---
title: "Sunnah Definition and Importance | Model Diplomat"
description: "Sunnah is the normative practice of Prophet Muḥammad, serving as the second primary source of Islamic law after the Qurʾān, crucial for legal theory."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/sunnah"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- Sunnah is the recorded normative practice of the Prophet Muḥammad—his sayings, actions, and tacit approvals—serving as the second primary source of Islamic law after the Qurʾān.
- How does the Sunnah differ from Ḥadīth?
- What are the three types of Sunnah?
- On what Qurʾānic basis is the Sunnah a binding source of law?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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In 2010, Pakistan's Federal Shariat Court struck down provisions of the Hudood Ordinances it found repugnant to the Qurʾān and Sunnah, exercising its Article 203-D jurisdiction over Islamic injunctions.

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