The Concept of sunna Based on the Analysis of sīra and Historical Works from the First Three Centuries of Islam

Abstract

Muslims commonly refer to the beginning of Islam as the golden era of their religion, both in terms of piety and preeminence. This period comprised the career of the Prophet Muhammad and the subsequent first four leaders of the Islamic community, known as the “rightly guided caliphs.” According to Islamic Tradition, the Qur’ān was put into writing during this period, which is also the nascent stage in the transmission of the sayings and actions of the Prophet and his companions, transmitted by generations of Muslims and still considered authoritative today. To many Muslims, the period of the Prophet and the first four caliphs is normative and, therefore, the most important part of their history. The primary source of information for Muslims is the Qur’ān, immediately followed by the sunna of the Prophet, that includes his deeds, sayings, and tacit approval, preserved by consecutive generations of Muslims. How did the concept of sunna develop within the formative period of Islam? Was it derived from the exemplary behavior of the Prophet or is it a mixture of different manifestations of sunna, for example, the living tradition of the Muslim community, the exemplary behavior of the companions of the Prophet, or caliphs with the pre-Islamic concept of sunna?

I would like to thank Adam Walker for his careful revision of the English text and for his valuable suggestions to improve this chapter. Any inaccuracy or mistake is, of course, my fault.