Qur'an and Sunnah
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Qur'an and Sunnah is an often quoted Islamic term regarding the sources of Islam.
Muslims hold that Islam is derived from two sources: one being infallible and containing compressed information — the Qur'an — and another being a detailed explanation of the everyday application of the principles established in the Qur'an: The Sunnah, or the living example of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
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[edit] Views
All Muslims believe the Qur'an is error-free, but they differ on how apply the Sunnah in order to interpret and understand the Qur'an.
Al-Ghazali, the famous Sufi and Sunni scholar, compared this process to handling oysters - their outside surface is uninteresting, but if you open one, then you are immediately rewarded by the beautiful mother of pearl and the edible morsel for spiritual and physical gratification. If you continue opening oysters, you are more likely to find a pearl. If you continue collecting pearls, you are more likely to find a black pearl.
In other words, following the Qur'an and Sunnah is not a Sunni-specific doctrine; it is followed by both Shi'a and Sunnis [1]
[edit] Shi'a view
Shi'a divide the Sahaba into groups [2] and only trust some those who did not oppose the Ahl al-Bayt. Shi'a are known to criticize Umar, the second Sunni Caliph, as having admitted that he does not view it necessary to follow Muhammads Sunnah, and cite the hadith of the pen and paper as evidence.
[edit] Sunni view
Sunni view that all Sahaba are righteous and can be trusted in their transmission of the Sunnah.
[edit] Qur'an only view
There is a small minority of so-called Qur'an only muslims who do not believe in Sunnah as an element of Islam.