Why the Sunnah is Essential for Muslims

The Unfailing Compass: Why the Sunnah is Essential for Every Muslim

In the heart of every believer lies a profound love for Allah and a sincere desire to walk the path that pleases Him. To guide us on this journey, Allah, in His infinite mercy, has not left us to wander aimlessly. He has bestowed upon us two inseparable lights: the glorious Quran and the illuminating Sunnah of His final Messenger, Muhammad (peace be upon him). Allah Himself establishes the Prophet’s life as the ultimate standard, declaring in a foundational verse:

"Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example for whoever has hope in Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah often." (Surah Al-Ahzab 33:21) 1

This verse is far more than mere praise; it is a divine directive, a celestial signpost pointing us toward the one perfect human model for our faith. It sets the stage for a fundamental question that every Muslim contemplates: We have the Quran, the direct, unadulterated, and perfectly preserved word of Allah. It is our ultimate guide. So, why is the Sunnah—the way of the Prophet (peace be upon him)—also a non-negotiable, indispensable component of our Islamic teachings? How do these two divine sources work together to complete our religion?

To answer this, we must first understand what the Sunnah is. In the simplest terms, the Sunnah is the path, the methodology, and the entire way of life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).¹ It is a comprehensive term that encompasses everything authentically narrated from or about him, including:

• His Sayings (Sunnah Qawliyyah): The words he spoke, the advice he gave, and the commands he issued.
• His Actions (Sunnah Fi’liyyah): His deeds, habits, and practices, from the way he prayed to the way he interacted with his family and community.
• His Tacit Approvals (Sunnah Taqririyyah): The actions performed by his companions in his presence which he did not object to, thereby giving his silent approval.¹

This complete record of his life has been meticulously preserved and transmitted to us through the science of authentic hadith. If the Quran is the perfect, divine blueprint for a successful life and afterlife, the Sunnah is the master-class taught by the Chief Engineer, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), sent by the Creator Himself to show us precisely how to build it. It is the living, breathing application of the Quran’s timeless principles. This article will explore, based exclusively on the Quran and authentic hadith, why the Sunnah is not merely important but divinely mandated, functionally necessary, and spiritually enriching for every Muslim who seeks the pleasure of their Lord.

A Divine Command: The Inseparable Link Between Quran and Sunnah

The importance of the Sunnah is not a matter of scholarly preference or historical tradition; it is rooted in the direct and unambiguous commands of Allah within the Quran itself. A careful reading of the divine text reveals that obedience to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is not optional or secondary, but an integral part of obedience to Allah.

The Core Mandate: Obey Allah and Obey the Messenger

Across the Quran, Allah repeats a specific command with a deliberate and powerful structure. He does not simply say, “Obey Allah’s commands,” but consistently pairs obedience to Himself with obedience to His Messenger. Consider the weight and frequency of these verses:

• Allah says: “O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you differ among yourselves concerning any matter, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is better, and fairer in outcome.” (Surah An-Nisa 4:59) ⁵
• He commands the Prophet (peace be upon him) to declare: “Say, ‘Obey Allah and obey the Messenger.’ But if you turn away, then he is only responsible for his duty and you are responsible for yours. And if you obey him, you will be [rightly] guided. The Messenger’s duty is only to deliver [the message] clearly.” (Surah An-Nur 24:54) ⁷
• He warns the believers: “O believers! Obey Allah and His Messenger and do not turn away from him while you hear [his call].” (Surah Al-Anfal 8:20) ⁷
• He links the validity of our deeds to this dual obedience: “O believers! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and do not let your deeds be in vain.” (Surah Muhammad 47:33) ⁷

The linguistic structure here is profoundly significant. The command verb “obey” (ati’u) is mentioned independently for Allah and then repeated for the Messenger. This is not a stylistic redundancy. It establishes that the Messenger is an independent authority who must be obeyed in his own right, for his commands are themselves from a divine source. It signifies that Allah has given us two distinct but complementary sources of guidance: the Quran, which is the direct word of Allah, and the Sunnah, which is the guidance delivered through His Messenger. To claim to obey the first part of the command (“Obey Allah”) while neglecting the second (“and obey the Messenger”) is to render one’s obedience incomplete and to disregard the plain meaning of Allah’s words.

The Ultimate Proof of Love

Beyond a legal obligation, following the Sunnah is elevated to the highest spiritual station: it is the definitive proof of one’s love for Allah. Allah Himself sets this condition in a verse that every believer should hold dear to their heart. He instructs the Prophet (peace be upon him) to say:

"Say, [O Muhammad], 'If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins.' And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful." (Surah Aal-Imran 3:31)

This verse establishes a powerful and beautiful equation. The sincerity of our claim to love Allah is measured by a single, practical test: following the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It transforms the act of adherence from a mere legal duty into an intimate expression of faith and love. The consequence of passing this test is the greatest prize a soul can ever hope to achieve: the love of Allah Himself, and with it, His forgiveness and mercy. Therefore, the Sunnah is not just a path of guidance; it is the path to a reciprocal relationship of love with our Creator.

