What Is The Sunnah?
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Sunnah, meaning “custom,” refers to the words and actions of the Prophet Muhammad, remembered by the early
Muslim community and preserved in narrative accounts (hadith). Because Muhammad is considered to be
the best example of how to live, his Sunnah is second in authority only to the Qur’an.
In the Shi’i tradition, the Sunnah of the Imams is another important source of guidance.
Pluralism Project, Harvard University
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“Sunna” is the Arabic term for the prophet Muhammad's way of life and legal precedent.
It comes from the pre-Islamic Arab notion of Sunna as the way of life of a tribe, which is
reflected in the Qur'an's use of the word to mean “the ways of God” (Qur'an 33:37, 62)
or “ways of life” of earlier peoples (Qur'an 3:137).
Jonathan A.C. Brown, Oxford Bibliographies
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The Sunnah provides practical examples of how to implement the teachings of the Quran.
It offers guidance on worship, ethics, personal conduct, social interactions, and more.
Madinah College, United Kingdom
Additional Resources & Commentaries
