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Excerpted from the book:
The Messenger of God: Muhammad
by Fethullah Gulen
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◦ The Sunna as one of the two main sources of Islam was
memorized, recorded, and carefully preserved so that it
could be passed down without distortation or alteration.
◦ The Sunna, the unique example set by the Messenger of
God for all Muslims to follow, shows us how to bring our
lives into agreement with God’s commands, and obtain His
good pleasure.
◦ The Sunna is the window opened on the Messenger of God,
the sacred way leading to the blessings of Islam. Without it,
Muslims cannot implement Islam in their daily lives,
establish a connection with the Messenger, or receive his
blessings.
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◦ There are several motives for establishing Sunna. Among
them are the following;
 God Commands Muslims to follow the Sunna;
 Whatever the Messenger brings you, adopt it; whatever he
forbids you, refrain from it; fear God and seek His protection,
surely God is He Whose punishment is severe. (59:7)
 A Muslim can obtain God’s good pleasure and attain true
bliss in both worlds only by following the Sunna, for its
sole purpose is to lead humanity to safety and eternal
happiness. The Quran declares:
 Verily, there is for you a most excellent example in the
Messenger of God, for him who aspires to God and the Last
Day, and mention God oft.(33:21)
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 The companions knew the Prophet would
intercede for them only if they followed the
Sunna;
 On the Day of Judgement, I will put my head on the
ground and ask God to forgive my nation. I will be told;
“ O Muhammad, raise your head and ask; you will be
given whatever you ask. Intercede; your intercession
will be accepted”
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◦ The Companions obeyed the Messenger in
everything. They were so imbued with love for
him that they strove to imitate him in every
possible way. In fact, the Quran itself led them to
do this, for it states that obeying the Messenger
is directly related to belief;
 But no, by your Master! They will not believe till
they make you the judge in disputes between
them, then they shall find in themselves no
impediment touching your verdict, but shall
surrender in full submission. (4:65)
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◦ The following are only a few examples of their degree of
submission.
 Shortly before his death, the Messenger raised an army,
appointed Usama to command it, and told him to
“advance only as far as the place where your father was
martyred, and strengthen our rule there” The Messenger
took to his bed before the army departed. When Usama
visited him, the Messenger prayed for him. The Prophet
died just before the army disembarked. Abu Bakr, his
immediate political successor and the first caliph,
dispatched the army without a second thought; despite
uprisings in various parts of Arabia. He said “By God, even
if wolves attack us from all directions, I will not lower a
flag hoisted by the Messenger”
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◦ Ali once drank water while standing. Maysara ibn Ya’Qub
criticised him: “Why are you drinking while standing?” Ali
answered:”If I do so, it’s because I saw the Messenger do
so. If I drink while sitting, it’s because I saw the Messenger
do so”
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◦ The Quran declares;
 It is not for any believer, man or woman, when God and
His Messenger have decreed a matter, to have the choice
in the affair. Whosoever disobeys God and His Messenger
has gone astray into manifest error.(33:36)
◦ The Traditions further declare;
 The best of words is the Book of God; the best way to
follow is that of Muhammad. The worst affair is
innovations (against my Sunna). Each innovation is a
deviation.
 I have left you two precious things that, if you hold fast to
them, will never lead you astray: The Quran and the
Sunna
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◦ The companions and the immediately following generations
were meticulous in narrating or transmitting these
Traditions. They showed the utmost care and exactness in
separating sound Traditions from those that had been
fabricated. After memorizing the sound ones, they passed
them down to the next generations.
◦ Zubyr ibn Awwam, one of the ten Companions assured
Paradise, narrated only a few Traditions from God’s
Messenger, for fear of making a mistake.
◦ Anas Ibn Malik, who served the Messenger for 10 years,
said :”If I were not so afraid of making a mistake, I would
related many more narrations from the Messenger”
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◦ Literal Narration- Although the literal narration is better
and always preferable, narration of meaning is allowed if
the narrator has an expert command of Arabic.
◦ For example, one day Ubayd ibn Umayr narrated: “A
hypocrite resembles a sheep left between rabidayn (two
flocks).” Abd Allah ibn Umar objected: “He did not say so. I
heard the Messenger say: “A hypocrite resembles a sheep
left between ghanamyn (two flocks). The meaning is the
same, except the words used are different.
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◦ Some Orientalists and their Muslims followers try to cast
doubt on the Sunna’s authenticity on the pretexts that
some Companions narrate too many Traditions and that
there are vast numbers of Traditions.
◦ First, the Traditions are not limited to the Messenger’s
words. Rather they cover his entire life; all his actions, likes
and dislikes, and approvals or tacit confirmations of what
his Companions said and did.
◦ He lived for 23 years among them as Messenger of God. He
taught them Islam down to its smallest details.
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