The Final Arbiter in Disputes

The inseparable nature of the Quran and Sunnah is further cemented by their role as the ultimate sources of arbitration. In the same verse that commands obedience, Allah provides the framework for resolving all religious disagreements. He says:

"...And if you differ among yourselves concerning any matter, refer it back to Allah and the Messenger..." (Surah An-Nisa 4:59) 5

The scholars of the early generations were unanimous in their understanding of this command. “Referring to Allah” means turning to His Book, the Quran. “Referring to the Messenger” means turning to his Sunnah. This command was not limited to the Prophet’s lifetime. After his death, it means referring to his established and authentically preserved teachings. This verse gives the Sunnah a binding, legislative authority, making it the final point of reference alongside the Quran for settling any matter of faith or practice. To ignore the Sunnah in a dispute is to ignore a direct Quranic command and to leave the disagreement unresolved according to the divine framework.

Bringing the Divine Word to Life: How the Sunnah Explains the Quran

If the Quran is the divine source of all principles, the Sunnah is its indispensable, living commentary. The Prophet’s (peace be upon him) mission was not simply to be a mailman who delivered a book; he was divinely appointed as its primary teacher and explainer. Without his Sunnah, the foundational commands of the Quran would remain abstract and, in many cases, impossible to implement.

The Prophet’s Divinely Appointed Role as Explainer

Allah explicitly defines this role for His Messenger in the Quran, leaving no room for doubt. He states:

"...And We have sent down to you [O Prophet] the Reminder (the Quran), so that you may explain to people what has been revealed for them, and perhaps they will reflect." (Surah An-Nahl 16:44) 1

This verse is a cornerstone of our understanding. The purpose of the revelation sent to the Prophet (peace be upon him) was twofold: first, the Quranic text itself, and second, his explanation of that text. The Sunnah is this divinely-mandated explanation. Allah further clarifies this educational mission, stating that He sent a Messenger who would be:

"...reciting to you Our revelations, purifying you, teaching you the Book and wisdom, and teaching you what you never knew." (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:151) 1

The “Book” is the Quran, and the “wisdom” (al-hikmah) is the Sunnah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was tasked with teaching both. This proves that the Sunnah is not a human-derived interpretation but a divinely-inspired component of the revelation package, designed to unlock the practical application of the Quran.

Case Studies: The Pillars of Islam

Nowhere is the necessity of the Sunnah more apparent than in the five pillars of Islam. The Quran commands us to perform these acts of worship, but it provides very few details on how to perform them. Imagine receiving a manual that simply says, “Assemble the engine.” Without detailed diagrams, a list of parts, and step-by-step instructions, the command is impractical. The Quran commands us to “establish prayer,” and the Sunnah provides the indispensable, divinely-guided instructions.

Let’s examine this with concrete examples.

This deliberate structure, where the Quran gives the general command and the Sunnah provides the specific methodology, is not an oversight or a flaw. It is a profound act of divine wisdom. By designing the religion this way, Allah intrinsically wove the authority of His Prophet (peace be upon him) into the very fabric of our most fundamental acts of worship. This creates an unbreakable, functional dependency between the Quran and the Sunnah. To accept the Quranic command to pray is to simultaneously accept the absolute necessity of the Prophet’s Sunnah to learn how to pray. One cannot exist without the other.

Guidance Beyond the Page: The Sunnah as a Source of Law

The Sunnah’s role extends far beyond being an explanation of the Quran. It stands as an independent source of Islamic law, establishing rulings on matters not explicitly detailed in the Quran. This legislative function is not a human invention but is granted by Allah and rooted in the divine nature of the Prophet’s guidance.

Revelation in Two Forms: The Quran and The Sunnah

The foundation for the Sunnah’s legislative authority lies in the fact that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not speak from personal opinion in matters of religion. His guidance was also a form of divine revelation. Allah testifies to this in the most emphatic terms:

"Nor does he speak of [his own] desire. It is not but a revelation revealed." (Surah An-Najm 53:3-4) 1

This powerful statement confirms that the Prophet’s religious teachings are divinely inspired. Islamic scholars have distinguished between two types of revelation (wahy): the recited revelation (wahy matlu), which is the Quran with its exact wording from Allah, and the unrecited revelation (wahy ghayr matlu), which is the meaning and guidance inspired in the heart of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and expressed through his own words and actions—the Sunnah. This divine origin is what gives the Sunnah its authority to legislate.

