How often does Sunnah appear in the Quran?

 

The term Sunnah is mentioned 11 times in the Quran, and is never used to refer to the Prophet's personal habits or customs, but rather to God's established way in dealing with His creation, such as the rise and fall of nations, the fate of disbelievers, and the support of His messengers. 

Among these verses, one of the most significant is:

 

“[This is] the established way of Allah with those who passed on before; and you will not find in the way of Allah any change.” (Quran 33:62)

 

This verse highlights that the Sunnah of Allah is unchangeable and eternal. If the Sunnah of Allah is perfect and unchangeable, why would we need a separate Sunnah of Muhammad? Is Allah's method insufficient?

The Misunderstood Verse: "What the Messenger gives you, take it"

 

Have you heard people quote:

 

"And whatever the Messenger has given you, take; and what he has forbidden you, refrain from.” (Quran 59:7)

as proof that we must follow the Prophet’s Sunnah? But is that the whole verse? Or is something being left out on purpose, twisted to mean what it doesn’t?

 

Allah warns us:

And from among them is a group who twist their tongues using the Book so that you may think it is from the Book, while it is not from the Book, and they say it is from God while it is not from God, and they say about God lies while they know. 3:78

 

This is exactly what happens when only half of a verse is quoted to support a man-made doctrine. Let’s look at the full verse: 

 

Whatever God bestowed upon His messenger from the people of the towns, then it shall be to God and His messenger, and the relatives, and the orphans, and the poor, and the wayfarer. Thus, it will not remain monopolized by the rich among you. And you may take what the messenger gives you, but do not take what he prohibits you from taking. And be aware of God, for God is mighty in retribution. (Quran 59:7)

 

Now, in context, it's clear: this verse is about distribution of wealth, It lays out who is eligible to receive it and emphasizes just distribution, ensuring wealth doesn't circulate only among the rich.

 

The command to "take what the Messenger gives you" is not a blanket command for religious law but a specific directive related to wealth allocation. 

 

 

Obey Allah and the Messenger 

 

“You have to obey the Messenger!”

 

This is one of the most repeated phrases when people argue that following the Quran alone isn't enough. But have we ever stopped to ask:

Who is the “Messenger” in this command,  the man himself, or his role? And what exactly are we commanded to obey?

 

1. Never “Obey Muhammad” -  Always “Obey the Messenger”

 

Nowhere in the Quran are we told to obey Muhammad as a person. Instead, the Quran consistently says:

“Obey Allah and the Messenger…”

 

And obey God and the Messenger, that you may obtain mercy. 3:132

 

O you who believe, obey God and obey the messenger and those in authority among you. But if you dispute in any matter, then you shall refer it to God and His messenger if you believe in God and the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for knowing. 4:59

 

And whoever obeys God and His messenger, and is concerned by God, and aware of Him, then these are the winners. 24:52

 

Obey God and obey the messenger. And if you turn away, then it is only required of Our messenger to deliver clearly. 64:12

 

 

Why? Because “the Messenger” is a role — one who delivers a message. The obedience is not to the person, but to the message he is commissioned to convey from Allah.

 

Whoever obeys the messenger has obeyed God; and whoever turns away, We have not sent you as a guardian over them. 4:80

 

2. The Messenger’s duty is clear - delivery, not legislation

 

The Quran repeats a simple, consistent point:

 

The messenger is only to deliver. And God knows what you reveal and what you conceal. 5:99

 

Say: “Obey God, and obey the messenger.” But if they turn away, then he is only responsible for his obligation, and you are responsible for your obligations. And if you obey him, you will be guided. The messenger is only required to deliver clearly. 24:54

 

But if they turn away, then We did not send you as their guardian. You are only required to deliver. And when We let the human being taste a mercy from Us, he becomes happy with it; and when adversity afflicts them for what their hands have delivered, then the human being becomes rejecting! 42:48

 

And those who were polytheists said: “If God had wished, we would not have served a thing other than Him; neither us nor our fathers; nor would we have made forbidden anything other than from Him.” Those before them did exactly the same thing; so are the messengers required to do anything except deliver with clarity? 16:35

 

And if you disbelieve, then nations before you have also disbelieved.” The messenger is only required to deliver clearly. 29:18

 

Say: “I do not say to you that I possess the treasures of God, nor do I know the future, nor do I say to you that I am an angel. I merely follow what is inspired to me.” Say: “Are the blind and the seer the same? Do you not think?” 6:50

 

Say: “I am no different from the other messengers, nor do I know what will happen to me or to you. I only follow what is inspired to me. I am no more than a clear warner.” 46:9

 

Say: “Which is the greatest testimony?” Say: “God is witness between me and you, and He has inspired to me this Qur’an that I may warn you with it and whoever it reaches,..6:19

 

There is no verse that tells us the Messenger has independent authority apart from revelation. He is a channel, not a source.

 

 

3. Other Messengers gave the same command

 

Some claim that “Obey the Messenger” implies personal obedience to Prophet Muhammad’s daily habits, opinions, or behavior. But the Quran consistently shows that when messengers say “obey me”, it is never about themselves as individuals, it's about their assigned role.

 

Let’s examine a consistent formula that appears with multiple messengers in Surah Ash-Shu’ara (Chapter 26). Notice the clear structure in each case:

 

Nuh: " I am to you a trustworthy messenger. So be aware of God and obey me.” 26:107-26:108

Hud: I am to you a clear messenger. So be aware of God and obey me.” 26:125-26:126

Salih: I am to you a clear messenger. So be aware of God and obey me. 26:143-36:144

Shu’ayb: “I am to you a trustworthy messenger.” So be aware of God and obey me.” 26:178-26:179

 

Do you see the pattern?

