Sharh as-Sunnah | Imam al-Barbahari | Lesson 1

Sharḥ al-Sunnah is a foundational work written by Imām al-Barbahārī (رحمه الله) that outlines the principles of the Sunnah and the creed of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamā‘ah. It discusses the fundamental aspects of belief, the obligation of adhering to the way of the Salaf, and warns against innovations and deviations that oppose the Manhaj of the early generations. The work is composed of concise yet powerful statements that clarify what a Muslim must firmly uphold in matters of ‘Aqīdah and Manhaj. It emphasises adherence to the Āthār of the Companions and those who followed them, while stressing the danger of newly introduced matters in the religion. This explanation was delivered by Shaykh Abū Khadeejah (حفظه الله) over a number of years, beginning in January 2012 and concluding in October 2019. This book remains one of the most important introductory works in creed, widely studied to build a firm foundation upon the Sunnah. An example of the importance of adhering to the Sunnah and accepting the truth is the well-known hadith recorded in al-Bukhārī and Muslim: Anas Ibn Mālik (Allah be pleased with him) said: جَاءَ ثَلاَثَةُ رَهْطٍ إِلَى بُيُوتِ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَسْأَلُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَةِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمَّا أُخْبِرُوا كَأَنَّهُمْ تَقَالُّوهَا فَقَالُوا وَأَيْنَ نَحْنُ مِنَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَدْ غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ‏.‏ قَالَ أَحَدُهُمْ أَمَّا أَنَا فَإِنِّي أُصَلِّي اللَّيْلَ أَبَدًا‏. وَقَالَ آخَرُ أَنَا أَصُومُ الدَّهْرَ وَلاَ أُفْطِرُ‏.‏ وَقَالَ آخَرُ أَنَا أَعْتَزِلُ النِّسَاءَ فَلاَ أَتَزَوَّجُ أَبَدًا‏.‏ فَجَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ‏ أَنْتُمُ الَّذِينَ قُلْتُمْ كَذَا وَكَذَا أَمَا وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَخْشَاكُمْ لِلَّهِ وَأَتْقَاكُمْ لَهُ لَكِنِّي أَصُومُ وَأُفْطِرُ وَأُصَلِّي وَأَرْقُدُ وَأَتَزَوَّجُ النِّسَاءَ فَمَنْ رَغِبَ عَنْ سُنَّتِي فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي “Three men came to the houses of the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asking about the worship of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)… So, whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not from me.” (Al-Bukhārī no. 5063.) In a narration: أَنَّ نَفَرًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَأَلُوا أَزْوَاجَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ عَمَلِهِ فِي السِّرِّ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لاَ أَتَزَوَّجُ النِّسَاءَ ‏.‏ وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لاَ آكُلُ اللَّحْمَ ‏.‏ وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لاَ أَنَامُ عَلَى فِرَاشٍ ‏.‏ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ مَا بَالُ أَقْوَامٍ قَالُوا كَذَا وَكَذَا لَكِنِّي أُصَلِّي وَأَنَامُ وَأَصُومُ وَأُفْطِرُ وَأَتَزَوَّجُ النِّسَاءَ فَمَنْ رَغِبَ عَنْ سُنَّتِي فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي “A small group of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked the wives of the Prophet about his actions in private. So, one of them said: ‘I will not marry women.’ Another said: ‘I will not eat meat.’ Another said: ‘I will not sleep on a bed.’ When the Prophet heard of that, he praised Allah and extolled Him and said: ‘What is wrong with a people who say these things whereas I pray at night and I sleep, I fast sometimes and sometimes I do not, and I get married to women. So, whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not from me.’” (Muslim no. 1401) - Tr: Abu Khadeejah https://abukhadeejah.com/hadith-4-who... Resources: • English: https://salafibookstore.com/product/a... • Arabic: https://salafibookstore.com/product/i... Important Note 📌: These lessons were delivered over several years. Some individuals may be mentioned within the recordings who, at that time, were spoken of in a certain manner. However, later jarḥ and clarification has been made by the scholars regarding some of them. Therefore, the mere mention of any such individual in these lessons does not constitute praise or endorsement, as these explanations were given prior to those later rulings becoming known or established. From those who fall into this category is Ṣāliḥ as-Suḥaymī, as well as others besides him.