The Prophet’s Authority to Legislate

The Quran itself explicitly acknowledges this legislative role. Allah describes His Messenger (peace be upon him) as one who:

"...enjoins upon them what is right and forbids them what is wrong, and makes lawful for them the good things and prohibits for them the evil..." (Surah Al-A'raf 7:157) 9

The phrasing here is clear: the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself makes lawful (yuhillu) and prohibits (yuharrimu). This is not done from his own whim, but by the permission and inspiration of Allah, as established in Surah An-Najm. Some point to the verse where Allah gently corrects the Prophet (peace be upon him) for prohibiting something for himself to please his wives (Surah At-Tahrim 66:1) as evidence against this authority.¹⁹ However, this incident in fact proves the opposite. It demonstrates that the Prophet’s legislation was under constant divine supervision. If there was ever a deviation, even in a personal matter, revelation would come to correct it, thus ensuring that the final, established Sunnah that has reached us is in perfect harmony with Allah’s will.

Note: “This verse corrects a personal choice of the Prophet, not a communal ruling, showing his actions were divinely guided even in private matters

Concrete Legislative Examples from the Sunnah

The proof of this principle is found in the numerous binding laws of Islam that are derived solely from the Sunnah. The Quran is silent on these specifics, and without the Sunnah, these rulings would not exist.

• Prohibition of Gold and Silk for Men: The Quran does not mention this prohibition. It is the Sunnah that establishes this law. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Gold and silk have been permitted for the females of my Ummah, and forbidden to the males.” (Sunan an-Nasa’i 5148).²¹ He (peace be upon him) further warned,
  “He who wears silk clothes in this life shall not wear them in the Hereafter.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim).²²
• The Hadd Punishment for Drinking Alcohol: While the Quran unequivocally forbids the consumption of intoxicants, it does not specify a worldly punishment. This was established by the Sunnah. Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that a man who had drunk wine was brought to the Prophet (peace be upon him), and “he gave him forty stripes with two palm branches.” (Sahih Muslim 1706a).²³ This practice was continued by the Caliphs after him, who referred back to this prophetic precedent.²⁴
• Inheritance Share of the Grandmother: The Quran provides detailed laws of inheritance in Surah An-Nisa but does not mention the share of a grandmother. This ruling is established exclusively through the Sunnah. It is narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) “gave a grandmother one-sixth of the inheritance.” (Sunan Ibn Majah 2724).²⁵

The practice of the earliest Muslims provides the most compelling, living evidence of this principle. A powerful example is narrated concerning the first Caliph, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him). A grandmother came to him asking for her share of inheritance. Abu Bakr first replied, “There is nothing prescribed for you in Allah’s Book…” His immediate next step was to say, “…nor do I know anything for you in the Sunnah of the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him).” He did not stop at the Quran. He instinctively and immediately turned to the Sunnah as the next primary source of law. He then gathered the Companions and asked if anyone knew of a prophetic ruling on the matter. Al-Mughirah ibn Shu’bah stood and testified that he was present when the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave the grandmother a sixth. Abu Bakr asked for a confirming witness, and Muhammad ibn Maslamah stood and testified to the same. Upon this confirmation of an authentic Sunnah, Abu Bakr immediately implemented the ruling and granted her the one-sixth share.²⁶

This historical event perfectly encapsulates the methodology of the first generation. For them, the Quran and the authentic Sunnah were the two definitive sources of law. Their unquestioning consensus on this matter is the strongest proof that the Sunnah’s legislative authority is a foundational and non-negotiable principle of Islam.

A Blueprint for a Beautiful Life: Walking in the Prophet’s Footsteps

Beyond the grand pillars of worship and the intricacies of Islamic law, the Sunnah descends into the beautiful details of our daily lives. It provides a comprehensive blueprint for living with grace, purpose, and constant awareness of Allah. By following the Sunnah in our everyday actions, we transform the mundane into the spiritual, turning simple habits into continuous acts of worship that bring immense blessings.

Following the Sunnah in our daily lives is like polishing a mirror. Each small act—the way we eat, sleep, or speak—cleanses our hearts and allows the light of our faith to shine more brightly, reflecting the beautiful character of the Prophet (peace be upon him). This practice cultivates Ihsan (excellence and God-consciousness), closing the gap between our “religious life” and our “worldly life” until they become one seamless pursuit of Allah’s pleasure.

The Sunnah in Everyday Actions

The authentic hadith collections are treasure troves of practical guidance for every moment of our day.

