Are the Traditions (Sunnah) mandatory, conclusive and binding? Or, can a Muslim ignore or reject them? To make clear that adherence to the path of the believers is obligatory, the Qur’an itself says:
"And whoso opposeth the Messenger after the guidance (of Allah) hath been manifested unto him, and followeth other than the believers' way, ALLAH appoint for him that unto which he himself hath turned, and expose him unto Hell - a hopeless journey's end." (Qur’an 4:115).
This warning to those who follow a way other than the " believers" way is indeed stern. They have been condemned as deserving of the penalty of Fire. What then is the believers' way?
Are the sayings and deeds of the Prophet (saws) (i.e. the Sunnah and the Traditions) to be considered conclusive as a source of law and regarded as the guiding principles of life or not?
When we turn to Islamic history and tradition to find out how the earliest Muslims conducted themselves in this regard the following incidents stand out.
(I) It is stated in Taareekh al-Khulafaa' that whenever a dispute came up before Abu Bakr (may ALLAH be pleased with him) he, first of all, looked into the Qur’an and decided the case accordingly, if he found it there. But if he did not find it in the Qur’an, he referred to his knowledge of the practice of the Prophet (sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) and decided the case accordingly. If he failed to find it there also, he inquired from other Companions about it. In some instances many Companions came forward and informed him of the Prophet's (saws) decision in a similar case. On such an occasion Abu Bakr would exclaim: "Praise be to Allah Who hath created among us men who remember the sayings of the Prophet." (saws).
(ii) The first and most perplexing problem to arise after the death of the Prophet (saws) was that of succession. The Companions sought the solution for this also in the Sunnah of the Prophet (saws).
In books like Tabaqaat of Ibn Sa'd and Taareekh al-Khulafaa', 'Ali (may ALLAH be pleased with him) is reported to have said that "on the Prophet's (saws) death we deliberated over the matter (i.e. the question of succession) and felt that in his lifetime, the Prophet (saws) had appointed Abu Bakr to lead the prayer service (i.e. to function as Imam). Hence, we chose for our world whom the Prophet (saws) had chosen for our faith and made Abu Bakr his successor." (at-Tabaqaat 3:183).
It is further related in Taareekh al-Khulafaa', on the authority of Ibn Mas'uud, that on the death of the Prophet (saws) the Ansaar (The madinah residence who helped the Prophet on arrival to madina) were heard to say that "there should be one Ameer (i.e. leader) from among us (i.e. Ansaar) and another from among you (i.e. the Muhaajireen or emigrants, the maccans)." Upon it, 'Umar (r.a) went to the Ansaar and said: "O Ansaar! Don't you know that the Prophet (saws) had appointed Abu Bakr to lead in Salaah? If you do, tell me who has the heart to take precedence over Abu Bakr." On hearing it, the eyes of the Ansaar opened and they cried out passionately: "We seek refuge in Allah against taking precedence over Abu Bakr." (Taareekh al-Khulafaa').
In other words, when the Sunnah of the Prophet (saws) was brought to the knowledge of the Ansaar, they were satisfied and accepted it wholeheartedly.
(iii) Another problem that arose on the death of the Prophet (saws) concerned his burial. There was disagreement over where his body should be laid to rest, and that too was settled in accordance with the Traditions.
In the history already cited, as well as in some others such as Taareekh al-Kaamil, it is stated that when the dispute arose, Abu Bakr related that he had heard the Messenger of Allah say that "a Prophet (saws) is buried at the same place where he breathes his last. So his bed was lifted and he was buried there" (al-Kaamil, Vol. 2, p225). All differences disappeared immediately after this and the Prophet (saws) was buried, by general consent, in the sacred ground of the room in which he had died. To be continued in shaa Allah. May ALLAH keep guiding us all and Unite us till Jannat becomes our abode. Aameen.
