A summary of the concepts held by the Ahl al-Sunnah.
Man’s injustice and ignorance regarding his Lord
lead him to deny the wisdom of Allah in matters that distress him.
They question the wisdom of Allah regarding sickness and hunger,
as well as earthquakes and catastrophes,
the death of loved ones and the survival of enemies,
the spread of corruption, the rise of the unjust, and the weakness of the reformers,
and other such matters.
Such people have failed to understand the ways (Sunnah) of Allah, Mighty and Majestic is He, in His creation,
such as the law of trial and tribulation,
as in His saying, Exalted is He:
“And surely We shall try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and crops; but give glad tidings to the steadfast,” (2:155)
"And give good tidings to the patient."
“Who say, when a misfortune striketh them: Lo! we are Allah's and lo! unto Him we are returning.” (2:156)
“Who say, when a misfortune striketh them: Lo! we are Allah's and lo! unto Him we are returning.” (2:156)
“Such are they on whom are blessings from their Lord, and mercy. Such are the rightly guided.” (2:157)
"Those are the ones who are rightly guided."
Furthermore, they have failed to consider the attribute of Allah’s gentleness (lutf),
through which He brings goodness to a person gradually and imperceptibly.
Had they only turned their attention to the names of Allah, the Kind (al-Ra'uf) and the Merciful (al-Rahim).
It is strange that when people trust in someone’s knowledge and wisdom,
they surrender their affairs to him,
and approve of his actions without knowing the wisdom behind them,
saying, "He knows best what he is doing."
Should not Allah, the All-Wise, the Gentle, the All-Aware,
be more deserving of this submission and certainty in His wisdom and gentleness,
and His benevolence and mercy toward His creation?
They lose sight of the wisdom of Allah in what harms and distresses them,
even though they believed in His wisdom in what benefited and pleased them.
Should they not have measured what was hidden from them by what was manifest,
and what they were ignorant of by what they knew?
Or is it that man is indeed unjust and ignorant?