soon as one looks at the Sunnah, one can see that the Prophet (Pbuh) in-structed his community in all matters and showed them how to act befitting a Muslim's honor. The Prophet's (Pbuh) entire life reveals a seriousness, responsi-bility, and sensitivity of which not even the slightest detail is ne-glected. This is the result of our Prophet (Pbuh) having taught "wisdom," alongside the Qur'an, to his community: Allah showed great kind-ness to the believers when He sent a Messen-ger to them from among themselves to recite His Signs to them, purify them and teach them the Book and Wisdom, even though before that they were clearly misguided. (Surah Al 'Imran: 164)

he Sunnah is indivisible from the Qur'an, for it is the living interpretation of the Qur'an by Prophet Mu-hammad (pbuh), the pos-sessor of great moral val-ues who had such great consideration for believ-ers that he would be-come distressed when they were troubled and would relieve them of their burdens and chains of bigotry. The Qur'an cannot be understood and imple-mented in one's life without the Sunnah. For example, in the Qur'an Allah tells believers to be affectionate toward each other, speak good words, and behave mod-estly. Commanding the right, forbidding the wrong, communicating the moral values of Islam to all humanity are set out as obligatory duties (fara'id). Cleanliness has been made obligatory. However, such matters

are explained in the Qur'an in certain ways. Believers learn about the examples how to actu-ally implement all these commands in their lives by means of the practices of the Prophet (pbuh). In the Qur'an, Allah (swt) reveals:

You have an excellent model in the Messenger of Allah, for all who put their hope in Allah and the Last Day and remem-ber Allah much. (Surat al-Ahzab :21) The Prophet (Pbuh) is a role model. Believers look at his Sunnah and learn how to implement its precepts and practices in their lives. Indeed, as

Believers are told in the Qur'an to obey the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH)

By Harun Yahya

INS IDE TH IS

I SSUE :

THE DANGER OF

ABANDONING THE

SUNNAH

2

OBEYING THE

PROPHET (PBUH)

MEANS COMPLY-

ING WITH THE

SUNNAH

2

&

3

THE PROPHET

CALL BELIEVERS

TO THE LIFE

GIVING PATH

3

&

4

Youth Voice N O V E M B E R , 2 0 0 7 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 9

A MUNA YOUTH PUBLICATION

In the name of Allah Most Gracious and Most Merciful

P A G E 2

Obeying the Prophet (Pbuh) means complying with the Sunnah

THE DANGER OF ABANDONING THE SUNNAH

"The loss of the religion starts with the abandonment of the Sunnah. Just as a rope breaks fiber by fiber, so does religion vanish with one by one abandon-ing the Sunnah." (al-Darimi) Various heresies have appeared during the history of Islam. Dif-ferent sects have turned away from Islam's essence and adopted heretical beliefs and un-Islamic practices. In our day, too, some people reject the Sunnah of the Prophet (saas). "We read the Qur'an," they say, "and interpret it for ourselves without the need for any clarifica-

tion by the Prophet (saas)." They turn their backs on the Sunnah, the practical appli-cation and implementation of the Qur'an. The fact is that these people who have abandoned the Sunnah in fact ignore the Qur'an's commandments. That is because the Sunnah is an explanation of the Qur'an and more impor-tantly, the Qur'an orders Muslims to follow it. Allah (swt) has not only made obeying the Qur'an obliga-

tory, but also obeying the Prophet (saas). For this reason, Islam can only be practiced together with the Sunnah and Mus-lims can only apply the Qur'an into real life with its help. The Sunnah, on the other hand, is the belief of the Ahl al-Sunnah, which is the totality of our Prophet's (saas) authentic hadiths and their subse-quent interpretations by the great Islamic scholars.

