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Link between Hadith and Sunnah

There is a close link between the Hadith and the Sunnah. In fact, some scholars use the two terms interchangeably. While the actions, approvals, disapprovals and altitudes of the prophets constitute his Sunnah, the Hadith represents his statements, wise sayings as well as decorators.

The Hadith is a documentation of reports which were compiled by the prophet and passed down from one follower to another. Some of them wrote down these reports which later generation read and studied. In the case of the Sunnah, these are the habits, as well as traditions of the Prophet his companion copied from and use in their daily activities.



The Sunnah of the Prophet is what is translated into his actions which make him on exemplary leader, a caring and trusted husband, a tolerant religious teacher and, above all, a committed statesman. None of his sayings contradicts his actions. The Sunnah is the practical aspect of the Prophet.

In the eyes of the scholars, the reliability of the transmission of Hadith from one person to another must be based on good reputation for trustworthiness, honesty and scholarship.
By this, the Hadith became the embodiment of the “way of the prophet”. This way of the prophet is his Sunnah such as the method he followed in his ablutions, the way he observed prayers, in his buying and selling things. In his judgements and commands about marriage and so on.