BENEFITS OF FOLLOWING SUNNAH

BENEFITS OF FOLLOWING SUNNAH

Sister Zara

Prophet Hadhrat Muhammad (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) is the last Prophet of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa). Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) has motivated His Messenger (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) with two kinds of revelation: the Quraan and the Sunnah. The Sunnah refers to everything that is said, done or admitted by the Prophet Hadrat Muhammad (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam). For Muslims, their true love is for Prophet Muhammad (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) whose entire life is encoded in his Sunnah. Prophet Muhammad (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) is the walking Quraan and following him is the right path which leads towards ultimate satisfaction. There is the great importance of following Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam)’s Sunnah that we should know and then try to follow his way then we can be successful in both worlds.

For Muslims following the actions of the Holy Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) is the matter of meaningful importance because his Sunnah is the source of great benefits for the followers. Believers are encouraged to act in accordance with the Sunnah of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa)’s Messenger (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam). If we follow Sunnah of Hadhrat Muhammad (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) we can get many benefits. Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) says in Quraan:

لَّقَدۡ كَانَ لَكُمۡ فِي رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسۡوَةٌ حَسَنَةٞ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرۡجُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلۡيَوۡمَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَ وَذَكَرَ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرٗا (21)

“There is indeed a good model for you in the Messenger of Allah – for the one who has hope in Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah profusely.” (al-Ahzaab 33:21)

A person who loves Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) really will definitely try to resemble the person whom Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) loves and is pleased with, and try to replicate his deeds. Hence, despite not everyone can act in accordance with the whole Sunnah, but everybody can have the intention of acting in accordance with the Sunnah and be in favor of the Sunnah. We all know one day this world will come to an end, therefore, all of us should try to live our lives according to the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam). Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) has stressed the obligation of showing complete obedience and submission to Prophet Muhammad (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) that is to follow Muhammad (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam)’s Sunnah in many Aayaat (Verses) of Quraan. Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) says:

وَمَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَىٰكُمۡ عَنۡهُ فَٱنتَهُواْۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلۡعِقَابِ (7)

“ And whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you from, abstain (from it). And fear Allah. Indeed Allah is severe in punishment.” (al-Hashr 59:7)

Sunnah consists of the character, manners, habits and legislative obligations of our Holy Prophet Mohammad (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) performed to keep the Muslim believers closer to Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa). Prophet Muhammad (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) always practiced in his life what Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) has revealed on him in the form of Divine revelation, the Quraan. He practiced all the precepts of Islam to guide Muslims who can follow him to lead a pious life. For every Sunnah, a Muslim follows there is the number of benefits on physical and spiritual grounds. We will discuss some benefits of following Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam)’s Sunnah in this article.

There are great benefits of following Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam)’s Sunnah in this life as well as in the life of Aakhirah (Hereafter), too. By following Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam)’s Sunnah we can lead a happy and healthy life which we are discussed below:

Sleeping and Waking up Early
Sleeping early results in rising early and it has the great impact on our daily routine and also on our body functions. A sleeping pattern, that is the time of sleeping, plays a great role in our ability to function properly and effectively during daily activities. Starting the day off by offering Fajr (Morning) Salaah sets you in the right frame of mind to be the best you can be throughout the day. It was the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) to rise early and offer Salaah, which helps in reshaping a person at the start of the day into his proper frame. Hadhrat ‘Aaishah narrates Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) sleeping habit that: “He used to sleep early at night, and get up in its last part to pray, and then return to his bed.” (Bukhari)

Wake up early and sleep early to be the strong, successful you that you want to be and InShaaAllah you will get all these things.

Use of Miswaak
Miswaak comes from the “Salvadora persica” tree and has many anti-bacterial qualities, making it a great way to maintain hygiene of the mouth. Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) used to do Miswaak and we all should also do it because it is very important to maintain oral hygiene. This Sunnah introduces preventative measures against a problem that can have you rolled up in bed for days. Miswaak is easily purchasable and relatively cheap, making it an easy Sunnah to uphold. It keeps the mouth clean and fresh naturally and effortlessly all the time. Hadeeth related to Miswaak usage is as follows: “If it were not that it would be difficult on my Ummah (Nation), then I would have ordered them to use the Siwaak for each Salaah.” (Tirmizi)

Having always a pleasant smile
Smiling is a simple way to looks like happy and also try to do other’s happy. With the help of smile, you can lift up someone’s mood that is sad and worried. By doing so, you can make someone be more grateful and relief from sadness. Our beloved Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) frequently doing it and all of us should follow his Sunnah of having always a pleasant smile. Abdullah bin Haarith reports: “I have not seen anyone who smiled more than the Messenger of Allah.” (Tirmizi).

Try to smile more often and spread joy and peace around you as our beloved Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) instructed to do so.

Doing Hijaamah (Cupping)
Cupping therapy is the modern form of regulating blood flow via putting suctions on human skin to mobilize the flow of blood for healing the wide range of medical ailments. This form of treatment has been used throughout history in a number of countries. The benefits of cupping are vast, including the removal of toxins from the blood. Hadeeth narrates: “If there is any healing in your medicines, then it is in cupping, a gulp of honey or branding with fire (cauterization) that suits the ailment, but I don’t like to be (cauterized) branded with fire.” (Bukhari)

Cupping helps in removal of hazardous toxins that human body accumulates on daily basis along effectiveness for fertility, migraine, and joint pains. So for getting cure from diseases, we should try to follow this act of Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam).

Sit while eating or drinking
Those who stand while eating or drinking always looks like they are in the stream. Sitting down to eat slows a person in their eating habits, reducing the amount they are likely to eat and the unhealthy speed by which they do so. Importantly, eating together as a family, which requires you to sit, is a crucial way to build relationships. It was narrated by Hadhrat Anas that the Prophet Muhammad prohibited that a man should drink while standing. Hadhrat Qataadah said: “Then we asked about eating?”

He (Anas) replied: “That is worse.” (Muslim)

We should try to follow this Sunnah while eating or drinking in this way our health will also be perfect and we will build the strong relationship with our family too.

Always speak good or keep silent
The beauty of this particular Sunnah is that it will help you save time and reduce the amount of energy used to contemplate over irrelevant matters being discussed. This energy and time could be well spent on something beneficial, such as reading Quraan or doing vital tasks or only speaking things that benefit oneself and others in this world and the Aakhirah. The Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) said about this: “He who believes in Allah and the Aakhirah if he witnesses any matter he should talk in good terms about it or keep quiet.” (Muslim)

We should follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) in our daily life routine so that we can get benefits from them and can live healthy, happy and peaceful life.