Defining 'Sunnah' (Muhammad's way) and difficulties due to politics and Umayyad leadership | Louay Fatoohi

I continue here the new ijtihad I introduced in the previous video, which argued that the Prophet (PBUH) did not use the word “Sunna” in reference to himself, meaning he never uttered the expression “my Sunna” (Sunnatī). In this video, I present further evidence supporting this view, drawing this time from the books of Hadith and history.

I also shed light on the political intervention that distorted the Qur’anic concept of “Sunna” to serve the ruling establishment.

Important Clarification: This thesis is not a denial or minimisation of the critical role of the instructions and guidance of the Prophet (PBUH) in the practice of Islam. Rather, it is a refutation of attributing the term “Sunna” to the Prophet (PBUH) himself as a designation for his sayings, actions, and approvals. Furthermore, it exposes the political and historical context in which this term was borrowed from the Qur’an and weaponised—specifically by Mu’awiya and the Umayyad monarchs who followed him.

00:00 Introduction
01:12 Expression “my Sunna” is inauthentic
03:44 Argument 1: Sunna is the “interpretation” of the Qur’an
09:30 Argument 2: The Sunna of others
24:30 Argument 3: Problematic hadiths
29:37 Argument 4: Expanding the “Sunna”
37:19 Argument 5: Politicising the concept of “Sunna”
43:53 Umayyad definition of the “Sunna”
01:02:52 Argument 6: Ahl al-Sunna wal-Jama‘a
01:08:25 Hadith of the two weighty things
01:15:46 Fluid and contradictory concept

#Sunna #IslamicHistory #UmayyadDynasty #HadithStudies #IslamicThought #Ijtihad

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