Sunnah. Sunnah is the way of life prescribed as normative for Muslims on the basis of the teachings and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and interpretations of the Quran.
The word sunnah (سنة [ˈsunna], plural سنن sunan [ˈsunan], Arabic) is derived from the root (سن [sa-n-na] Arabic), meaning smooth and easy flow or direct flow path. The word literally means a clear and well trodden path. In the discussion of the sources of religion, sunnah denotes the practices of Muhammad that he taught and practically instituted as a teacher of the sharī‘ah and the best exemplar.[1] According to Muslim belief, this practice is to be adhered to in fulfilling the divine injunctions, carrying out religious rites, and moulding life in accord with the will of God. Instituting these practices was, as the Quran states, a part of Muhammad's responsibility as a Messenger of Allah. (Quran 3:164, 33:21). Hadith of Gabriel. Hadith. Hadith (Arabic: حديث, /ˈhædɪθ/[1] or /hɑːˈdiːθ/[2]) in religious use is often translated as 'tradition', meaning a report of the deeds and sayings of Muhammad.
The Hadith literature does not qualify as primary source material as it was compiled from oral reports that were present in society around the time of their compilation, well after the death of the Prophet Muhammad. Bukhari's collection which is considered by many traditional religious scholars as the most 'reliable' was compiled two centuries after the death of the Prophet.