The vital importance of the Prophet (saas) to believ-ers is emphasized, as follows, in the Qur'anic verses ad-dressed to him: We have sent you bearing witness, bringing good news, and warning so that you might all believe in Allah and His Messenger as well as honor, respect, and glorify Him in the morning and the evening. Those who pledge their allegiance to you pledge allegiance to Allah. Allah's hand is over their hands. Those who break their pledge only break it against themselves. But as for those who fulfill the contract they have made with Allah, We will give them an immense reward. (Surat al-Fath: 8-10) One who has taken a vow of allegiance to the Prophet (saas) has taken it to Allah (swt). Our Lord also tells us that: "Whoever obeys the Messenger has obeyed Al-

lah." (Surat an-Nisa': 80) We can see from this verse just how important such obe-dience is. All Muslims are obliged to obey him due to his nature as a role model and his identity as a rule-maker. The Qur'an reveals that complying with our Prophet's (saas) commands and rules is just as obligatory as is complying with the verses in the Book of Allah (swt). Indeed, in another verse, our Lord tells us this with regard to the Prophet's (saas) power of forbidding and commanding: [The believers are] those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find written down with them in the Torah and the Gospel, commanding them to do right and forbidding them to do wrong, making good things lawful for them and bad things forbidden for them, relieving them of their

heavy loads and the chains that were around them. Those who believe in him, honor and help him, and fol-low the Light that has been sent down with him are suc-cessful. (Surat al-A'raf: 157) In another verse, our Lord states: You should accept whatever the Messenger gives you and abandon whatever he tells you to abandon. Have taqwa of Allah... (Surat al-Hashr: 7) These verses show that in addition to what the Qur'an prohibits, the Prophet (saas) can prohibit other things to his community. Therefore, our Prophet (saas) states in one hadith: "Avoid that which I forbid you to do and do that which I command you to do to the best of your ca-pacity." (Sahih Muslim, book 30, hadith no. 5818)

Y O U T H V O I C E

Obeying the Prophet (PBUH) means complying with the Sunnah

P A G E 3 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 9

Other verses refer to the Prophet's (saas) role as a rule-maker. Muslims take any matter on which they cannot agree to the Prophet (saas) and thereby obtain the best possible outcome. Other verses refer to the Prophet's (saas) role as a rule-maker. Muslims take any matter on which they cannot agree to the Prophet (saas) and thereby obtain the best possible out-come. O you who believe, obey Allah, the Messenger, and those in command among you. If you disagree about something, refer it back to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Al-lah and the Last Day. That is the best thing to do and gives the best result. (Surat an-Nisa': 59) So absolute is the Prophet's (saas) status as rule-maker that Allah (swt) told believers to obey his decisions wholeheartedly and without any doubt: No, by your Lord, they are not believ-ers until they make you their judge in the disputes that break out between them and then do not resist what you decide and submit themselves [to you] completely. (Surat an-Nisa': 65) In another verse, the definitive nature of the Prophet's (saas) judgment is set out in these terms: When Allah and His Messenger have decided something, no believing man

or woman has a choice about [following or not following] it. Any-one who disobeys Allah and His Messenger is clearly misguided. (Surat al-Ahzab: 36) Opposing the Prophet's (saas) role as rule-maker and disobeying his rules constitute denial. But if anyone opposes the Messenger after the guidance has become clear to him, and follows a path other than that of the believers, We will hand him over to whatever he has turned to, and We will roast him in Hell. What an evil destination! (Surat an-

Nisa': 115) Since the Prophet's (saas) status as rule-maker and role model is set out in the Qur'an in such a clear and firm manner, to advocate turning one's back on the Sunnah of the Prophet (saas) means opposing the Qur'an. As Muhammad Asad stated: "Following him in everything he did and in every rule of his is the same as following Islam itself. Turning away from his sunnah, on the other hand, means turning away from the essence of Is-lam." (Muhammad Asad, Al-Islam 'ala Muftaqir al-Turuq, p. 110)

Indeed, the Companions lived their lives in such a way that all of their actions and words were in perfect accord with both the Qur'an and the Prophet (saas). One Companion re-layed the following quotation: "Allah (swt) sent us Muhammad (saas) as the prophet at a time when we knew nothing. Whatever we saw Muhammad do, we do the same, in the same way." (al-Nasa'i, Taqsir 1) Clearly, the idea of "let's go back to the Qur'an, for we have no need of the Sunnah" is incompatible with Is-lam and stems from a profound igno-rance of Islam. Those who hold such a view resemble, in an analogy made by Muhammad Asad, people who want to enter a palace but are unwill-ing to use the key that opens its door. The Sunnah saves those who embrace it, for as Dahhak states: "Paradise and the Sunnah are in the same posi-tion, because those who enter Para-dise in the Hereafter are saved, and those who cling to the sunnah in this world [are also saved]." (Tafsir al-Qurtubi, XII, 365) Imam Malik com-pared the Sunnah to Noah's (as) ark, for "whoever boards it will be saved, and whoever does not will drown." (al-Suyuti, Miftah al-Jannah, pp. 53-54) Read more at : “www.munayouth.org.”

