Political Discourse and Sectarian Identity: The Transformation Process of the Concept of Sunna into Ahl al-Sunna
Political Discourse and Sectarian Identity: The Transformation Process of the Concept of Sunna into Ahl al-Sunna

Summary/Abstract: This study examines the evolution of the concept of Sunna in the early history of Islamic thought, tracing its transformation from a normative framework representing the practices of the Prophet Muhammad to a collective sectarian identity known as Ahl al-Sunna. This transformation is analyzed from a historical and conceptual perspective, considering the impact of political and doctrinal debates. This research explores how the Sunna was utilized as a tool of legitimacy in Umayyad and early ʿAbbāsid politics during the first three centuries AH., how it generated an ideological discourse through its association with the concepts of bid’a and jamāʿa, and how this discourse became institutionalized through the ḥadīth muṣannafāt. The significance of this study lies in its illumination of the capacity for historical transformation within Islamic thought, demonstrating how a religious concept evolved into a superordinate identity that defined social belonging under political, social, and theological pressure. The primary objective of this article is to elucidate the roles of political authority, the ʿulamāʾ, and social opposition in the transformation of the Sunna into an identity-building force using concrete data. It aims to shed light on the historical and intellectual background that facilitated the emergence of the Ahl al-Sunna wa alJamāʿa composition and examine the political-scientific dynamics from a multi-layered perspective. To achieve this goal, a historical-conceptual analysis was employed within the framework of qualitative research methods, and early ḥadīth collections, firaq, and kalam literature, as well as modern academic studies, were examined comparatively. The primary findings of this research indicate that during the Muʿāwiya period, the concept of Sunna became pivotal in the rhetoric used to isolate political opposition by labeling it as bid’a and promoting obedience to the central authority of the community. Second, ‘Umar b. Abd al-’Abd al-’Aziz’s initiative to compile ḥadīth s through state-sponsored efforts represented a significant milestone in the institutionalization of the Sunna as an official reference source. Third, the experience of the Mihna during the ʿAbbāsid period, particularly as embodied by Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal established the defense of the Sunna as the foundation of a doctrinal stance and identity. Finally, in the third century AH., the ahl al-ḥadīth identified themselves as jamāʿa, leading to the development of a systematic doctrine and framework of belonging under the designation Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jamāʿa. In conclusion, the semantic framework of the Sunna was influenced not only by theological imperatives but also by the dynamics of political legitimacy struggles and identity formation. From this perspective, this study offers a methodological contribution by presenting an interdisciplinary model that elucidates how religious concepts are transformed through discourses of power.

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