Özet:

The word sunnah literally means custom or the way to follow regardless of its being right or wrong. This word is also used in the same context with Hadith and denotes to the period of ignorance before the Quran was revealed. The word Sunnah has a pivotal role in reflecting the Quranic view of life and the world and has been used within the context of such concepts as law, custom and God's ways. Consequently, the meaning of the word Sunnetullah can be associated with God. It may also be defined as the measure God takes against the deeds of human beings. This is a universal law that human beings have to follow and subdue. In other words, Sunnetullah "is a body of laws and the machinery ruling the universe and a divine intervention which existed in the past and will continue to exist without changing." As stated in the Quran, this law has not changed and can not be changed in any way. We can use these unchanging divine rules and laws in favor of humanity without changing them. By having a even insight into the nature of these rules we can lead a safer and more profitable life. One possible way of learning and practicing these divine laws is to study and search for the history, the reasons of the rise and departure of the past communities. In Quranic stories, the reasons of the rise and decline of communities are reiterated and considered as the unchanging laws of God rule the humanity. Studying these laws from this point of view will help us to understand the flaws leading to the destruction of the past nations and communities, and it will provide an integral part of the guide for building a better society and civilization.

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