Editing Sunnah (section)

=== In the Quran ===
The word "sunna" appears several times in the Qur'an, but there is no specific mention of sunnah of the messenger or prophet ({{transliteration|ar|sunnat al-rasool}}, {{transliteration|ar|sunnat al-nabi}} or {{transliteration|ar|sunna al-nabawiyyah}}), i.e. the way/practice of Muhammad (there are several verses calling on Muslims to obey Muhammad—see below). Four verses (8.38, 15.13, 18.55) use the expression "{{transliteration|ar|sunnat al-awwalin}}", which is thought to mean "the way or practice of the ancients". It is described as something "that has passed away" or prevented unbelievers from accepting God. "{{transliteration|ar|[[Sunnat Allah]]}}" (the "way of God") appears eight times in five verses. In addition, verse 17.77 talks of both the way of other, earlier Muslim messengers ([[Abraham in Islam|Ibrahim]], [[Moses in Islam|Musa]], etc.), and of "our way", i.e. God's way:<ref>{{qref|17|77|b=y}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Meaning of 'Sunna' in the Qur'an |url= http://www.quranicstudies.com/prophet-muhammad/the-meaning-of-sunna-in-the-quran/ |website=Qur’anic Studies |date=29 May 2011 |access-date=21 May 2018}}</ref>
{{blockquote|1=[This is] the way (''sunna'') of those whom we sent [as messengers] before you, and you will not find any change in Our way (''sunnatuna'').}}

This indicates to some scholars (such as [[Javed Ahmad Ghamidi]]) that sunnah predates both the Quran and Muhammad, and is actually the tradition of the prophets of God, specifically the tradition of [[Abraham]]. [[Christians]], [[Jews]] and the Arab descendants of [[Ishmael]], the [[Adnan|Arabized Arabs]] or [[Ishmaelites]], when Muhammad reinstituted this practice as an integral part of Islam.