1. Excerpted from the book: The Messenger of God: Muhammad by Fethullah Gulen

2.  Hadith: His words, his actions and the actions that he approved  Fiqh: (Islamic Law) Concerned about his actions which are relevant with law, not his personal likes or dislikes  Sunna: His word, act and confirmation and it is the second source of Islam  The Qur’an and the Sunna are inseparable and the Sunna clarifies the ambiguities in the Qur’an

3.  For example: How to pray, give alms and make pilgrimage  The Messenger ordered his companions to follow his sunna absolutely.  Hadith compilations from the time of companions: al-Sahifa al-Sadika by Abdallah b. Amr b. As, al-Sahifa al-Sahiha by Hammam b. Munabbih, al-Majmu by Zayd b. Ali b. Husayn

4.  The Verbal Sunna: ◦ “No bequest to the heir” ◦ “Don’t harm (others) and don’t return harm with harm” ◦ “A sea is that of which the water is clean and the dead animals are lawful to eat”  The Practical Sunna: ◦ The Quran usually lays down only general rules: Daily Prayers

5.  The Approval Sunna: ◦ Two companions traveling in the desert could not find enough water for wudu… ◦ The Messenger ordered a march upon the Banu Qurayza immediately after the Battle of Trench…

6.  “He who raised among the unlettered ones a Messenger from them, reciting to them His revelations, purifies them and instructs them in the Book and the Wisdom” (62/2) ◦ The wisdom refers to the Sunna ◦ “Take care! I have been given the Book and its like together with it” (Hadith)  “O you believe! Obey God and obey the Messenger and those in authority from among you!” (4/59) ◦ Obey refers to the authority for commanding and forbiding

7.  “If you love God, follow me so that God loves you.” (3/31)  “Nay, by your Master, they will never become believers until they choose you as judge to settle the matters in dispute between them.” (4/65)  The example of Abdullah ibn Mesud about tattoo…

8.  The way of the Prophet is the way of God  “Whoever obeys me, obeys God; whoever disobeys me, disobeys God.” (Hadith)  The Sunna links all past, present, and future of Muslims.  Following Sunna becomes vital when Islam is attacked and Muslims lose their supremacy.

9.  First, it enjoins and prohibits, lays down the principles related to establishing all religious obligations and necessities.  Second, it interprets the Qur’an ◦ “Those who believed and did not mix their belief with wrongdoing: for them is security and they are those who are truly guided.” (6/82)

10.  Third, it fills in the details about those subjects that the Qur’an mentions only briefly. ◦ For instance: How to pray.  Fourth, it also restricts general laws and commandments in the Qur’an ◦ “The community of Prophets does not leave anything to be inherited. What we leave is for charity.” (Hadith)