سُنَّةَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّتِى قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلُ ۖ وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّةِ ٱللَّهِ تَبْدِيلًا 23
Translations
[This is] the established way of Allāh which has occurred before. And never will you find in the way of Allāh any change.
Transliteration
Sunnatallahi allatee qad khalat min qabl, wa lan tajida li sunnatillahi tabdeelan
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that Allah's established laws and patterns (Sunnah) that operated in past generations remain unchanged and immutable. Ibn Kathir emphasizes that just as Allah's divine laws governed the outcomes of previous nations—rewarding the righteous and punishing the transgressors—these same principles apply eternally. Al-Qurtubi notes that this serves as reassurance to the believers of the guaranteed victory promised in Surah Al-Fath, as it follows the unalterable pattern by which Allah grants victory to His prophets and believers.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Fath, revealed after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah (6 AH), which initially seemed like a setback for the Muslims but was later revealed as a great victory. The surah assures the believers that Allah's established pattern of supporting His prophets and granting them victory will not change, providing consolation and certainty during a time of apparent compromise.
Related Hadiths
The concept is reinforced in a hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever follows my Sunnah during my lifetime and the Sunnah of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs after me, let him cling to it with his teeth.' Additionally, in Sunan Ibn Majah, there is reference to Allah's unchanging patterns as demonstrated through historical examples of nations before us.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should find confidence that Allah's divine laws are consistent and trustworthy—just as He supported previous prophets and communities, He will support the righteous today. Understanding that moral and spiritual laws are as immutable as physical laws helps Muslims maintain hope and patience during trials, knowing that steadfastness and obedience to Allah follow a proven path to success.
Related Ayahs
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى كَفَّ أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَنكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ عَنْهُم بِبَطْنِ مَكَّةَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ أَنْ أَظْفَرَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرًا
And it is He who withheld their hands from you and your hands from them within [the area of] Makkah after He caused you to overcome them. And ever is Allāh, of what you do, Seeing.
وَيُعَذِّبَ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ وَٱلْمُنَـٰفِقَـٰتِ وَٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَٱلْمُشْرِكَـٰتِ ٱلظَّآنِّينَ بِٱللَّهِ ظَنَّ ٱلسَّوْءِ ۚ عَلَيْهِمْ دَآئِرَةُ ٱلسَّوْءِ ۖ وَغَضِبَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَنَهُمْ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَهَنَّمَ ۖ وَسَآءَتْ مَصِيرًا
And [that] He may punish the hypocrite men and hypocrite women, and the polytheist men and polytheist women - those who assume about Allāh an assumption of evil nature. Upon them is a misfortune of evil nature; and Allāh has become angry with them and has cursed them and prepared for them Hell, and evil it is as a destination.
هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ ٱلسَّكِينَةَ فِى قُلُوبِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ لِيَزْدَادُوٓا۟ إِيمَـٰنًا مَّعَ إِيمَـٰنِهِمْ ۗ وَلِلَّهِ جُنُودُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا
It is He who sent down tranquility into the hearts of the believers that they would increase in faith along with their [present] faith. And to Allāh belong the soldiers of the heavens and the earth, and ever is Allāh Knowing and Wise.
وَلِلَّهِ جُنُودُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا
And to Allāh belong the soldiers of the heavens and the earth. And ever is Allāh Exalted in Might and Wise.