Kilugha, Sunnah maana yake ni njia, lakini kisheria inatumika kuashiria nafila iliyopokewa kutoka kwa Mtume ﷺ, kama rakaa za sunnah zilizopendekezwa, ambazo ni tofauti na fard (lazima). Haipaswi kueleweka kwamba tendo linaitwa Sunnah kwa sababu limetoka kwa Mtume ﷺ, na kwamba fard imetoka kwa Allah (SWT). Sunnah na fard zote mbili zimetoka kwa Allah (SWT), na Rasuli wa Allah ﷺ ni mfikishaji tu kutoka kwa Allah (SWT), kwa sababu Rasuli wa Allah ﷺ hasemi kwa matamanio, bali anasema tu kile kilichofunuliwa kwake kutoka kwa Allah (SWT), yaani wahyi. Hivyo, ingawa Sunnah imepokewa kutoka kwa Mtume ﷺ, imepokewa kama tendo lililopendekezwa, yaani nafila, ndiyo maana inaitwa sunnah; kwa namna hiyo hiyo fard imepokewa kama tendo la lazima. Kwa hiyo, rakaa mbili za lazima za sala ya alfajiri zimepokewa kutoka kwa Mtume ﷺ kupitia riwaya zisizo na shaka, zinazojulikana kama tawatur, kwamba ni fard; na rakaa mbili zilizopendekezwa za sala ya alfajiri pia zimepokewa kupitia riwaya zisizo na shaka (tawatur) kwamba ni Sunnah (nafila); na zote mbili zimetoka kwa Allah (SWT) wala si kutoka kwa Rasuli wa Allah ﷺ mwenyewe. Kwa hiyo amri (amr) katika matendo ya ibada (ibadat) ni fard au nafila, na katika matendo mengine ni fard, mandoob au mubah. Kwa maneno mengine, nafila ni sawa na mandoob, lakini inaitwa nafila, na inaitwa Sunnah.

Linguistically Sunnah means the method. However, in terms of the Shari’ah it designates the nafilah that has been narrated from the Prophet (saw) such as the recommended rakaat (rakaat as-Sunnah) which are distinct from fard (compulsory). It should not be understood that the action is called Sunnah because it is from the Prophet and that the fard is from Allah (swt). The Sunnah and the fard are both from Allah (swt); and Rasool Allah (saw) is but a conveyor from Allah (swt), because the Rasool Allah (saw) uttered not out of whims but only that which was revealed to him from Allah (swt) i.e. wahy. Thus, although Sunnah is narrated from the Prophet (saw), nevertheless it is narrated as a recommended action i.e. nafilah that is why it is called sunnah; in the same way that the fard has been narrated as a compulsory action. Hence, the two compulsory raka'at of the dawn (fajr) prayer have been narrated from the Prophet (saw) through decisive reports, known as tawatur, as being fard; and the two recommended raka'at of the fajr prayer have also been narrated through decisive reports (tawatur) as being Sunnah (nafilah); and both are from Allah (swt) and not from Rasool Allah (saw) himself. Thus the command (amr) is either fard or nafilah in actions of worship (‘ibadat), and fard , mandoob or mubaH in other actions. In other words, nafilah is the same as mandoob, but it is called nafilah, and called as Sunnah.

Sunnah pia inamaanisha ushahidi wote wa kishari'ah uliotoka kwa Mtume ﷺ mbali na Qur'an. Hii inajumuisha maneno yake, vitendo vyake, na idhini yake (kunyamaza kwake kuhusu vitendo vilivyofanywa mbele yake).

The Sunnah also means all the shar’ai evidences which came from Rasool Allah (saw) other than the Qur'an. This includes his speech, actions and consent (his silence upon actions performed before him).