Living Revelation Beyond the Qur’an
The Sunnah ﷺ and how it is still preserved
Introduction
The Sunnah is revelation in practice. It explains the Qur’an, completes the faith, and provides a lived model of Islam. It is not culture or an optional add-on—it is binding divine guidance.
“Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only a Revelation revealed.”
Qur’an 53:3-4
What Is the Sunnah?
The Sunnah includes:
- Every action of the Prophet ﷺ.
- Every statement of the Prophet ﷺ.
- Every action done in his presence without his objection.
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, in Usul al-Sunnah, defined the Sunnah as the essential explanation of Islam.
Aisha (RA) narrated:
“Three crescent moons would pass, and no fire would be lit in the house of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” Bukhari 2567
Their sustenance was often only dates and water, yet the Prophet ﷺ showed that simplicity, gratitude, and patience can themselves be acts of worship. The Sunnah is therefore not just rulings, but a complete way of life.
The Sunnah as Revelation
The Qur’an affirms that the Prophet ﷺ spoke only from revelation. His Sunnah is not a personal opinion; it is divinely inspired guidance.
“Nor does he speak from desire. It is only revelation revealed.”
“Verily I have been given the Qur’an and something similar to it along with it.”
Together, these establish that the Sunnah is revelation preserved, authoritative, and inseparable from the Qur’an.
Explaining the Qur’an
The Prophet ﷺ was tasked to clarify the Qur’an:
“…And We revealed to you the Reminder that you may explain to people what was sent down to them…”
Examples include:
The Qur’an commands prayer, but the Sunnah shows its form:
“Pray as you have seen me praying.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 631
The Qur’an commands Hajj, but the Sunnah defines its rites:
“Take your rites of Hajj from me.”
Sahih Muslim 1297
As Al-Nawawi in Sharh Sahih Muslim explains, without the Sunnah, Qur’anic commands remain theoretical. Together, the Qur’an provides the principles, and the Sunnah brings them into practice.
The Sunnah as a Source of Law
The Sunnah is a binding legislative source, equal in authority to the Qur’an. Denying it is denying revelation.
“Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not from me.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 5063
Ibn Qudāmah in al-Mughnī documented countless rulings derived directly from the Sunnah, proving it is an independent source of law. Together, they form the foundation of Islamic legislation, with neither complete without the other.
Preservation of the Sunnah
Allah promises to preserve His revelation:
“Indeed, We sent down the Reminder, and indeed, We will preserve it.”
Qur’an 15:9
Scholars explained that this protection extends to both Qur’an and Sunnah, since the two are inseparable. Ibn Hazm argued that losing any part of the Sunnah would contradict Allah’s promise. Ibn Taymiyyah likewise affirmed that Allah preserved both sources, for the faith cannot be complete without them together.
This preservation was realized through rigorous scholarship. The science of isnād (chains of transmission) traced every report back to the Prophet ﷺ. Jarh wa taʿdīl (criticism and accreditation) assessed narrators for memory, reliability, and integrity. Hadith classification distinguished authentic reports from weak ones, safeguarding the Sunnah from corruption. Imam Ahmad said: “The chains of transmission are part of the religion; were it not for isnād, anyone could say what they wished.”
Beyond methodology, Allah placed in the Ummah a culture of memorization and public recitation. Hadiths were transmitted in gatherings where errors could be corrected on the spot. Written registers were checked and authenticated by both teachers and students. This collective process made it nearly impossible for fabrications to spread undetected.
Al-Nawawi emphasized that such rigorous scrutiny was a fulfillment of Allah’s promise to protect His revelation. The result is that collections such as those of al-Bukhari and Muslim have been examined for over a thousand years and remain unchallenged in their authenticity. Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan explains that this preservation continues through modern scholarship, where hadith sciences are studied and taught across the Muslim world, ensuring that the Sunnah remains intact and accessible in every generation.
Everyday Relevance
The Sunnah transforms daily actions into worship:
- Smiling is charity.
- Eating with gratitude becomes worship.
- Greeting spreads peace.
- Caring for family is devotion.
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal said that following the Sunnah makes faith complete.
The Sunnah is not optional; it is essential. Without it, prayer, zakat, fasting, and Hajj would have no defined form. To reject the Sunnah is to reject revelation itself, and a person cannot truly be Muslim without following it.
Addressing Misconceptions
Some modern groups claim the Qur’an alone is sufficient. Yet the Qur’an itself says the Prophet ﷺ was sent to “explain” the Qur’an 16:44.
Without the Sunnah, acts like prayer, zakat, or Hajj remain undefined. Imam Ahmad,
Ibn Qudāmah and others stressed that rejecting the Sunnah is rejecting Islam’s foundation.
Another claim is that hadith collections appeared “200 years later.” In reality, the Sunnah was preserved from the very beginning through memorization, isnād (chains of transmission), and early written records kept by the Companions themselves. For example, Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-‘As
compiled the Sahifah al-Sadiqah during the Prophet’s ﷺ lifetime, containing over 1,000 hadith. Other Companions, such as Ali ibn Abi Talib,
kept written collections for guidance.
Later compilers like Imam al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim did not “invent” hadith; they collected, authenticated, and organized reports already known and practiced in the Ummah. Their works were the result of rigorous hadith sciences fulfilling Allah’s promise to preserve revelation in both Qur’an and Sunnah.
References
Primary Sources
Qur’an
- An-Najm 53:3-4: The Prophet ﷺ speaks only by revelation, not desire.
- An-Nahl 16:44: The Prophet explains the Qur’an as part of his mission.
- Al-Hijr 15:9: Allah promises to preserve revelation, including Sunnah.
Hadith
- Sahih al-Bukhari 5063: Warning against turning away from the Sunnah.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 631: “Pray as you have seen me praying.”
- Sahih Muslim 1297: “Take your rites of Hajj from me.”
- Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 2664: Sunnah given alongside the Qur’an as revelation.
Secondary Sources
- Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Usul al-Sunnah: Foundational work affirming Sunnah’s authority.
- Al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim: Commentary clarifying hadith on Sunnah.
- Ibn Qudāmah, al-Mughnī: Legal rulings showing Sunnah as a source of law.
- Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan, Sharh al-Irshad; Fataawa Noor ‘ala ad-Darb: Modern explanation on following the Sunnah.
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