Sunnahs in Social Life include: Looking After the Neighbor, Visiting the Sick, Exchanging Gifts. The table below lists each sunnah with a short description and the reference of the hadith it rests on. Sunnahs without a basis in authentic sources are not included.
Social Life sunnahs and hadith references
| Sunnah | Description | Hadith reference |
|---|---|---|
| Looking After the Neighbor | Treating the neighbor well and looking after them is a sunnah the Prophet valued greatly. | at-Tirmidhi, Book of Righteousness and Kinship, 28 (hadith no. 1943) Muslim, Book of Righteousness and Kinship, 143 (hadith no. 6689) al-Bukhari, Book of Heart-Softening Narrations, 23 (hadith no. 6475) |
| Visiting the Sick | Visiting and consoling sick friends and loved ones is a beautiful part of the sunnah. | at-Tirmidhi, Book of Inheritance, 7 (hadith no. 2097) Ahmad ibn Hanbal, al-Musnad, 3/175 at-Tirmidhi, Book of Medicine, 35 (hadith no. 2087) Muslim, Book of Greetings, 47 (hadith no. 5709) Ahmad ibn Hanbal, al-Musnad, 3/156 Malik, al-Muwatta, Book of the Evil Eye, 7 |
| Exchanging Gifts | Giving a gift and receiving it graciously nourishes love between hearts. | at-Tirmidhi, Book of Wala' and Gifts, 6 (hadith no. 2130) al-Bukhari, Book of Gifts, 11 (hadith no. 2585) Ibn Abi Shaybah, al-Musannaf, Book of Sales and Judgments, 253 |
| Saying That You Love Someone | Telling someone you love them is a sunnah the Prophet recommended. | at-Tirmidhi, Book of Asceticism, 53 (hadith no. 2391) Abu Dawud, Book of Good Manners, 112-113 (hadith no. 5125) at-Tirmidhi, Book of Virtues, 63 (hadith no. 3895) al-Bukhari, Book of Conditions, 15 (hadith no. 2731) |
| Honoring the Guest | Meeting guests with a smiling face and generosity is one of the beautiful reflections of the sunnah. | al-Bukhari, Book of Heart-Softening Narrations, 23 (hadith no. 6475) Muslim, Book of Drinks, 174 (hadith no. 5362) al-Bukhari, Book of Food, 1 (hadith no. 5375) al-Bukhari, Book of Knowledge, 25 (hadith no. 87) |
| Forgiveness and Keeping One's Word | Forgiving the one who wrongs you and answering with kindness was the way of the Prophet. | at-Tirmidhi, Book of Righteousness and Kinship, 69 (hadith no. 2016) al-Bayhaqi, as-Sunan al-Kubra, 9/195 Abu Dawud, Book of Jihad, 151 (hadith no. 2758) al-Bukhari, Book of the Beginning of Revelation, 1 (hadith no. 7) |
| Giving Charity | Giving charity, however little, protects its giver and softens the heart. | Muslim, Book of the Two Eid Prayers, 9 (hadith no. 2053) Muslim, Book of Zakat, 68 (hadith no. 2350) at-Tirmidhi, Book of Zakat, 28 (hadith no. 664) at-Tirmidhi, Book of Righteousness and Kinship, 36 (hadith no. 1956) Muslim, Book of Zakat, 55 (hadith no. 2333) al-Bukhari, Book of Good Manners, 33 (hadith no. 6021) Ahmad ibn Hanbal, al-Musnad, 1/326 |
| Faithfulness to a Trust | Guarding what is entrusted to you and returning it to its owner is the most basic sign of trustworthiness. | Ibn Hisham, as-Sirah an-Nabawiyyah, 3/10 al-Bukhari, Book of Testimonies, 28 (hadith no. 2681) Ahmad ibn Hanbal, al-Musnad, 3/134 |
| Wanting for Your Brother Too | Wanting for your brother what you want for yourself is a sign of mature faith. | al-Bukhari, Book of Faith, 7 (hadith no. 13) |
| Seeking Knowledge | Allah eases the path to Paradise for one who sets out in search of knowledge. | at-Tirmidhi, Book of Knowledge, 19 (hadith no. 2682) at-Tirmidhi, Book of Knowledge, 2 (hadith no. 2647) Muslim, Book of Righteousness and Kinship, 152 (hadith no. 6699) |
| Never Saying "I Have None" | A generosity that made a principle of never saying "I have none" when asked for something. | Muslim, Book of Virtues, 56 (hadith no. 6018) Ahmad ibn Hanbal, al-Musnad, 1/326 at-Tirmidhi, ash-Shama'il al-Muhammadiyyah, 97 at-Tirmidhi, ash-Shama'il al-Muhammadiyyah, 160 |
Other categories
- Eating & Drinking sunnahs
- Greetings sunnahs
- Cleanliness sunnahs
- Sleep Etiquette sunnahs
- Clothing sunnahs
- Speech Etiquette sunnahs
- Prayer & Worship sunnahs
- Family & Visiting sunnahs
- Everyday Courtesy sunnahs
The Sunnah & Hadith app sends this and other sunnahs as short reminders spread across your day. Free for iPhone, no ads: download on the App Store.