Contemporary Issues in Hadith Research 2: What is the place of sunnah in Islam? Why is it necessary to refer to sunnah?

Why is it necessary to refer to the words and deeds of the Prophet (pbuh) when we already have Allah’s book (Qur’an) to live and learn our religion? 

This question may seem reasonable if if one does not consider the Qur'an in its entirety, particularly the verses related to the duties and attributes of the Prophets. However, a Muslim who reads and reflects these verses, will understand that t...

Contemporary Issues in Hadith Research 1: What do hadith and sunnah mean? What are the differences between them?

The texts that describe the words, deeds and behaviors attributed to the last Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) are referred as “hadith”. These texts contain information regarding the Prophet’s worship, family life, moral principles and personal life. Additionally, they address his political actions as a statesman, the agreements he made, the decisions he rendered as a judge, and his role as a mediator in g...