Have you ever sat back and asked yourself, "Why should we follow the Sunnah?" Perhaps you have gave it some though, and perhaps you have not. Many people follow the way of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) or Islam for that matter without knowing why. To truly appreciate the religion and the Sunnah one should understand the reason behind such strict adherence. Firstly, we follow the Sunnah because Allah has commanded us to do so. We comply with the orders of Allah without questioning it, since we have accepted Him to be our Lord. Thus He is Most Knowledgeable about our affairs and what would benefit us, and would only instruct us with what is best for us. Thus to follow the Sunnah is to observe Allah's command and respect His authority. Allah says in the Holy Qur'an, {He who obeys the messenger has indeed obeyed Allah...} (Chapter 4, verse 80) Allah also says, {O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger...} (Chapter 4, verse 59) Secondly, as Muslims we are obligated to love Allah. Thus, out of love for Allah, we love His Messenger and follow him. "Say, [O Muhammad], "If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful." (Chapter 3, verse 31) Thirdly, Allah sent the messenger as a guide, to lead us to what is good and beneficial for us in this world and in the afterlife. Therefore, to gain the guidance one must follow the Sunnah. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a mercy for mankind. He reminded the people of Allah's commands, gave them glad tidings of Paradise, and warned against the prohibitions of Allah and Allah's wrath. Hence, it is only natural that we adhere to his Sunnah. The Messenger was also a role model. Not only did he guide us to what was right and good in his Sunnah, but his actions and life is a role model for us, he set the standards which we must strive to attain. {There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.} (Chapter 33, verse 21) To follow the Sunnah is to uphold the deen. It is a form of preservation of our religion. To protect the Sunnah today, by adhering to it, is almost equivalent to protecting the person and body of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Lastly, Allah issues a stern warning against those who oppose the Sunnah. {So let those beware who dissent from the Prophet's order, lest fitnah [trials, afflictions, dissension] strike them or a painful punishment.} (Chapter 24, verse 63) To conclude, following the Messenger and his Sunnah is an obligation upon us, and brings benefits to us in this life and the hereafter. The reasons behind following the Sunnah make it more beautiful and help us to appreciate the importance of the Sunnah. We need to give greater preference to the Sunnah in our daily lives, in everything we do and say.
