Kilugha, As-Sunnah maana yake ni: Njia iliyokanyagwa (au njia inayofuatwa), na asili yake inatokana na matumizi yao (Waarabu).

As-Sunnah linguistically means: The path that is trodden (or the way that is followed) and its origin comes from their (the Arabs) usage:

Hii ni katika hali ambayo nilipitisha kitu (jiwe la kusaga) ndani yake hadi "sannan" yaani njia (tariiq) ikaundwa ndani yake (yaani kama kuchora njia).

This is in the case where I passed a thing through it (the grindstone) until a ‘Sannan’ i.e. a Tareeq (path) was effected within it (i.e. like etching a path).

Sunnah ni kila kilichotolewa au kilichotoka kwa Mtume ﷺ isipokuwa Qur'ani, kikiwakilishwa katika Qawl (kauli), Fi'l (kitendo) au Taqreer (idhini, ridhaa, au kunyamaza).

The Sunnah is all that was issued or came from the Messenger (saw) other than the Qur’aan, represented in a Qawl (speech), a Fi’l (action) or Taqreer (approval, consent, silence).

Kulingana na ufafanuzi huu, mgawanyo wa ndani wa Sunnah ni wa aina tatu: As-Sunnah Al-Qawliyah, As-Sunnah Al-Fi'liyah na As-Sunnah At-Taqreeriyah.

Based on this definition the intrinsic divisions of the Sunnah are three: As-Sunnah Al-Qawliyah, As-Sunnah Al-Fi’liyah and As-Sunnah At-Taqreeriyah.

Sunnah ya Qawli ni kila alichosema, kutamka au kutoa kauli (Nataqa) Mtume ﷺ kinachohusiana na Tashree' (sheria). Jina 'Hadeeth' limepewa jambo hili, ilhali baadhi ya 'Ulamaa wamefanya Hadeeth kuwa sawa na Sunnah yenye kujumuisha aina zote tatu za Sunnah.

The Sunnah Al-Qawliyah is all that the Messenger (saw) uttered or stated or said (Nataqa) related to the Tashree’ (legislation). The name ‘Hadeeth’ has been given for this whilst some (‘Ulamaa) have made the Hadeeth synonymous with the Sunnah comprising of all three categories of the Sunnah.

Matamshi (kauli) za Mtume (saw) zinazohusu Tashree' (sheria) ni nyingi na zinawakilisha sehemu kubwa ya Sunnah. Miongoni mwake ni kauli yake (saw): "Muuaji hairithi" (Abu Daawood na An-Nasaa'iy), na "Ikiwa wataapishwa Makhalifa wawili, basi muueni wa mwisho wao" (Muslim), pamoja na: "Mtu mmoja alimwuliza Nabii (saw): 'Jihadi ipi ni bora zaidi?' Akasema: 'Neno la haki mbele ya Sultani dhalimu (au mwenye kuonea)'" (An-Nasaa'iy, kwa isnadi Saheeh).

The Aqwaal (statements) of the Messenger (saw) related to the Tashree’ (legislation) number many and represent the majority of the Sunnah. They include his Qawl (speech) (saw): “The killer does not inherit” (Abu Daawood and An-Nasaa’iy) and “If two Khaleefahs are given the Bai’ah then kill the latter of them” (Muslim) and: “A man asked the Nabi (saw): “Which Jihaad is the best?” He said: “The word of truth before the oppressive (or unjust) Sultaan (ruler)”” (An-Nasaa’iy with a Saheeh Isnaad).

Sunnah ya Kifi’liyah ni matendo yake ambayo ni mahsusi au yanayohusu Tashree’ (sheria), kama Swalaah yake, na kama alivyosimulia Jaabir (ra): "Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ alitupa Jamrah (mawe) siku ya An-Nahr (kuchinja) wakati wa Duhaa, na baada ya hapo (siku ya 11, 12 na 13), ilikuwa baada ya jua kuzama." (Imepokewa na al-Khamsah). Pia ni kama alivyosimulia ‘Aamir Bin Ar-Rabee’ah (ra) alipokuwa akisema: "Nilimwona Nabii ﷺ akitumia Miswaak wakati akiwa amefunga mara nyingi kiasi kwamba siwezi kuhesabu." (Al-Bukhaari).

