سُنَّةٌA way, course, rule, mode, or manner, of acting or conduct or life or the like; syn. طَرِيقَةٌ, as also
سَنَنٌ, and سِيرَةٌ; whence the saying, سُنُّوا بِهِمْسُنَّةَ أَهْلِ الكِتَابِ, expl. in the first paragraph of this art., last sentence but one, and the saying of the Hudhalee [Khálid Ibn-Zuheyr] cited in the first paragraph of art. سير; and this is [said to be] the primary signification; whether good, or bad;approved or disapproved: or, accord. to Sh, a way [of acting &c.] that has been instituted, or pursued, by former people, and has become one pursued by those after them; and this, he says, is the primary signification: it signifies also [particularly] a way of acting &c. that is commended, or approved, and right; wherefore one says, فُلَانٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ [Such a one is of the people of the commended and right way of acting &c.; generally meaning, of those who follow the institutes, or ways, of the Prophet]; and is from
سَنَنٌ signifying “ a way, ” or “ road; ” and is also syn. withسَنَنٌ: and [the laws, i. e] the statutes, or ordinances, and commands and prohibitions, of God: [also a practice or saying, or the practices and sayings collectively, of Mohammad, or any other person who is an authority in matters of religion, namely, any prophet, or a Companion of Mohammad,as handed down by tradition:] when used unrestrictedly in matters of the law, السُّنَّةُ means only what the Prophet [Mohammad] has commanded, and what has been handed down from him by tradition, [or, as in the JM, and what he forbade,] and what he has invited to do, by word or deed, of such things as are not mentioned in the Kur-án; wherefore one says, in speaking of the directions, or evidences, of the law, الكِتَابُوَالسُّنَّةُ meaning the Kur-án and the Traditions: [thus used, it may be rendered the institutes of the Prophet; or his rule or usage:] or in the law it signifies the way of acting &c. that is pursued in religion without being made obligatory, or necessary; it is what the Prophet persevered in doing, or observing, with omitting, or neglecting, [it] sometimes; and if the said persevering is in the way of religious service, it constitutes [what are termed] سُنَنُ الهُدَى; if in the way of custom,سُنَنُ الزَّوَائِدِ: so thatسُنَّةُ الهُدَى [theسُنَّةof right direction] is that of which the observance is a completion of religion, and it is that to the omission, or neglect, whereof attach blame and misdemeanour; andسُنَّةُ الزَّوَائِدِ [theسُنَّةof supererogatory acts] is that of which the observance is good, but to the omission, or neglect, whereof neither blame nor misdemeanour attaches, such as the ways of the Prophet in his standing and sitting and clothing and eating:سُنَنٌ is the pl. سُنَّةُ الأَوَّلِينَ, in the Kur xviii. 53, i. e. سُنَّتُنَا فِى الأَوَّلِينَ [The way pursued by us in respect of the former, or preceding peoples], means the destruction decreed to befall them; or extirpation; or, as Zj says, their beholding punishment; (أَنَّهُمْ عَايَنُوا العَذَابَ; [or, as expl. in the K, مُعَايَنَةُ العَذَابِ;]) for the believers in a plurality of gods said, [as is related in the Kur viii. 32,] O God, if this be the truth from Thee, then do Thou rain down upon us stones from heaven. 2 Also Nature; natural, or native, disposition, temper, or other quality or property: pl. سُنَنٌ. 3 And The face; because of its polish and smoothness: or the ball of the cheek (حُرُّ الوَجْهِ): or the circuit (دَائِرَة) of the face: or the form: or the form of the face: or the forehead and two sides thereof: all from the meaning of polish and smoothness and evenness: or the principal part of the face; the part thereof in which beauty is generally known to lie: (M in art. ام:) or the side of the cheek: pl. سُنَنٌ. You say, رَجُلٌ قَبَِيحُ السُّنَّةِA man foul, or ugly, in respect of the form, and of what confronts one, of the face. And هُوَ أَشْبَهُ شَىْءٍ سُنَّةً وَأُمَّةًHe is the most like thing in form, and face, and in stature. 4 And The black line, or streak, on the back of the ass.
def.2 Also, or
سِنَّةٌ, A sort of dates, of ElMedeeneh,well known.
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