بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

33:21 لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا

Without doubt for you, in the Rasool/Messenger of Allah is most beautiful pattern, who has hope in Allah and the last day and frequently remembers Allah.

The confirmed sunnate rasool/practice of the messenger,  is what Allah ordered the messenger to do in Al-Quran and most definitely the messenger complied with the orders of Allah. Therefore ayahs of Quran will tell us the most confirmed sunnate-rasool i.e the confirmed practice which the messenger (pbuh) followed. As Quran is the only book in the world, in which there is no doubt, therefore the practice of the messenger as described in Quran is more authentic than in any other book.

We will review in Quran, the orders which were given to the messenger to know about the confirmed practice of the messenger, from Quran. These ayahs let us know that the messenger always leads to the straight path and advises with Al-Quran and not without Al-Quran. So those who follow the true sunnat/practice of the messenger, should always guide and order with the Quran and not associating other orders with Quran. The personality and practice described in the Quran are the best practice of the messenger:

3:79  مَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَن يُؤْتِيَهُ اللَّهُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحُكْمَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ ثُمَّ يَقُولَ لِلنَّاسِ كُونُوا عِبَادًا لِّي مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلَٰكِن كُونُوا رَبَّانِيِّينَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تُعَلِّمُونَ الْكِتَابَ وَبِمَا كُنتُمْ تَدْرُسُونَ

It is not for a human who is given the Book, and Wisdom, and the Prophet-hood; to say to people. “Be you my servants rather than Allah’s”. On the contrary (he would say) “Be you the servants of the Lord. For you have taught the Book and you have studied it.”

The prophet would not say to people; that ‘that you become servants/slaves for me or that you make me your master/aaqqa/maula!’, instead he would say that you be the people belonging to God/Allah.

9:33  هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ

It is He, who has sent His messenger with the guidance and with the judgment of truth so that he may make it obvious on every (other) judgment and even if those who associate (with Him) dislike it.

The purpose of sending the messenger is that, the messenger, makes the true deen/judgment obvious over all other prevailing deens/judgments existing in the world. Messenger has the aid of the Spirit of the Book. With the aid of the Spirit of the Book, the true Din/Judgment that the messenger brings forth, prevails over all other contradictory man-made judgments.

7:2  كِتَابٌ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ فَلَا يَكُن فِي صَدْرِكَ حَرَجٌ مِّنْهُ لِتُنذِرَ بِهِ وَذِكْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

A Book revealed to you,- it should not cause any tightening in your breast,- that you warn (the people) with it, and it is remembrance for the believers.

The messenger always reminds and advises with the Book.

5:49  وَأَنِ احْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ وَاحْذَرْهُمْ أَن يَفْتِنُوكَ عَن بَعْضِ مَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ ۖ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ أَن يُصِيبَهُم بِبَعْضِ ذُنُوبِهِمْ ۗ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ النَّاسِ لَفَاسِقُونَ

And Judge/order among them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their vain desires, but beware of them lest they beguile you from any of that (teaching) which Allah has sent down to you. And if they turn away, be assured that for some of their sins it is Allah’s intention to put them into difficulty. And certainly the majority of the people are Fasiqeen/evil doers.

The messenger always judges and orders among the people with what has been revealed by Allah (Quran) and does not follow the vain desires of people.

27:92  وَأَنْ أَتْلُوَ الْقُرْآنَ ۖ فَمَنِ اهْتَدَىٰ فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدِي لِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَن ضَلَّ فَقُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُنذِرِينَ

And that I  recite the Quran, and if any one accept guidance, he does it for the good of his own self, and if anyone goes astray, say “I am only a warner”.

The messenger always warns by reciting from the Quran.

5:99  مَّا عَلَى الرَّسُولِ إِلَّا الْبَلَاغُ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا تَكْتُمُونَ

The Messenger’s duty is but to convey (the message). But Allah knows all that you reveal and you conceal.

Messenger’s duty is to convey the message. What people hide and what they show is known by Allah.

6:161  قُلْ إِنَّنِي هَدَانِي رَبِّي إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ دِينًا قِيَمًا مِّلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا ۚ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ

Say,  Surely my Lord has guided me to a Straight way a Judgment established. The Millat (Religion) of true Ibrahim and he was not from the polytheists/associaters.

