What are the obligatory Sunnahs of the Messenger (peace be upon him)?

The "Sunnah Fi'liyyah" (Prophetic practice) according to the early righteous Muslims (Salaf As-Salih) is the way of the Prophet, peace be upon him, whether it was obligatory (fard) or supererogatory (nafl). The "Sunnah Wajibah" (obligatory Sunnah) is that whose obligation has been established from his actions, peace be upon him. As for the jurists, Sunnah is that for which the doer is rewarded and the one who leaves it is not punished. Examples include Taraweeh prayer and sleeping on the right side.

The definition of non-obligatory "Sunnah Fi'liyyah" among some jurists, especially the Malikis, is what the Prophet, peace be upon him, consistently did, commanded without making it obligatory, and manifested in congregation. Some of them, like Ibn Abi Zayd in his Risalah, call this Sunnah "wajib" (obligatory), intending thereby the emphasized Sunnahs that are less than a fard but more than a mustahabb (recommended).

The term "Sunnah Wajibah" may also be applied to the fard, but in this case, they express it by saying "obligatory with the obligation of fara'id (plural of fard)". It is not permissible to abandon emphasized Sunnahs entirely or to conspire to abandon them. If the people of a town were to agree to abandon them, they would be fought. Examples of emphasized "Sunnah Fi'liyyah" include: the Adhan (call to prayer), Witr prayer, the Eid prayers, the eclipse prayer, Umrah, the farewell circumambulation (Tawaf Al-Wada'), ghusl (ritual bath) for Jumu'ah, Udhiyyah (sacrifice), Aqiqah (sacrifice for a newborn), and male circumcision.