Clarifying the statement that the one who performs the Sunnah is rewarded and the one who leaves it off is not punished
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Question:
Your Eminence! This saying circulates among some intellectuals: "The one who performs the Sunnah is rewarded, and the one who leaves it off is not punished." Do you have any comment on this statement?
Answer:
Yes, what they mean by that is the Sunnah in the terminology of the jurists, which is that which is below the obligatory.
The presenter: Below the obligatory.
The Shaykh: In the terminology of the jurists... they call the voluntary prayer a Sunnah, such as the Duha prayer, such as the Witr, such as the regular voluntary prayers attached to the obligatory ones; it is called a Sunnah. And such as beginning the greeting of peace, and responding to the sneezer; it is called a Sunnah. So the Sunnah is that which is below the obligatory, but it is commanded and prescribed.
And the term Sunnah is also used for the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and what he brought of guidance. This is obligatory: following the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and proceeding according to his methodology in the oneness of Allah, obeying the commands, and leaving off the prohibitions. This is the obligatory that is necessary. But what the jurists mean when they say, "The one who performs the Sunnah is rewarded, and the one who leaves it off is not punished," is the voluntary acts. They mean the worship that is voluntary, such as the Sunnah of Duha, such as the regular voluntary prayers attached to the obligatory ones, such as the late-night voluntary prayer. All of these are called a Sunnah, not an obligation. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. So it is necessary to have an understanding of this rule.
The Shaykh: Yes, yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Your Eminence! This saying circulates among some intellectuals: "The one who performs the Sunnah is rewarded, and the one who leaves it off is not punished." Do you have any comment on this statement?
Answer:
Yes, what they mean by that is the Sunnah in the terminology of the jurists, which is that which is below the obligatory.
The presenter: Below the obligatory.
The Shaykh: In the terminology of the jurists... they call the voluntary prayer a Sunnah, such as the Duha prayer, such as the Witr, such as the regular voluntary prayers attached to the obligatory ones; it is called a Sunnah. And such as beginning the greeting of peace, and responding to the sneezer; it is called a Sunnah. So the Sunnah is that which is below the obligatory, but it is commanded and prescribed.
And the term Sunnah is also used for the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and what he brought of guidance. This is obligatory: following the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and proceeding according to his methodology in the oneness of Allah, obeying the commands, and leaving off the prohibitions. This is the obligatory that is necessary. But what the jurists mean when they say, "The one who performs the Sunnah is rewarded, and the one who leaves it off is not punished," is the voluntary acts. They mean the worship that is voluntary, such as the Sunnah of Duha, such as the regular voluntary prayers attached to the obligatory ones, such as the late-night voluntary prayer. All of these are called a Sunnah, not an obligation. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. So it is necessary to have an understanding of this rule.
The Shaykh: Yes, yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.