As-Sunnah Al-Fi’liyah are his actions that are particular or specific to the Tashree’ (legislation) like his Salaah and like what Jaabir (ra) narrated: “The Messenger of Allah (saw) threw the Jamrah (pebbles) on the day of An-Nahr (sacrifice) at Duhaa, as for after (11th, 12th and 13th), then when the sun has gone down” (Related by the five). It is also like what ‘Aamir Bin Ar-Rabee’ah (ra) related when he said: “I saw the Nabi (saw) use Miswaak whilst he was fasting so many times that I cannot count” (Al-Bukhaari).

Pia kuna vitendo ambavyo Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alivifanya ambavyo vimethibitika kuwa maalum kwake, na vitendo hivi si kwa yeyote mwingine isipokuwa yeye. Mfano wa hili ni Al-Wisaal (kuendelea kufunga bila kula) kwa Mtume ﷺ, ambapo alikuwa akiendelea na funga yake bila Iftaar wala Suhoor. Ibn ‘Umar (rah) alisema: “Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alikataza Al-Wisaal (kuendelea kufunga bila kula)”. Wakamwambia: “Wewe unaendelea na funga yako,” naye ﷺ akajibu: “Ninyi si kama mimi. Mimi nalishwa na kunyweshwa (yaani napewa lishe).” (Wamekubaliana juu yake, na hii ndiyo toleo la Al-Bukhaari). Mfano mwingine ni ukomo wa kuoa wake zaidi ya wanne kwa wakati mmoja. Mambo haya ni maalum kwa Mtume ﷺ, na haijuzu kumfuata (au kuiga) yeye katika mambo hayo.

And there are actions which the Messenger of Allah (saw) undertook which have been established to be specific to him and these actions are not for other than him. This is like the Wisaal (continuation thhrough) of his fasting where he (saw) would continue his fast without Iftaar or Suhoor. Ibn ‘Umar (rah) said: “The Messenger of Allah (saw) forbade Al-Wisaal (continuation of fasting)”. They said (to him): “You continue your fast” and he (saw) replied: “You are not like me. I am fed and given drink (i.e. nourished)” (Agreed upon and this is the version of Al-Bukhaari). Another example is the specification of combining more than four wives in marriage at one time. These matters are specific to the Messenger (saw) and it is not permissible to follow (or emulate) him in respect to them.

Huu ni ukimya wa Mtume ﷺ kuhusu kauli au kitendo kilichotokea au kilichofanyika mbele yake, au kisichokuwepo lakini akiwa na ujuzi wa kutokea kwake. Ukimya huu unaonyesha kuruhusiwa kwa kauli au kitendo hicho, kwa sababu Mtume ﷺ hanyamazi juu ya Baatil (uongo/batili) au Munkar (jambo lililokatazwa). Mfano wa hili ni ukimya wake ﷺ kuhusu vijana wa Habeshi waliokuwa wakicheza kwa mikuki ndani ya Msikiti wake huko Al-Madinah, pamoja na ukimya wake ﷺ kuhusu 'Aa'ishah, mama wa waumini (ra), aliyekuwa akitazama wakati walipokuwa wakijishughulisha na jambo hilo.

This is the Sukoot (silence) of the Messenger (saw) upon a statement or action that took place or happened in his presence or in his absence but with his knowledge of its occurrence. This silence indicates the permissibility of the statement or the action because the Messenger of Allah (saw) does not remain silent over the Baatil (falsehood/falsity/invalid matter) or a Munkar (a prohibited matter). An example of this is his silence (saw) in respect to the Abyssinian youths playing with spears inside his Masjid in Al-Madinah in addition to his silence in respect to ‘Aa’ishah, the mother of the believers (ra), watching them whilst they were engaged in that.