The messenger follows the religion of Ibrahim (a.s)

6:19  قُلْ أَيُّ شَيْءٍ أَكْبَرُ شَهَادَةً ۖ قُلِ اللَّهُ ۖ شَهِيدٌ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ ۚ وَأُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنُ لِأُنذِرَكُم بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ ۚ أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَشْهَدُونَ أَنَّ مَعَ اللَّهِ آلِهَةً أُخْرَىٰ ۚ قُل لَّا أَشْهَدُ ۚ قُلْ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ وَإِنَّنِي بَرِيءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ

Say what thing is greatest evidence, say Allah is witness between me and you and this Quran is inspired to me to warn you with it and to whom it is delivered. Do you surely bear witness, that with Allah there are other gods, Say I do not bear witness, say surely He is one God and surely I am exempted from what you associate (with Him).

Messenger confirms that what is inspired to him, is the Quran and he reminds with it i.e the Quran.

7:203  وَإِذَا لَمْ تَأْتِهِم بِآيَةٍ قَالُوا لَوْلَا اجْتَبَيْتَهَا ۚ قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَتَّبِعُ مَا يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ مِن رَّبِّي ۚ هَٰذَا بَصَائِرُ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ

If you don’t come to them with a revelation, they say. “Why don’t you yourself chose it be (a revelation)?” Say. “I but follow what is revealed to me from my Lord. this is (nothing but) enlightened perception from your Lord, and Guidance, and mercy, for those who have faith.”

If the messenger doesn’t come (bring to people) with an Ayat (probably in a given situation), people would say that why not you choose anything (that would then become a hadith for them to follow), however, the messenger would always says, follow the Wahi/Quran not anything else. Also, this ayat is a confirmation that everything that the prophet says or does is not Wahi/inspiration.

6:50  قُل لَّا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِي خَزَائِنُ اللَّهِ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ وَلَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي مَلَكٌ ۖ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ ۚ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الْأَعْمَىٰ وَالْبَصِيرُ ۚ أَفَلَا تَتَفَكَّرُونَ

Say. “I do not tell you that with me are the treasures of Allah, nor do I know what is Ghaib/hidden, nor do I tell you I am an angel. I only follow what is revealed to me.” Say. “can the blind be held equal to the seeing?” Will you then consider not?

The messenger confirms that he does not know the knowledge of Ghaib/unseen and he follows only what is inspired to him i.e Al-Quran (6:19)

43:43  فَاسْتَمْسِكْ بِالَّذِي أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

So hold thou fast to the Inspiration/Revelation sent down to you (the Messenger); verily you are on a Straight Way.

The messenger holds fast the inspiration i.e the Quran (6:19)

28:85  إِنَّ الَّذِي فَرَضَ عَلَيْكَ الْقُرْآنَ لَرَادُّكَ إِلَىٰ مَعَادٍ ۚ قُل رَّبِّي أَعْلَمُ مَن جَاءَ بِالْهُدَىٰ وَمَنْ هُوَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ

Surely He Who has ordained (as mandatory) the Qur’an for you, will definitely restore you to a Place of Return(To a place you are accustomed to). Say. “My Lord knows best who it is that brings true guidance, and who is in manifest error.”

Quran is mandatory/Faraz on the messenger with all his do’s and don’ts and therfore in his Sunnah to all believers.

21:45  قُلْ إِنَّمَا أُنذِرُكُم بِالْوَحْيِ ۚ وَلَا يَسْمَعُ الصُّمُّ الدُّعَاءَ إِذَا مَا يُنذَرُونَ

Say, “I do but warn you with the revelation”. But the deaf will not hear the call, (even) when they are warned!

Again and again the messenger confirms that he warns with the inspiration/revelation i.e the Quran (6:19), however, the people seems oblivious to this fact.

75:16  لَا تُحَرِّكْ بِهِ لِسَانَكَ لِتَعْجَلَ بِهِ

Move not your tongue concerning the (Qur’an) to make haste therewith.

There should not be any haste with the Quran. It comes gradually.

5:15  يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ كَثِيرًا مِّمَّا كُنتُمْ تُخْفُونَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَيَعْفُو عَن كَثِيرٍ ۚ قَدْ جَاءَكُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ نُورٌ وَكِتَابٌ مُّبِينٌ

O people of The Book! There has come to you our Messenger, revealing to you much that you used to hide in The Book, and passing over much: There has come to you from Allah a light and a perspicuous Book

Sunnate/Practice of the messenger is to reveal clearly what people try to hide from The Book.

16:64  وَمَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا لِتُبَيِّنَ لَهُمُ الَّذِي اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ ۙ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ

And We sent down the Book to you (the messenger) for the express purpose, that you should make clear to them those things in which they differ, and that it should be a guide and a mercy to those who believe.

Another practice of the messenger is to clarify from the Book,  to the people who differ in it’s various matters.

