How to Pronounce sunna

Meaning and Context

In Islamic tradition, the Sunna (سُنَّة), often translated as "the trodden path," constitutes the comprehensive body of teachings, practices, and precedents established by the Prophet Muhammad. It encompasses his recorded sayings (Hadith), his actions, his silent approvals of the actions of others, and his personal characteristics. As a primary source of Islamic law (Sharia) and theology, second only to the Quran, the Sunna provides the indispensable practical and ethical elaboration of the Quran's principles. For Sunni Muslims, who constitute the majority of the global Muslim community, adherence to the Sunna is a fundamental aspect of faith, guiding everything from ritual worship (Ibadah) and personal morality to complex legal rulings (Fiqh) and social conduct. The meticulous science of Hadith criticism, developed by early Islamic scholars, was established to authenticate the chains of narration (Isnad) and the text (Matn) of reports to preserve the integrity of the Prophet's legacy. Consequently, the Sunna shapes daily life, from the Five Pillars of Islam to business ethics and family law, ensuring the continuity of Prophetic tradition within the Islamic community (Ummah).

Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings

The most common transliteration from Arabic is Sunna, which reflects the singular form. The term is frequently seen as Sunnah, with an 'h' at the end, which is an equally valid and widely used transliteration that indicates the Arabic تاء مربوطة (ta marbuta). A frequent plural form encountered is Sunan. Common misspellings and errors arise from phonetic guesses or confusion with similar words. These include: Suna (dropping a consonant), Sunah (a simpler but less precise phonetic spelling), and Sonna. It is also sometimes mistakenly capitalized in its entirety as "SUNNA" outside of titles. A significant point of confusion is with the term Sunni, which is the name of the major Islamic denomination (Ahl al-Sunna wa'l-Jama'a, "the people of the Sunna and the community") derived from the word Sunna. One should be careful not to use "Sunni" when referring to the concept itself (e.g., "following the Sunni" is incorrect; it should be "following the Sunna" or "Sunni teachings").

Example Sentences

Muslim scholars emphasize that understanding the Quran is deeply intertwined with studying the Sunna, as the Prophet's life served as its living interpretation.

For many believers, daily routines like the specific manner of performing ablution (wudu) are derived not from explicit Quranic verse but from the detailed descriptions found in the Sunna.

A key principle in Islamic jurisprudence is that a ruling explicitly stated in the authentic Sunna is considered legally binding.

Contemporary debates often revolve around the methodology of interpreting and applying the Sunna to modern circumstances.

When a new situation arises, jurists first look to the Quran, then to the Sunna for guidance on analogous matters.

His commitment to following the Sunna was evident in his meticulous care to emulate the Prophet's reported manners in even the smallest of actions.

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