Sunni Islam

Lore & Background

The Arabic term sunnah, which Sunnis are named after, dates back to pre-Islamic language, used for 'the right path that has always been followed'. It gained greater political significance after the murder of the third caliph, Uthman (r. 644–656). It is said Malik al-Ashtar, a famous follower of Ali, provided encouragement during the Battle of Siffin with the expression 'Ali's political rival Mu'awiya kills the sunna'. After the battle, it was agreed that 'the righteous Sunnah, the unifying, not the divisive' should be consulted to resolve the conflict. During the second Civil War (680–92), the Sunna term received connotations critical of Shi'i doctrines. It is recorded by Masrūq ibn al-Adschdaʿ (died 683), a Mufti in Kufa, a need to love the first two caliphs Abū Bakr and ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb and acknowledge their priority. A disciple of Masrūq, the scholar ash-Shaʿbī (died between 721 and 729), who first sided with the Shia in Kufa during Civil War but turned away in disgust by their fanaticism and finally decided to join the Umayyad Caliph ʿAbd al-Malik, popularized the concept of Sunnah. It is also passed down by ash-Shaʿbī that he took offense at the hatred on ʿĀʾiša bint Abī Bakr and considered it a violation of the Sunnah. One of the earliest supporting documents for ahl as-sunna derives from the Basric scholar Muhammad Ibn Siri (died 728). His is mentioned in the Sahih of Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj, and quoted having said: 'Formerly one did not ask about the Isnad. But when the fitna started, one said: "Name us your informants". One would then respond to them: If they were Sunnah people, you accept their hadith. But if they are people of the Innovations, the hadith was rejected.' G.H.A. Juynboll assumed the term fitna in this statement is not related to the first Civil War (665–661) after murder of ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān, but the second Civil War (680–692) in which the Islamic community was split into four parties. The term ahl as-sunna designated in this situation those who stayed away from heretic teachings of the different warring parties. The first appearances of the expression 'ahl as-sunna wa l-jama'ah' are entirely clear. In his Mihna edict, the Abbasite Caliph Al-Ma'mūn (reigned 813–33) criticized a group of people who related themselves to the sunnah and claimed they are the 'people of truth, religion and community'. Al-Jubba'i (died 916) tells in his Kitāb al-Maqālāt that Ahmad ibn Hanbal attributed to his students the predicate sunnī jamāʿah ('Sunni Community'), indicating that the Hanbalis were the first to use the phrase ahl as-sunna wa l-jamāʿah as a self-designation.

Reader's Guide

Sunni Islam's significance lies in its role as the largest religious denomination globally, shaping the beliefs and practices of the majority of Muslims. The Quran, together with hadith (especially the Six Books) and ijma (scholarly consensus), form the basis of all traditional jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. Sharia legal rulings are derived from these basic sources, in conjunction with consideration of public welfare and juristic discretion, using the principles of jurisprudence developed by the four legal schools: Hanafi, Hanbali, Maliki and Shafi'i. In matters of creed, the Sunni tradition upholds the six pillars of iman (faith) and comprises the Ash'ari and Maturidi schools of kalam (theology) as well as the textualist Athari school. Sunnis regard the first four caliphs Abu Bakr (r. 632–634), Umar (r. 634–644), Uthman (r. 644–656) and Ali (r. 656–661) as rashidun (rightly-guided) and revere the sahaba, tabi'in, and tabi al-tabi'in as the salaf (predecessors). Sunni Islam is sometimes referred to as 'Orthodox Islam'. However, some scholars of Islam, such as John Burton, believe that there is no such thing as 'Orthodox Islam'. The term Sunna instead of the longer expression ahl as-sunna or ahl as-sunnah wa l-jamāʻah as a group-name for Sunnis is a relatively young phenomenon. It was probably Ibn Taymiyyah who used the short-term for the first time. It was later popularized by pan-Islamic scholars such as Muhammad Rashid Rida in his treatise as-Sunna wa-š-šiʿa au al-Wahhābīya wa-r-Rāfiḍa published in 1928–29. The term Sunnah is usually used in Arabic discourse as designation for Sunni Muslims when they are intended to be contrasted with Shias.

Did You Know?

• The term 'Sunni' as a short group-name was probably first used by Ibn Taymiyyah, and later popularized by Muhammad Rashid Rida in a 1928–29 treatise.
• The expression 'ahl as-sunna wa l-jamāʻah' was first used as a self-designation by the Hanbalis, according to al-Jubba'i's Kitāb al-Maqālāt.
• During the second Civil War (680–92), the term 'sunna' received connotations critical of Shi'i doctrines, and Masrūq ibn al-Adschdaʿ linked it to loving the first two caliphs.
• The scholar ash-Shaʿbī (died between 721 and 729) popularized the concept of Sunnah after turning away from Shia fanaticism and joining the Umayyad Caliph ʿAbd al-Malik.
• Abu Hanifa (died 769) insisted that the Murjites, with whom he sympathized, were 'righteous people and people of the Sunnah' (ahl al-ʿadl wa-ahl as-sunna).