Hadith and Sunnah

**snakelegs** · 01-25-2007

what is the difference between the sunnah and the hadiths?
sometimes the terms are used as tho they are the same, but i think there is a difference, so it's confusing.
if there is, which would have higher authority?

**Ibn Abi Ahmed** · 01-25-2007

The term hadeeth linguistically means a communication or a narrative. This is confirmed in the Glorious Qur’aan
Let them then produce a saying (hadeeth) like unto it. (Soorah at-Tur:34)

And when the Prophet spoke (Hadeeth) secretly to one of his wives. (Soorah at-Tahrim:3)
In the Shariah terminology, it refers to all that is transmitted from the Prophet, his deeds, his sayings, whatever he approved. According to the Muhadditheen (scholars of hadeeth), it is synonymous with the term Sunnah.

http://www.load-islam.com/artical_de...ection=Hadeeth

The Sunnah, according to the scholars of hadîth, is everything that has been related from the Messenger (peace be upon him) of his statements, actions, tacit approvals, personality, physical description, or biography. It does not matter whether the information being related refers to something before the beginning of his prophetic mission, or after it.

http://www.load-islam.com/artical_de...ection=Hadeeth

**snakelegs** · 01-25-2007

thanks. it can get pretty confusing.
"hyperactive imam" - lol -have you considered "instant imam"?

**snakelegs** · 03-14-2007

sorry to drag this up again, but i keep running in to contradictory views on this.
some think the hadith are the words/sayings of the prophet and the sunnah applies to the actions/practice of the prophet.
those who think they are different hold that the sunnah has priority only after the qur'an and before the ahadith.
other sources, as al madani has, say the 2 are the same.
which would you say is the mainstream sunni view? please share your thoughts.

**- Qatada -** · 03-14-2007

I think the correct view is that they are both equal in regard to matters of law, for instance - we are not told how to exactly pray in the Qur'an [even though we are commanded to pray in the Qur'an], therefore that is explained in the Sunnah etc.

However, in regard to reciting Qur'an - the muslim get's 10 rewards for each letter that he/she recites, whereas with reciting the ahadith the reward is not 10 rewards. And Allaah knows best.

**ABDUL HAQ** · 03-14-2007

Sunnah: The Second Source of Islamic Law

The Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad ( ) has been accepted as an important source of Islamic law, next in importance only to the Holy Qur’ân.

Definition of Sunnah
The Sunnah has been defined by the scholars of the science of Hadîth as follows:

“A word spoken, or an act done, or a confirmation given by the Holy Prophet Muhammad ( ).”

“Confirmation” in this definition is termed in Arabic as Taqreer. What is meant by this term is like somebody said something, or acted in a particular manner, and his saying or act came to the knowledge of the Holy Prophet ( ) and he either confirmed it in express words or remained silent without given any indication of disapproval. Such silence, being an implied approval of the Holy Prophet ( ) is also included in the term Sunnah.

something of interest

http://ccminc.faithweb.com/iqra/arti...sun/chap1.html

**snakelegs** · 03-14-2007

interesting, but it turns out to be a book and i can't possibly read it all, tho i skimmed the first 3 chapters.
i think according to this book, hadith and sunnah are same - that sunnah is one form of hadith?
this was interesting:
"It is not merely a logical inference from the verses of the Holy Qur’ân quoted above, but it is also mentioned in express terms by the Holy Qur’ân in a large number of verses which give the Muslims a mandatory command to obey and follow him. While doing so, the Holy Qur’ân has used two different terms, namely the “itaa’ah” (to obey) and “ittibaa’” (to follow). The first term refers to the orders and sayings of the Holy Prophet ( ) while the second relates to his acts and practice. By ordering the Muslims both to “obey” and to “follow” the Holy Prophet ( ), the Holy Qur’ân has given an authority to both his sayings and acts."
it looks like the terms are used interchangeably, but the above makes me think that there is a difference - that itaa'ah would refer to the ahadith and "ittibaa" the sunnah?
what do you (all) think?

**Ibn Abi Ahmed** · 03-15-2007

Sunnah is defined differently by scholars of different fields. For example, scholars of Fiqh (Jurisprudence) would consider (in terms of Fiqh) a Sunnah to be an act that is no obligatory but something that was done by the Prophet. Scholars of Hadith was the definition given above:

The Sunnah, according to the scholars of hadîth, is everything that has been related from the Messenger (peace be upon him) of his statements, actions, tacit approvals, personality, physical description, or biography. It does not matter whether the information being related refers to something before the beginning of his prophetic mission, or after it.

