1. The Qur’ān & the Sunna of the Prophet
The Muslims during the days of Prophet Muhammad lived by the
sharī‘abyfollowingtheQur’ānandtheSunna.Sunnameanstheexample
of the Prophet. (Sunna is sometimes written as ‘sunnat’.)
WasnottheQur'ānenoughonitsown?TheQur'ānisabookofguid-
ancewhichwassentfortheentirehumanworldtilltheendoftime.As
such,itonlydeals withthe generalissuesandmentionsonlythebasic
principlesunderlyingtheMuslimwayoflife.TheQur'ānismorelikea
constitution than a book of law. The deals were left to the Prophet.
The Qur'ān itself clearly explained this relationship between the
Prophet and itself in the following verses:
He raised up among the common people a Messenger from among
themselvestorecitetothemHisrevelations,topurifythem,andtoteach
them the Book and the wisdom.(62:2)
AndWe haverevealedtoyou (OMuhammad)theReminder(thatis,
theQur'ān)soyoumayclarifytothepeoplewhathasbeenrevealedto
them, and so that they may reflect.(16:44)
Thesetwo versesdefinitely prove thatProphet Muhammad wasnot
justa‘mail-man’whoseonlyjobwastodelivertheQur'āntous.Hewas
ateacherandacommentatoroftheQur'ān.Evenhisactionsareasource
of guidance for Muslims:
Youhavea goodexample in Allah'sMessengerforwhosoever hopes
for God and the last day, and remembers God oft.(33:21)
TheobediencetotheProphethasbeenconsideredastheproofoflov-
ing Allah:
Say(OMuhammad),`IfyouloveAllah,thenfollowme;(ifyoudoso)
Allahwillloveyouandforgiveforyouyoursins.'(3:31)Toshowtheim-
portanceofobeyingtheProphet,Allahfurthersays:Whoeverobeysthe
Prophet has surely obeyed Allah.(4:80)
TheQur'ānisnotonlysilentonthedetailsofthingswhichcanchange
over time, it is also silent on the rules of worship which can never