In each case, the command “obey me” is preceded by a clear declaration:

“I am a messenger.”

 

This is no coincidence. The Quran emphasizes that obedience is tied to their status as messengers, not as individuals with personal authority.

 

They don’t say “I am your leader, so obey me.”

They don’t say “I am wise and experienced, so obey me.”

 

They say: “I am a messenger.”

Therefore: “Obey me”, because I bring God's message, not my own.

 

The same principle applies to Prophet Muhammad. When the Quran says, “Obey the Messenger”, it follows the exact same logic as with previous messengers. It is a call to obey the divine message he is delivering, not his personal behavior.

 

4. The Messenger delivers the message, but authority lies with the sender

To better understand the concept of “the messenger,” let’s examine a powerful example: the story of Yusuf and the messenger of the king.

 

And the king (Malik - ملك) said: “Bring him to me.” So when the messenger (Rasul - رسول) came to him, he said: “Go back to your lord and ask him what was the matter regarding the women who cut their hands? Indeed, my Lord is aware of their plans. 12:50

 

This verse uses the same words found throughout the Quran:

Malik – “King,” referring here to the ruler. Allah is also called Malik in 59:23, 114:2

Rasul – “Messenger,” the exact same word used for the messengers of God. Muhammad is also called a rasul,  a messenger who delivers revelation.

 

Yusuf knew the messenger of the king  had no authority of his own. So he sent him back to clarify something with the real decision-maker: the Malik, the King, the one with authority.

 

Now compare this to the Quran’s consistent language regarding messengers:

The Messenger (rasūl) delivers the command. The Sovereign (al-Malik) is the source of the command.

 

Just as Yusuf understood that the message was not from the messenger himself, the Quran expects us to understand the messenger delivers revelation, but does not speak on his own:

 

“He does not speak from his own desire, it is nothing but revelation revealed.” (53:3–4)

 

This pattern appears elsewhere

Let’s look at another important example where people ask the messenger a question, and Allah answers directly:

 

They ask you about intoxicants and gambling. Say: “In them is much sin, and a benefit for the people; but their sin is greater than their benefit.” And they ask you how much they are to give, say: “The excess.” It is thus that God clarifies for you the revelations that you may think. 2:219

 

Notice what happens here:

The people ask the messenger.

The answer is not from the messenger himself.

Allah commands him to say what is revealed: “Say…”

 

This same formula is repeated a couple of times in the Quran: (2:222, 2:189, 2:215, 2:217)

 

The answer, the legislation belongs to Allah, just as the king's command belonged to him — not the messenger who delivered it.

 

Shall I seek a judge other than Allah, while it is He who has sent down to you the Book explained in detail?” (6:114)

 

 

The real example of the messenger: 

 

Another common argument among Muslims who follow the Sunnah is based on Surah 33:21, where Allah says:

 

Indeed, in the messenger of God a good example has been set for you for he who seeks God and the Last Day and thinks constantly about God. 33:21

 

This verse is often cited to claim that following the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad is essential, implying that Muslims must imitate his habits, personal lifestyle, and even specific gestures. But is this what the verse truly means?

 

Does Allah really command believers to mimic the Prophet's personal habits, such as how he ate, slept, or entered the bathroom? Or is this verse referring to something much deeper and more meaningful?

 

Is this example unique to Muhammad?

To understand what is meant by “a good example,” we must examine how the Quran uses this concept in other places. Importantly, the Quran gives similar descriptions for other messengers, such as Ibrahim and his followers:

 

There has been a good example set for you by Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people: “We are innocent from you and what you serve besides God. We have rejected you, and it appears that there shall be animosity and hatred between us and you until you believe in God alone.” Except for the saying of Abraham to his father: “I will ask forgiveness for you, but I do not possess any power to protect you from God.” “Our Lord, we have put our trust in You, and we turn to You, and to You is the final destiny.” (60:4)

 

In this verse, Ibrahim and his companions are clearly presented as an example — but not in the sense of copying their personal routines. Rather, their principled stance, firmness in faith, and refusal to compromise with falsehood is what Allah highlights as exemplary.

 

This is confirmed again in:

Certainly, a good example has been set by them for those who seek God and the Last Day. And whoever turns away, then God is the Rich, the Praiseworthy.(60:6)

 

Here too, Allah emphasizes the moral and spiritual character of the messengers, not their physical habits. If we are to apply the same logic to Surah 33:21, then the “example” of the Messenger is not his personal behavior but his unwavering devotion to God and his duty as a messenger.

 

 

 

What kind of example are we really asked to follow?

When Allah commands believers to take the Messenger as an example in 33:21, it’s within the same framework of taking Ibrahim and others as examples in 60:4–6. It is about:

 

• Standing firm in belief
• Calling people to God
• Upholding justice and monotheism
• Patience and steadfastness during trials
• Commitment to the message above all else

 

There is no instruction to copy what kind of sandals the Prophet wore or how he combed his beard. That level of detail was never preserved in the Quran because it was not important to Allah’s guidance.

 

The Quran consistently directs believers to reflect, understand, and follow principles, not blindly imitate personalities.

 

When Allah tells us that the messenger is a good example, it is in the same spirit that Ibrahim was described as a good example. It is about faith, obedience, and struggle in the cause of truth. Not once does the Quran suggest that the messengers private habits are part of what we must emulate.

 

The idea that a believer cannot follow the messenger unless they have access to Hadith literature (written generations later, with contradictions and questionable authenticity) contradicts the Quran’s clarity and completeness. Allah has made it possible for every sincere believer to follow His messengers, by preserving what really matters: the message.