The prophets call believers to the life-giving paths

O you who believe, respond to Allah and to the Messenger when He calls you to what will bring you to life. Know that Allah intervenes between a person and his heart and that you will be gathered to Him. (Surat al-Anfal: 24) Looking at human history reveals that life began with the prophets. This is a true statement, for no religion can be

comprehended and implemented in the absence of a messenger. For that rea-son, a messenger has been sent as a guide to every community. As with the other prophets, Allah (swt) sent Prophet Muhammad (saas) with the perfect religion and the straight path. He has also made him a prophet for everyone until the Day of Judg-ment. Obeying, respecting, and loving

him, in addition to imitating his life-style and abiding by his Sunnah, are responsibilities that all Muslims must try to fulfill. Indeed, in the Qur'an obedience to the Prophet (saas) is considered as the same as obedience to Allah (swt). Be-lievers are told to take the Qur'an and the Sunnah as their guides in matters on which they disagree.

www.munayouth.org

. The following command is given in the Holy Qur'an: No, by your Lord, they are not believers until they make you their judge in the disputes that break out between them and then do not resist what you decide and submit themselves [to you] completely. (Surat an-Nisa': 65) As this verse makes crystal clear, the Prophet's (saas) Sun-nah is an absolute and immaculate source of com-mands, because it is the way of "interpreting, ex-plaining, and apply-ing the Qur'an." Therefore, no be-liever has the right to make interpretations (ta'wil) or be disobedi-ent with regard to the Sunnah, the application of the Qur'an. When Allah and His Messenger have de-cided something, no believing man or woman has a choice about [following or not following] it. Anyone who disobeys Allah and His Messenger is clearly misguided. (Surat al-Ahzab: 36) In another verse, our Lord reveals: The believers' reply, when they are sum-moned to Allah and His Messenger so that he can judge between them, is to say, "We hear and we obey." They are ones who are

successful. (Surat al-Nur: 51) Each verse in the Qur'an that deals with obeying the Prophet (saas) states that doing so is obligatory for all believers. That is why the Prophet's (saas) practices are impecca-ble and are under the protection of Allah

(swt). To put it another way, everything in the Sunnah is, in essence, based upon revelation. Nor does he speak from whim. It is nothing but Revelation revealed. (Surat al-Najm: 3-4) Therefore, when dis-agreement arises, be-lievers are obliged to turn to the Qur'an and the Sunnah, Islam's two fundamental reference points: If you disagree about something, refer it back to Allah and the Mes-senger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best thing to do and gives the best result. (Surat an-Nisa': 59) Not only did the Prophet (saas) transmit the verses he received

from Allah (swt) to hu-manity, but he also ex-plained them. There-fore, the Sunnah can be regarded as the inter-pretation of the Qur'an. Viewing it in this way will protect it from cor-ruption, misunderstand-ing, and distortion and also facilitate its being understood.

Another verse reveals: Say: "If you love Allah, then follow me and Allah will love you and for-give your sins." (Surah Al 'Imran: 31) An indication of one's love for Al-lah (swt), there-fore, is following

His Prophet (saas), for doing so reveals that he/she is a follower of Allah (swt). No be-liever can regard obedi-ence to Allah (swt) as sufficient and abandon obedience to the Prophet (saas). The Prophet (saas) gives the following glad tidings to those who comply with the Sunnah: "Whoever gives life to my Sunnah certainly loves me, and whoever loves me is with me in Paradise." (al-Tirmidhi) Read more at :

NYC YOUTH ACTIVITIES

♣ Weekend of Nov. 2nd

• NYC Youth Executive

Officers Meeting At BIC.

♣ Weekend of Nov. 9th

• Distribute Newsletter.

• Distribute Youth Syllabi.

• Prepare for Borough

Study Circle.

• Push for Baitul Maal/

Yannat.

♣ Weekend of Nov. 16th

• Borough Study Circle.