al-Ihtijaj bi
al-Sunnah, declared that one who denies the authentic hadiths of the
Prophet (peace be upon him)—despite the established principles of Islamic
jurisprudence—has in fact rejected faith and stepped outside the fold of Islam.
He is equal in status to Jews and Christians and will be resurrected with them
on the Day of Judgment. May Allah protect us. Amin ya Ahad.
References
Al-Baghdadi,
A.Kh, (N.D)Kitab Al-Kifayah Fi Ilm Al-Riwayah, Introduced and revised By
Hafiz, M.A. Etal Syria: (Damascus) Mat Baat Al-Saadah (Nd.)
Al-Bani,
M.N., (1983), Siffatus Salat Al-Nabiyyi Sallatuhu Alaihi Wa Sallam, Syria:
(Damascus), Al-Maktab Al-Islami, Eleventh Edition.
Al-Bukhari,
M. I. (2009), Sahih al-Bukhari, Muhsin, M. (trans.): Beirut. Daru al-
Arabia.
Al-Suyuti, Imam, (1979) Miftahul-Jannah Fi Ihtijaj Bi Al-Sunnah, (Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah) Matbaat Al-Rashid, Third Edition.
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