Sunnah ya Mtume wa Allah (saw) ni Hoja (ushahidi halali) katika Dini, ni Dalili miongoni mwa Adilla (vyanzo vya ushahidi) vya Hukmu, na kwa hakika ni Dalili ya pili baada ya Qur’aan Tukufu. Uhalali wa Sunnah kama hoja umeongozwa na kuonyeshwa katika

The Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saw) is a Hujjah (valid proof) in the Deen, a Daleel from the Adillah (sources of evidence) for the Ahkaam and indeed represents the second Daleel (source of evidence) after the Qur’aan Al-Kareem. The Hujjiyah (validity of proof) of the Sunnah has been guided to and indicated in:

Qur'ani imeeleza na kubainisha kwamba Sunnah inatokana na Wahyi (ufunuo unaotokana na Mwenyezi Mungu), hasa Sunnah ya Kauli. Mwenyezi Mungu Mtukufu amesema kuhusu Mtume Wake ﷺ:

The Qur’aan has explained and made clear that the Sunnah is from the Wahi (divinely inspired revelation) and especially the Sunnah Al Qawliyah. Allah Ta’Aalaa said in respect to His Messenger (saw):

Hayo ni kwa kuelewa kwamba Mtume ﷺ alikuja na Sunnah kama alivyokuja na Qur-aan. Na Allah Ta'aala amesema:

That is whilst understanding that the Messenger (saw) came with the Sunnah just as he came with the Qur’aan. And Allah Ta’Aalaa said:

Aya hizi basi zinaonyesha kwamba Sunnah inatoka kwa Allah, na zinadai Sunnah hii ifuatwe.

These Aayaat therefore indicate that the Sunnah is from Allah and demand that this Sunnah be followed.

Baada ya kufariki kwa Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ, Maswahaba walikubaliana kwa kauli moja juu ya wajibu wa kuchukua Hukumu ambazo Sunnah ya Kinabii ilizileta, nao hawakutofautisha kati ya hukumu iliyopatikana au kutajwa katika Qur'aan na hukumu iliyomo ndani ya Sunnah, kwa kuwa zote mbili, kwa mtazamo wao, zilikuwa za lazima kufuatwa. Mifano ya hili ni: 'Kuna makubaliano ya kauli moja juu ya kupigwa mawe kwa Zaani Al-Muhsin (mzinifu aliyeoa au kuolewa)', ambayo ilitegemea Sunnah ya Kauli na Sunnah ya Kitendo kilichotoka kwa Mjumbe ﷺ. Mifano inayoonyesha Ijmaa' yao juu ya jambo hili ni nyingi mno, haihesabiki.

The Sahaabah have agreed by consensus after the passing of the Messenger of Allah (saw) upon the obligation of taking the Ahkaam that the Sunnah An-Nabawiyah brought and they did not differentiate between a Hukm found or mentioned in the Qur’aan and a Hukm found within the Sunnah, as both in their view were obligatory to follow. Examples of this include: ‘There consensus upon the stoning of the Zaani Al-Muhsin (adulterer)’ which was based upon a Sunnah Qawliyah and a Sunnah Fi’liyah that came from the Messenger (saw). The examples indicating their Ijmaa’ upon this matter are so many that they are innumerable.

Dalili ya kiakili (ushahidi wa akili na fikra) imeongoza na kuonyesha kwamba Mtume Muhammad ﷺ ndiye aliyekuja na muujiza ambao ni Qur'ani kutoka kwa Allah. Hii ni dalili ya uhakika (qat'iy) kwamba yeye ni Mtume wa Allah ﷺ aliyetumwa kwetu. Kuamini utume wake kunalazimisha wajibu wa kumtii, kufuata hukumu yake, na kukubali yote aliyoleta. Bila hayo yote, imani hii haina maana. Pia ni kwa sababu Qur'ani, ambayo ni muujiza, inamtaka yeye ahukumu na aamue kwa yote ambayo Allah Ta'ala ameteremsha:

The Daleel Al-‘Aqliy (rational and intellectual evidence) has guided to and indicated that the Messenger Muhammad (saw) is the one who came with the miracle which is the Qur’aan from Allah. This represents a Qat’iy (definite) evidence that he is the Messenger of Allah (saw) sent to us. The Imaan (belief) in his Messengership necessitates the obligation of obedience to him, following his judgement and accepting all that he brought and without all of that, this Imaan would hold no meaning. It is also because the Qur’aan, which is a miracle, demands from him to rule and judge by all that Allah Ta’Aalaa had revealed:

Sunna yake ni miongoni mwa yale ambayo Allah Ta'ala amefunua, ambayo Yeye Ta'ala alimtia moyoni kwa maana, kisha yeye ﷺ akayaeleza kwa maneno yake, vitendo vyake na kukubali kwake.

His Sunnah is from that which Allah Ta’Aalaa has revealed, which He Ta’Aalaa inspired to him in meaning and then he (saw) expressed it in his words, actions and consent.