Sunnah Meaning
The way of the Prophet ﷺ. The meaning, Arabic, when to say it, and its source in the Quran and Sunnah.
سُنَّة
- Transliteration
- Sunnah
- Meaning
- The way of the Prophet ﷺ
The Sunnah is the way of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ: what he said, did and approved. It is recorded in the hadith collections and is the second source of Islam after the Quran.
The Sunnah in the Quran
“There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent example for whoever hopes in Allah and the Last Day” (Quran 33:21). “Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it; and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it” (Quran 59:7).
Two meanings of “sunnah”
- The Sunnah (capital S): the Prophet’s whole way, alongside the Quran.
- A sunnah act: a recommended practice that is not obligatory, such as the night prayer or eating with the right hand.
Easy sunnahs for every day
Say Bismillah before eating and the dua after eating, greet with salam, say the dua before sleeping, and make wudu as he did.
Where does the Sunnah come from? From authentic hadith collections such as Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. Every hadith on AskUmmah links to sunnah.com so you can read it.
Quran and hadith references link to quran.com and sunnah.com, where you can read the full text. Reviewed 19 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Let us know.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the Sunnah?
The Sunnah is the way of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ: his words, actions and approvals, recorded in hadith.
Is the Sunnah the same as hadith?
Hadith are the reports; the Sunnah is the Prophet’s way that those reports preserve.