The concept of Sunnah holds a central place in Islamic thought, serving as a fundamental source of guidance alongside the Qur’an. Understanding the meaning and scope of the Sunnah is essential not only for appreciating the prophetic legacy but also for correctly interpreting Islamic teachings. Over the centuries, Muslim scholars have carefully examined the term Sunnah within various disciplines, including Hadith studies, Islamic jurisprudence, and theology. This article aims to explore the term Sunnah from both its linguistic and technical perspectives, highlight its role as a form of divine revelation, and clarify its relationship to the Qur’an and Islamic law.

In its lexical meaning, the term Sunnah refers to a path, methodology, tradition, or habit, which can be either good or bad, recommended or prohibited. However, with the advent of Islam, the term acquired a more specific and technical meaning related to the teachings and practices of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

According to scholars of Hadith—whose primary aim is to collect, verify, and classify the narrations attributed to the Prophet Muhammad—Sunnah encompasses everything transmitted from the Prophet in the form of his words, actions, tacit approvals, physical attributes, and moral conduct. Based on this understanding, the terms Sunnah and Hadith are often used interchangeably in the sciences of Hadith. Nevertheless, some scholars make a nuanced distinction between the two, where Hadith is the recorded narration and Sunnah is the actual practice or tradition of the Prophet.

On the other hand, the term Sunnah carries different connotations in various branches of Islamic sciences. In usul al-fiqh (Islamic legal theory), Sunnah refers to the sayings, actions, and silent approvals of the Prophet that are not found in the Qur’an but still serve as a source of legal rulings. In the field of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), however, Sunnah usually refers to actions or rulings of the Prophet that are neither fard (obligatory) nor wajib (mandatory), but are still praiseworthy and recommended.

Theologians (mutakallimun) approach the concept from a different angle. They use the term Sunnah to describe the practices that are in accordance with the original teachings of Islam, as opposed to bid‘ah (innovation), which denotes religious practices that were introduced later without proper basis in the Qur’an or authentic Hadith.

Sunnah is also regarded as a form of divine revelation. While the Qur’an is the primary form of revelation—revealed word for word by Allah—the Sunnah is considered the second type of revelation, revealed in meaning. This is supported by verses such as Surah an-Najm 3rd : “Nor does he speak from his own desire. It is only a revelation sent down to him.” Furthermore, the Prophet himself said: “I was given the Qur’an, and something similar to it as well.” (Abu Dawud, Sunan, II, 505). It is widely accepted among scholars that this “something similar” refers to the Sunnah.

It should be emphasized that although both the Qur’an and the Sunnah are revelations, they differ in nature. The Qur’an was revealed with both its wording and meaning, which is why reciting it is an act of worship (ibadah) and must be done with strict adherence to its exact wording. In contrast, the Sunnah was revealed in meaning only, allowing for narrations to be reported in different wordings as long as the meaning is preserved.

Another notable difference is that reciting the Qur’an, whether during ritual prayer or outside of it, is itself an act of worship. However, reciting the Sunnah—such as Hadith literature—is not considered an act of worship in the same ritualistic sense, though studying and applying it in life remains highly virtuous and spiritually rewarding.

Ahmet Furkan Usta