10:15  وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ ۙ قَالَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ لِقَاءَنَا ائْتِ بِقُرْآنٍ غَيْرِ هَٰذَا أَوْ بَدِّلْهُ ۚ قُلْ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أُبَدِّلَهُ مِن تِلْقَاءِ نَفْسِي ۖ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ ۖ إِنِّي أَخَافُ إِنْ عَصَيْتُ رَبِّي عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ

But when Our Clear ayahs are rehearsed unto them, those who rest not their hope on their meeting with Us, Say. “Bring us a Quran/Reading other than this, or change this,” Say. “It is not for me, of my own accord, to change it. I follow naught but what is revealed unto me. if I were to disobey my Lord, I should myself fear the penalty of a Great Day.

The messenger does not change what is sent down on his nafs (i.e the inspiration/Wahi/Quran). He follows the inspiration and is afraid of the penalty of the great day.

18:28  وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ ۖ وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَا تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُهُ فُرُطًا

And persevere yourself (the Messenger) with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Presence; and let not your eyes pass beyond them, seeking the pomp and glitter of this Life;  and Don’t obey the one whose heart We have permitted to neglect the remembrance of Us, one who follows his own desires, and whose case has gone beyond all bounds.

The messenger perseveres in the company of devout people, he does not long for worldly life’s glitter, and he does not obey ones who are oblivious to the remembrance of Allah.

39:11  قُلْ إِنِّي أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصًا لَّهُ الدِّينَ

Say. “Verily, I am commanded to serve Allah with deen/judgment exclusively for Him.

The practice of the messenger is to serve Allah in judgment purely and exclusively for Allah.

46:35  فَاصْبِرْ كَمَا صَبَرَ أُولُو الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ وَلَا تَسْتَعْجِل لَّهُمْ ۚ كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَ مَا يُوعَدُونَ لَمْ يَلْبَثُوا إِلَّا سَاعَةً مِّن نَّهَارٍ ۚ بَلَاغٌ ۚ فَهَلْ يُهْلَكُ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ

Therefore patiently persevere, as stead fast messengers did earlier; and be in no haste about the (Unbelievers). On the Day that they see the (punishment) promised to them, (it will be) as if they had not tarried more than an hour of a day. (You are but) to proclaim the Message, thus shall any be destroyed except those who transgress?

The messenger patiently persevere against the adversities and does not make haste with the unbelievers.

50:45  نَّحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ ۖ وَمَا أَنتَ عَلَيْهِم بِجَبَّارٍ ۖ فَذَكِّرْ بِالْقُرْآنِ مَن يَخَافُ وَعِيدِ

We know better what they say; and you are not a compeller over them. So remind (them) with the Qur’an those who fear My warning!

The messenger does not forcefully compel people to believe or to do something. He only reminds with Quran.

9:73  يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ جَاهِدِ الْكُفَّارَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ وَاغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَمَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ

‘O’ Prophet! Strive with the rejecters and the hypocrites and be strict over them. And their refuge is hell and a bad destination.

The prophet engages the rejecters and hypocrites for their false interpretations about Allah, and is not lenient on them in this matter. The prophet instructs with the ayahs of Quran. If the Ayahs increase the rejecters and hypocrites in rejection, the prophet deals them with firmness.

8:64  يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ حَسْبُكَ اللَّهُ وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

O Prophet! Sufficient for you is Allah,-  and unto those who follow you among the believers.

The prophet’s support is basically Allah and after Him the believers who follow him. He is indifferent to worldly powers to support him in his mission.

33:28  يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُل لِّأَزْوَاجِكَ إِن كُنتُنَّ تُرِدْنَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا وَزِينَتَهَا فَتَعَالَيْنَ أُمَتِّعْكُنَّ وَأُسَرِّحْكُنَّ سَرَاحًا جَمِيلًا

O Prophet! Say to your wives. “If you desire the life of this World, and its adornment,- then come! I will provide it to you and set you free in a beautiful manner.”

33:59  يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُل لِّأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰ أَن يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

O Prophet! say to your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers that they let down upon them their over-garments; this will be more proper, that they may be known, and thus they will not be given trouble; and God is Forgiving, Merciful.

Prophet asks the women of his family and the believing ones to draw an over-garment over their dresses for their safety.

The above are some of ayahs presented here as an example. All orders in Al-Kitab are basically the practice of the messengers and prophets.

45:6  تِلْكَ آيَاتُ اللَّهِ نَتْلُوهَا عَلَيْكَ بِالْحَقِّ ۖ فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَ اللَّهِ وَآيَاتِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَ

Such are the Ayats/Signs of Allah, which We rehearse to you in Truth; then in what Hadith/narration they will believe after Allah and His Ayahs?

These are the ayahs of Allah which are revealed in truth by Allah. Allah then asks on which hadith/narration, they will believe after Allah and His Ayahs?