Lesson 1: The importance of Terminology

Question 1

Meaning of “Sunnah” linguistically

Answer 1

• السيرة- their biography or history of the actions they done
• الطريقة- Their way someone does something

Khalid ibn Zuhayr to an uncle or cousin of his that was called Abu dhu’ayb

> فَلاَ تَجْزَ عَنْ مِنْ سُنّةٍ أنْتَ سِرْتَهَا … فأولُ راضٍ سُنّةً مَنْ يَسِيرُها

Do not punish someone for a tradition you initiated; the first to approve/be pleased with a Sunnah (a tradition) is the one who follows it/establishes it

• he used sunnah and seerah interchangeably

Question 2

Background to the story of Khalid ibn Zuhayr and his relative Abu dhu’ayb and the poem

Answer 2

This uncle or cousin of the poet or nephew sent the poet to a woman to arrange a marriage for him. Instead of going and speaking to the women on his behalf, the poet saw the women, fell in love with her, and arranged it for himself instead.

So when he returned, abu dhuayb was angry with him, and said look what you did after what I told you, and he replied with the lines of poetry above “don’t become angry because of a Sunnah you already did in your life (the uncle/cousin/nephew did the same thing the poet did to another man!)

Question 3

Linguistic usage of “Sunnah” in the Sunnah

Answer 3

• > حَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ مُوسَى، بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ وَأَبِي الضُّحَى عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ هِلاَلٍ الْعَبْسِيِّ، عَنْ جَرِيرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ، اللَّهِ قَالَ جَاءَ نَاسٌ مِنَ الأَعْرَابِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَيْهِمُ الصُّوفُ فَرَأَى سُوءَ حَالِهِمْ قَدْ أَصَابَتْهُمْ حَاجَةٌ فَحَثَّ النَّاسَ عَلَى الصَّدَقَةِ فَأَبْطَئُوا عَنْهُ حَتَّى رُئِيَ ذَلِكَ فِي وَجْهِهِ - قَالَ - ثُمَّ إِنَّ رَجُلاً مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ جَاءَ بِصُرَّةٍ مِنْ وَرِقٍ ثُمَّ جَاءَ آخَرُ ثُمَّ تَتَابَعُوا حَتَّى عُرِفَ السُّرُورُ فِي وَجْهِهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏“‏ مَنْ سَنَّ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ سُنَّةً حَسَنَةً فَعُمِلَ بِهَا بَعْدَهُ كُتِبَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا وَلاَ يَنْقُصُ مِنْ أُجُورِهِمْ شَىْءٌ وَمَنْ سَنَّ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ سُنَّةً سَيِّئَةً فَعُمِلَ بِهَا بَعْدَهُ كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِ مِثْلُ وِزْرِ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا وَلاَ يَنْقُصُ مِنْ أَوْزَارِهِمْ شَىْءٌ ‏”
  >Jarir b. Abdullah reported that some desert Arabs clad in woollen clothes came to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ). He saw them in sad plight as they had been hard pressed by need. He (the Holy Prophet) exhorted people to give charity, but they showed some reluctance until (signs) of anger could be seen on his face. Then a person from the Ansar came with a purse containing silver. Then came another person and then other persons followed them in succession until signs of happiness could be seen on his (sacred) face. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said:Jarir b. Abdullah reported that some desert Arabs clad in woollen clothes came to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ). He saw them in sad plight as they had been hard pressed by need. He (the Holy Prophet) exhorted people to give charity, but they showed some reluctance until (signs) of anger could be seen on his face. Then a person from the Ansar came with a purse containing silver. Then came another person and then other persons followed them in succession until signs of happiness could be seen on his (sacred) face. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said:He who introduced some good practice in Islam which was followed after him (by people) he would be assured of reward like one who followed it, without their rewards being diminished in any respect. And he who introduced some evil practice in Islam which had been followed subsequently (by others), he would be required to bear the burden like that of one who followed this (evil practice) without their’s being diminished in any respect.