The Obligation of Adhering to the Sunnah
By Imâm al-Madîna al-Munawarrah Alî Abd-ur-Rahmân al-Hudhaifî
All praise is due to Allâh, Lord of all the worlds. Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger, his household and companions.
Fellow Muslims! Fear Allâh as He should be feared and obey Him. That is better for you in this world and the Hereafter.
Dear Muslims! Know that Allâh has done mankind a great favour by sending Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him, to them as a Messenger. Allâh says,
“We sent thee not, but as a mercy for all creatures.” (Al-Anbiyâ 21:107)
The Muslim is specially blessed with the message of Muhammad because he followed it and acted upon it; and the disbeliever is also generally blessed with the message of Islâm because Muslims’ adherence to the teachings of their religion prevents the evil of the disbelievers and dries up the sources of great corruption that could have occurred in the land. Allâh says,
“And did not Allah check one set of people by means of another, the earth would indeed be full of mischief: but Allah is full of bounty to all the worlds.” (Al-Baqarah 2:251)
Allâh revealed the greatest Book to His Messenger and He revealed to him the greatest explanation for that Book in form of the Sunnah. He undertakes the protection of the Qur’ân and the Sunnah from interpolations and changes and protects them from perverted ideas and interpretations. Allâh established proof against mankind through the leader of all Messengers. He guided Muhammad to the best guidance and made easy for him the best of all paths. Allâh says,
“And We will make it easy for thee (to follow) the simple (Path).” (Al-A‘lâ 87:8)
Allâh’s Messenger said,
“The best speech is the Book of Allâh. The best guidance is that of Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him. The worst of all affairs are the innovations and every innovation is erroneous.” (Muslim)
The Messenger of Allâh fulfilled his as far as levels of acts of worship; levels of the religion and level of meritorious deeds are concerned. He has fulfilled his obligation as best as possible. The Messenger of Allâh is the model for the worshipper, model for the caller for the way of Allâh, model for the teacher, model for the ruler, model for the leader, model for the soldier, and model for the husband and father. He is exemplar per excellence in human interactions and in all aspects of human endeavours. Allâh says,
“You have indeed in the Messenger of Allâh a beautiful pattern (of conduct) for any one whose hope is in Allâh and the Final Day, and who engages much in the praise of Allâh.” (Al-Ahzâb 33:21)
‘Aishah said, “The Prophet’s [code of] conduct is the Qur’ân.” This means, he used to follow the injunctions of the Qur’ân in everything that he had to do and he abstained from all that the Qur’ân prohibits.
Fellow Muslims! The Sunnah of Allâh’s Messenger is the only guide to the straight path that the Muslims should follow. The Sunnah of Allâh’s Messenger entails all that is good. He who abandons the Prophet’s Sunnah will be deprived of all blessings and he who abandons some of the Sunnah has missed blessings that are in proportion to the Sunnah that he missed.
If this is the virtue of the Sunnah and the lofty place it occupies Islâm, what then is the meaning of this Sunnah?
Sunnah, in Arabic language means: the trodden path and the followed norm. Allâh says,
“(This was Our) way with the Messengers We sent before thee: thou wilt find no change in Our ways.” (Al-Isrâ 17:77)
In Islâm, Sunnah means: holding fast to and following the path of the Prophet, his rightly guided successors and his companions in matters of belief and in their words and deeds. Sunnah is also used to describe the sayings, deeds and approvals of the Messenger, for these are the source of the Muslim’s belief and deed.
Dear brethren! The situation of the Muslims today is a source of grief for every believer in the oneness of Allâh. The enemies formed a confederation against them and they make them taste severe torment. Muslims’ honour is violated in many lands and they are subjected to ignominy in many places.
Ideological differences, political bigotry, nationalism of the days of ignorance and innovated acts of worship have tore apart the ranks of the Muslims and weakened them. Their weakness and degeneration are not attributable to fewness of their numbers. They are rather the greatest in number of all the adherents of religions. Their calamity therefore lies in their negligence in implementing the injunctions of their religion. Allâh says,
“Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves (with their own souls). But when (once) Allâh wills a peoples punishment, there can be no turning it back, nor will they find, besides Him, any to protect.” (Ar-Ra‘d 13:11)
Brethren in faith! The situation in which the Muslims find themselves today has awaken those with high-mindedness and given warning alarms and sincere admonition that Muslims should return to their Lord in repentance, hold fast unto their religion and put to practice the Book of their Lord and the Sunnah of their Prophet, so that Allâh may show mercy to them and remove their calamity.
The diseases of the Muslims are many and the causes of their degeneration are numerous. The matter can even become worse than they are now but the good ending is eventually for Islâm.
The only remedy for this disease is to follow the Sunnah. Following the Sunnah and adhering to the path of the righteous predecessors are the remedy for the diseases the Muslims are suffering from. Implementing the Sunnah of Allâh’s Messenger is also the only way to blessings.
Adhering to the Sunnah means shunning differences. It means unity of purpose. Adhering to the Sunnah brings about victory over the enemies and the people of error and desire. Some scholars said,
“Any country whose inhabitants follow the Sunnah and in which the light of the Sunnah illuminates is always given victory over its enemies. And any country in which the light of the Sunnah is suppressed, will be defeated by the enemy.”
Allâh’s Messenger said
, “My provision is put under the shade of my spear, ignominy and disgrace are made the lot of whoever disobeys my command and whoever emulates a people has become one of them''