Hadith as far as I know has the definition I provided above:

In the Shariah terminology, it refers to all that is transmitted from the Prophet, his deeds, his sayings, whatever he approved.

According to the Muhadditheen (scholars of hadeeth), it is synonymous with the term Sunnah.

**snakelegs** · 03-15-2007

thanks, al madani.
it seems like the more i read, the more get confused! so i am guessing that there are some differences among scholars on this issue, but - from what you wrote - most would consider the 2 to be the same.
whether the same or separate - it is true that they may not contradict or abrogate anything in the qur'an - is that right?

**- Qatada -** · 03-15-2007

Hi snakelegs.

I think it differs according to the type of scholar. So for instance there may be a word in the english language which may have a different meaning due to the different context of the job/field.

So someone using the term 'mass' for example may use it differently in science compared to a math teacher, even though they both have a similar root.

Similarly the word hadith can be used differently and more flexibly for the scholars of seerah [the biography of the Messenger of Allaah, peace be upon him] compared to a scholar of fiqh [jurispudence] for example.

I may be wrong, but that's how i understand it. And Allaah knows best.

**MinAhlilHadeeth** · 03-15-2007

You might want to read this thread.

**snakelegs** · 03-15-2007

thanks for the info - to both of you. will check out that thread.

**snakelegs** · 03-15-2007

this clears it up nicely: (from the link Umm'Abdullah gave)

"What is the relationship between Sunnah and Hadeeth?

The Sunnah is the Abstract concept of Prophet’s sallahu Alayhi wasalam life. The Hadeeth is the reality meaning when we open of Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih al-Muslim we actually see the words in front of us in print. So the Sunnah is preserved in the Hadeeth. We cannot say that it is a da’ef Sunnah or a sahih Sunnah, Sunnah is what the Prophet sallahu Alayhi wasalam did but we can say da’ef Hadeeth and Sahih Hadeeth. Hadeeth is the physical method in which the Sunnah is preserved. Hadeeth basically is what preserved the Sunnah of Prophet sallahu Alayhi wasalam."

the majority view seems to be that the hadith is equal in weight to the qur'an.
thanks for posting those excellent lecture notes.

**Musalmaan** · 03-16-2007

Originally Posted by snakelegs

this clears it up nicely: (from the link Umm'Abdullah gave)

"What is the relationship between Sunnah and Hadeeth?

The Sunnah is the Abstract concept of Prophet’s sallahu Alayhi wasalam life. The Hadeeth is the reality meaning when we open of Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih al-Muslim we actually see the words in front of us in print. So the Sunnah is preserved in the Hadeeth. We cannot say that it is a da’ef Sunnah or a sahih Sunnah, Sunnah is what the Prophet sallahu Alayhi wasalam did but we can say da’ef Hadeeth and Sahih Hadeeth. Hadeeth is the physical method in which the Sunnah is preserved. Hadeeth basically is what preserved the Sunnah of Prophet sallahu Alayhi wasalam."

the majority view seems to be that the hadith is equal in weight to the qur'an.
thanks for posting those excellent lecture notes.

yeah, here you got it right.

as a muslim, we are suppose to follow the sunnah of prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam for sunnah is not weak or strong but hadith can be weak or strong or sometime fabricated.

there are some sunnah about which a very few hadith are present in some not well known hadith books but since it is sunnah it is famous and it is being practiced largely, and there are some hadith which is present in Hadith book such as Bukhari and Muslim but since it is not sunnah, it is not taken rather we follow the sunnah (that was established among the companion of prophet Muhammad sallallahu alihi wa sallam, for they knew what is normal practice of prophet and what was some special cases which prophet had authority to do).

the people of knowledge knows such examples.

prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam has commanded us to follow his sunnah.

in ealier generation , like tabaein (the preceeding era of companion of prophet) they have less loads of hadith as they could easily identify the sunnah as it was well established but later when some group of people began to fabricate false Hadith, then the era came to identify true Hadiths from false Hadiths and it was the era of people of hadith (muhaditheen).