• The Etiquette of Eating and Drinking: The simple act of eating becomes an act of remembrance when performed according to the Sunnah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught us to begin by mentioning Allah’s name, saying “Bismillah” (In the name of Allah). He instructed: “Mention Allah’s Name, eat with your right hand, and eat from what is near you.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim).²⁷ He also taught us not to find fault with food; if he liked it, he ate it, and if he disliked it, he simply left it.²⁷ Similarly, for drinking, he advised against gulping down water like a camel, instead teaching us to drink in two or three breaths, saying
  Bismillah before and Alhamdulillah (All praise is for Allah) after.²⁸ These simple acts instill gratitude and mindfulness.
• The Etiquette of Sleeping: Even sleep, a biological necessity, is transformed into worship through the Sunnah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) would lie down on his right side, place his right hand under his right cheek, and recite specific supplications. Before sleeping, he would pray: “Allahumma bismika amutu wa ahya” (O Allah, with Your Name will I die and live). Upon waking, he would say: “Al-hamdu lillahil-ladhi ahyana ba’da ma amatana, wa ilaihin-nushur” (All praise is due to Allah, Who has brought us back to life after He has caused us to die, and to Him is the resurrection). (Sahih al-Bukhari).²⁹ By bracketing our sleep with the remembrance of Allah, we remain connected to our Creator even in our unconscious state.
• The Etiquette of Social Interaction: The Sunnah provides a complete code of conduct for our interactions with others, fostering a compassionate and just society. The Prophet (peace be upon him) gave a comprehensive principle for good character: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should not hurt his neighbor; and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should serve his guest generously; and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should speak what is good or keep silent.” (Sahih al-Bukhari).³¹ He placed immense emphasis on kindness to parents, stating that when a man asked who was most deserving of his good companionship, he replied “Your mother,” three times before mentioning the father.³²

These examples, and countless others, demonstrate that Islam, through the Sunnah, is not a religion to be practiced only in the mosque. It is a complete and holistic way of life. The common thread in all these etiquettes is the cultivation of mindfulness and the remembrance of Allah in actions we might otherwise perform heedlessly. By following these simple Sunnahs, a believer can be in a constant state of worship, earning reward for actions that others do without a second thought. This is the profound beauty of living a life guided by the Prophet’s example.

Conclusion: The Path to Allah’s Love and Forgiveness

The Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is not a historical relic or a secondary set of recommendations. It is a vibrant, living source of guidance that is essential to the faith of every Muslim. As we have seen from the clear verses of the Quran and the authentic hadith:

1. Following the Sunnah is a direct command from Allah, inextricably linked to our obedience to Him.
2. The Sunnah is the essential key to understanding and practicing the Quran, without which our fundamental acts of worship would be impossible.
3. The Sunnah is an independent source of law, clarifying and completing the religion based on divine revelation.
4. The Sunnah is a comprehensive blueprint for a beautiful life, transforming our every action into an act of worship.

Ultimately, the journey of following the Sunnah leads back to the most profound spiritual destination: earning the love of Allah. We must return to that pivotal verse: “Say, [O Muhammad], ‘If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins…'” (Surah Aal-Imran 3:31). The entire purpose of understanding the Sunnah’s importance is to walk this path, the path that guarantees Allah’s love, mercy, and forgiveness.

The rewards for holding fast to this path are immense. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “If any one of you improves (follows strictly) his Islamic religion then his good deeds will be rewarded ten times to seven hundred times for each good deed…” (Sahih al-Bukhari 42).³³ Especially in our times, when holding to true Islamic teachings can feel challenging, there is an even greater incentive. The Prophet (peace be upon him) gave glad tidings that during times of corruption, the one who patiently adheres to the Sunnah will receive a reward equivalent to that of fifty of the Companions.³⁴ What greater motivation could there be?

Note: “This reward applies to those who remain steadfast in following the Sunnah amidst widespread corruption, highlighting the value of perseverance.”

Conversely, to neglect the Sunnah is to open the door to religious innovation (bid’ah), which the Prophet (peace be upon him) sternly warned against. He said, “You must therefore follow my sunna… Avoid novelties, for every novelty is an innovation, and every innovation is error.” (Sunan Abi Dawud, Jami` at-Tirmidhi).³⁵ Indeed, it has been narrated that

“No people introduce an innovation without its equivalent being withdrawn from the sunna; so holding firmly to a sunna is better than introducing an innovation.” (Musnad Ahmad).³⁵

The path forward may seem vast, but the first step is simple. Do not be overwhelmed. Choose one Sunnah from this article—just one. Perhaps it is saying Bismillah before your next meal, or making the supplication before you sleep tonight. Revive that one Sunnah in your life, seeking only the pleasure of Allah. Feel the connection, embrace the blessing, and take your first step on the clear, illuminated path to earning the love of Allah by following the one He sent as a mercy to all the worlds.

Author: IslamicHelper