Lecture 7

Concept of Sunnatullah (مفهوم سنة الله )

The Arabic word Sunnah in its literal sense means habitual practice, customary procedure or norm. It stands for consistency and order.

Sunnatullah is the systematic order that Allah SWT created to govern the movement of His creation and make everything function in a consistent and organized way. It is also called the pattern of God, or the order of God in nature or the laws of God.

These systematic order or the laws of Allah SWT in all His creation are the ones that make everything in the universe move and function perfectly, with no chaos or imperfection in their physical manifestation, as in Surah al-Mulk, “There is no lack of proportion in the creation of God. So turn your eyes (and look around). Do you see any defect? Again, turn your sight (and examine) a second time. But your eyes will come back to you dull and frustrated in a state worn out.” (67:3-4).

“It is the law of Allah which hath taken course aforetime. Thou wilt not find in the law of Allah any change,” (48:23).

The term Sunnah was employed in the Islamic literature to describe the way that established by the Prophet Muhammad SAW while he was applying the Qur’anic commands and practicing Islamic teachings. Sunnah of the Prophet is, therefore, the idealistic and practical reflection of Qur’anic revelation that to be followed by all Muslims as an example.

“Hast thou not seen that unto Allah payeth adoration whosover is in the heavens and and whosoever is in the earth, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the hills, and the trees, and the beasts, and many of mankind, while there are many unto whom the doom is justly due. He whom Allah scorneth, there is none to give him honour. Lo! Allah doeth what He will,” (22:18).


Sunnatullah is inherent in the two kinds of His creation:

Human beings: “We shall show them Our portents on the horizons and within themselves until it will be manifest unto them that it is the Truth. Doth not thy Lord suffice, since He is Witness over all things,” (41:53).

Sunnatullah in the human domain is described in the Qur’an as “Ayatul Anfus”, which means Alllah’s Signs within human self.
“He has inspired the human self with its wickedness and its piety,” (91:8).

“He granteth wisdom to whom He pleaseth; and he to whom wisdom is granted receiveth indeed a benefit overflowing; but none will grasp the Message but men of understanding.” (2:269)

This is the fitrah that we share with other human beings, regardless whether they are Muslims or not, “O mankind, fear your Lord Who created you all of a single soul,” (4:1).

“Turn your face to the primordial religion as a hanif. That is the natural religion which Allah made innate to all humans. This pattern of Allah is immutable. It is the worthy religion; but most people do not know,” (30:30).

This fitrah must be strengthened and guided by revelation so that all actions of the human being are submitting to the Divine Law (Syari’ah) of Allah SWT.

Allah SWT has revealed to us Divine Books and revelation, so that we may know His pattern, laws and ruling that concern our beliefs and actions. All this guidance, revelation, legislation of Allah is consider as Allah’s laws, patterns in religion and guidance. This is called Sunan Shar’iyyah.

However, for the people who rejected the Signs of Allah SWT, either the Signs in themselves or the Ayat of His revelation, then Allah’s punishment is due upon them, “Systems have passed away before you. Do but travel in the land and see the nature of the consequence for those who did deny (the messengers),” (3:137).

“Say (unto the disbelievers): Travel in the land, and see the nature of the consequence for the rejecters,” (6:11).

In the natural world and in the universe:

The whole world that surrounded us can be categorized into two types, the visible world or the seen world, and the invisible world or the unseen world.

The visible world is governed by scientific formulation that can be discovered by the human mind, while the invisible world is governed by formulation that is not directly perceivable by the human mind.

Sunnatullah in the natural phenomena, termed by the Qur’an as “Ayatul Aafaq”, is known as Sunan Kawniyyah (universal laws), because it includes the most general laws that govern the cosmic order, such as the creation of everything in pair and creation of everything in precise measures.


Sunnatullah for humans:

It is the Divine Law or Shari’ah that is due upon every human being.

Literally it means a waterhole, a drinking place. It is used in the Qur’an in Surah al-Jathiyah, “Then We put thee on the (right) Way (شريعة) of Religion: so follow thou that (Way), and follow not the desires of those who know not,” (45:18).

Shari’ah is the total sum or rules that God ordains for His servants, encompassing their belief, worship, morality, dealings and all other affairs relating to various facets of their lives, with the overriding objective of maintaining their well-being in this world and in the hereafter.

It is universal, comprehensive and practical for all human beings regardless of his location and time on earth.
It is the responsibilities and duties that are due upon human beings.

Allah’s Rights ( حق الله ) are our responsibilities:


Fardhu ‘Ain (فرض عين). This responsibility includes all the religious commands that each Muslim has to perform.

Fardhu Kifayah (فرض كفاية). Not all Muslims are required to perform this responsibility, for example being a doctor, a businessman, farmer, scholar and other various professions.

Responsibilities towards ourselves and other human beings. حق الأدم is a part of حق اللّه .

Responsibilities towards ourselves physically and spiritually since Allah SWT has created us in the most perfect manner, as in Surah al-Tin (95:4-6), “We have indeed created man in the best of moulds, Then do We abase him (to be) the lowest of the low, Except such as believe and do righteous deeds: for they shall have a reward unfailing.” Responsibility towards ourselves also include responsibility towards our working professions.

Responsibilities towards other human beings including our parents, our children, husbands, wives, immediate families, our neighbors, our working colleagues, the Muslims ummah, and the whole humanity.

Our responsibility towards the natural environment. This is also a part of حق اللّه . Hence our utilization of the natural world should be in accordance with our role as His khalifah on this world.


Sunnatullah in nature:

Nature in Islamic vision is an ayah or an open book that guides or stands as a Sign for its Creator.

Nature has been created malleable, i.e., capable to serve mankind, the feature which al-Qur’an terms as taskhir, “See ye not how Allah hath made serviceable unto you whatsoever is in the skies and whatsoever is in the earth and hath loaded you with His favours both without and within? Yet of mankind is he who disputeth concerning Allah, without knowledge or guidance or a Scripture giving light,” (31:20).

The whole universe is operating by certain patterns of laws, termed by the Qur’an as taqdir, and it is observable to mankind, “Indeed, We have created everything with a measure,” (54:49,15:21), and “He gave everything its creation and then its guidance,” (20:50).

These laws are unchangeable, and have the characteristic of exactness and preciseness, so that human beings can predict certain natural phenomena.

The order of nature is not merely material order of cause and effect, rather it is the Will of a Wise and Omniscient Creator. Therefore, the Qur’an considers nature as always worshipping and glorifying Him (Tasbih).

In other words, nature is operating through the indirect patterns of causation law, but Allah SWT is behind all these patterns, therefore He manifests His Will and Power, sometimes, through the direct patterns which the Qur’an called as the law of Kun fa Yakun, means, when Allah wills He just say be to anything, so it be.