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What are the Sunnah and Hadith?

Short answerThe Sunnah is what is authentically reported from Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in word, action, approval or description, and a hadith is the narration that carries it. It is the second source of Islamic guidance after the Quran, explaining and detailing it. Hadith were recorded with chains of narrators and graded by scholars as sound, good or weak.

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Why it is followed

The Quran commands following the Messenger ﷺ and taking what he brings:

Quran
مَّآ أَفَآءَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِۦ مِنۡ أَهۡلِ ٱلۡقُرَىٰ فَلِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ وَلِذِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَٰكِينِ وَٱبۡنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ كَيۡ لَا يَكُونَ دُولَةَۢ بَيۡنَ ٱلۡأَغۡنِيَآءِ مِنكُمۡۚ وَمَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَىٰكُمۡ عَنۡهُ فَٱنتَهُواْۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلۡعِقَابِ

And what Allāh restored to His Messenger from the people of the towns - it is for Allāh and for the Messenger and for [his] near relatives[1654] and orphans and the needy and the [stranded] traveler[1655] - so that it will not be a perpetual distribution among the rich from among you. And whatever the Messenger has given you - take; and what he has forbidden you - refrain from. And fear Allāh; indeed, Allāh is severe in penalty.

Al-Hashr 59:7
Quran
لَّقَدۡ كَانَ لَكُمۡ فِي رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسۡوَةٌ حَسَنَةٞ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرۡجُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلۡيَوۡمَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَ وَذَكَرَ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرٗا

There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allāh an excellent pattern[1192] for anyone whose hope is in Allāh and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allāh often.

Al-Ahzab 33:21

How it was preserved

  • Isnad: each hadith is transmitted by a chain of narrators whose reliability and memory are examined.
  • The sciences of narrator criticism and text criticism.
  • The six books: Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa’i and Ibn Majah; the two Sahih collections are regarded by the majority as the soundest after the Quran.

Grades of hadith

  • Sahih (sound): a connected chain of upright, accurate narrators, free of irregularity or hidden defect.
  • Hasan (good): slightly lower in precision than sahih.
  • Da‘if (weak): it does not meet the conditions of acceptance and no ruling is built on it.

Example: intention

Hadith
إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى

Actions are but by intentions, and each person will have only what they intended.

Al-Bukhari 1, Muslim 1907

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a prophetic and a qudsi hadith?

A qudsi hadith is what the Prophet ﷺ narrates from his Lord in his own wording; it is not Quran. A prophetic hadith is his own speech.

Texts and translations are under scholarly review.