Differences of views about what Sunnah is
Question:
What I have understood from the discussion on the Established Sunnah is that you're defining Sunnah as the established practice of the Prophet (S) that has been passed on to us through generations of scholars unanimously. Alhamdulillah. You gave example of Maghrib prayer being 3 rakah. I would like to define maghrib prayer being 3 rakah is fard, not sunnah from Fiqhi perspective. I guess lots of people become confused from Fiqhi perspective. For example, the scholars (of madhab) also differ on some of the acts of worship which are even fard... Wudu (Ablution) has 4 fard (obligatory) parts according to Hanafi Madhab, while according to Shafi scholars it has 6 obligatory parts. A child will learn 4 obligatory part from Hanafi parent, 6 parts from shafi parents. Both Madhabs have their own proof from Quran and Sunnah and are therefore, correct. Don't you think, your definition of Sunnah needs reviewing?
People actually ask if reciting Surah Fatiha in Fard prayers behind Imam is obligatory or not? According to Shafi it is, but according to Ahnaf, reciting Surah Fatiha is Makruh. So what is the established Sunnah here? Generations of scholars from both madhab learnt from Tabiyeen and companions.
Don't you think the Sunnah can be multiple rather than just one, because the prophet (S) practiced and taught different ways to different companions at different times and some sunnah has been abrogated later on according to some companions or scholars of the Ummah? Thanks.
Answer:
First to make sure there are no confusions, there are two conventional meanings for the word Sunnah. One is its feqhi meaning, that is, whether an act is highly recommended or not. This is a term that is mostly used in its technical meaning by Hanafies. The other meaning of Sunnah is those religious practices that we need to follow and are given to us by the prophet (pbuh). It is in this latter meaning that I am using the term Established Sunnah.
I think your last comment is the core element of your question so I will comment on that and if there were any further unclear points please do let me know. You wrote:
“Don't you think the Sunnah can be multiple rather than just one, because the prophet (S) practiced and taught different ways to different companions at different times and some sunnah has been abrogated later on according to some companions or scholars of the Ummah?”
The very fact that the prophet (pbuh) has done some of the acts differently is an indication that those acts can be done in different ways and no fixed way of doing them is prescribed. If you look at the differences between mazahib you will find that they agree on principles (e.g. reading Fatiha in prayers). The issues on which they have differences of opinions are those that the prophet (pbuh) has not established among his companions and therefore people follow their own opinion or a specific hadith to consider what to do (e.g. whether to read fatiha in congregational prayer).
I use the term Established Sunnah to refer to those principles on which there are no differences, due to the fact that they have been established by the prophet (pbuh) himself. If you like you may call these 'agreed upon Sunnah' rather than 'Established Sunnah', and you may call those issues for which there are differences of views 'uncertain Sunnah'. This is only a choice of terminology. I argue that God holds us responsible for following Established (agreed upon) Sunnah only and as for uncertain Sunnah He only expects us to do what we honestly think is good to do.
I am not sure what Sunnah you are referring to that has been abrogated later. The Established Sunnah that I refer to is the one that the prophet (pbuh) gave us as that Sunnah that, in principle, Muslims need to follow at his time and after him.
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September 2015
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Related Topics:
- Sunnah vs. Hadith
- Sunnah vs. Hadith (Follow Up 1: Imitating the Prophet - pbuh)
- Sunnah vs. Hadith (Follow Up 2: Criteria for Accepting a Hadith)
- Sunnah vs. Hadith (Follow Up 3: Definition of Established Sunnah)
- Sunnah vs. Hadith (Follow Up 4: Beard)
- Sunnah vs. Hadith (follow up 5)
What I have understood from the discussion on the Established Sunnah is that you're defining Sunnah as the established practice of the Prophet (S) that has been passed on to us through generations of scholars unanimously. Alhamdulillah. You gave example of Maghrib prayer being 3 rakah. I would like to define maghrib prayer being 3 rakah is fard, not sunnah from Fiqhi perspective. I guess lots of people become confused from Fiqhi perspective. For example, the scholars (of madhab) also differ on some of the acts of worship which are even fard... Wudu (Ablution) has 4 fard (obligatory) parts according to Hanafi Madhab, while according to Shafi scholars it has 6 obligatory parts. A child will learn 4 obligatory part from Hanafi parent, 6 parts from shafi parents. Both Madhabs have their own proof from Quran and Sunnah and are therefore, correct. Don't you think, your definition of Sunnah needs reviewing?
People actually ask if reciting Surah Fatiha in Fard prayers behind Imam is obligatory or not? According to Shafi it is, but according to Ahnaf, reciting Surah Fatiha is Makruh. So what is the established Sunnah here? Generations of scholars from both madhab learnt from Tabiyeen and companions.
Don't you think the Sunnah can be multiple rather than just one, because the prophet (S) practiced and taught different ways to different companions at different times and some sunnah has been abrogated later on according to some companions or scholars of the Ummah? Thanks.
Answer:
First to make sure there are no confusions, there are two conventional meanings for the word Sunnah. One is its feqhi meaning, that is, whether an act is highly recommended or not. This is a term that is mostly used in its technical meaning by Hanafies. The other meaning of Sunnah is those religious practices that we need to follow and are given to us by the prophet (pbuh). It is in this latter meaning that I am using the term Established Sunnah.
I think your last comment is the core element of your question so I will comment on that and if there were any further unclear points please do let me know. You wrote:
“Don't you think the Sunnah can be multiple rather than just one, because the prophet (S) practiced and taught different ways to different companions at different times and some sunnah has been abrogated later on according to some companions or scholars of the Ummah?”
The very fact that the prophet (pbuh) has done some of the acts differently is an indication that those acts can be done in different ways and no fixed way of doing them is prescribed. If you look at the differences between mazahib you will find that they agree on principles (e.g. reading Fatiha in prayers). The issues on which they have differences of opinions are those that the prophet (pbuh) has not established among his companions and therefore people follow their own opinion or a specific hadith to consider what to do (e.g. whether to read fatiha in congregational prayer).
I use the term Established Sunnah to refer to those principles on which there are no differences, due to the fact that they have been established by the prophet (pbuh) himself. If you like you may call these 'agreed upon Sunnah' rather than 'Established Sunnah', and you may call those issues for which there are differences of views 'uncertain Sunnah'. This is only a choice of terminology. I argue that God holds us responsible for following Established (agreed upon) Sunnah only and as for uncertain Sunnah He only expects us to do what we honestly think is good to do.
I am not sure what Sunnah you are referring to that has been abrogated later. The Established Sunnah that I refer to is the one that the prophet (pbuh) gave us as that Sunnah that, in principle, Muslims need to follow at his time and after him.
-------
September 2015
--------
Related Topics:
- Sunnah vs. Hadith
- Sunnah vs. Hadith (Follow Up 1: Imitating the Prophet - pbuh)
- Sunnah vs. Hadith (Follow Up 2: Criteria for Accepting a Hadith)
- Sunnah vs. Hadith (Follow Up 3: Definition of Established Sunnah)
- Sunnah vs. Hadith (Follow Up 4: Beard)
- Sunnah vs. Hadith (follow up 5)
