A summary of the concepts held by the Ahl al-Sunnah.
The benefits of understanding the divine laws (sunan) of Allah.
Indeed, knowledge of the divine laws is part of understanding the religion.
It is a religious necessity that increases a servant’s knowledge of their Lord, His wisdom,
His knowledge, His governance, and His scales of justice.
It also contributes to the tranquility, serenity, and steadfastness of the heart,
as one becomes aware that the course of events unfolds according to the laws and wisdom of Allah.
These two matters are the most important benefits of knowing the divine laws.
Added to this is the following:
First, knowledge of the constancy of universal laws and their connection to their causes
emboldens a person to engage with the reality around them,
and to harness it for their benefit and well-being in this world and their bliss in the Hereafter.
Second, knowledge of the constancy of social laws, their consistency, and their inevitability
is useful for comprehending the lived reality and anticipating the future,
and for perceiving outcomes in light of their premises.
It also benefits callers to Islam and reformers in knowing the correct methodology for change.
Since change in social phenomena is often slow and gradual,
and a human life is short when compared to the lifespan of civilizations,
where a person might live through the precursors of change without witnessing its realization,
or experience the results without having lived through the preceding causes,
knowledge of these laws serves as a bridge connecting the past, the present, and the future.
Third, knowledge of social laws is useful for understanding history in its true light,
and for interpreting its events correctly in accordance with these laws.
This helps in judging these historical occurrences accurately in order to derive lessons from them,
and in knowing the factors behind the building and security of nations, as well as the factors of their collapse and destruction.
Allah the Exalted said: ﴾Sunan have passed away before you, so travel through the land and observe how was the end of those who denied.﴿