Why Follow the Sunnah?

Why Follow the Sunnah?

The benefits and importance of following the sunnah are clearly outlined in this unequivocal verse of the Qur’an: 

Say (O Muhammad [sal-Allahu alayhi wa sallam] to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah, then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur'an and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."[03:31] 

If that isn’t enough to motivate us to follow our beloved Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) way of life, Allah (glorified and exalted be He) tells also us in a hadith qudsi: 

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said: Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him. It was related by al-Bukhari. 

Apart from the above, following the sunnah has worldly benefits too: our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was an incredibly productive person, so by following his sunnah, we automatically draw from his productivity techniques – thereby enhancing our own productivity.