The Qurʾān and Sunnah were revealed and practiced, respectively, in the context of a real society that faced difficult challenges. These challenges were overcome, and a remarkable new civilization was born, because the early Muslims understood the relevance of the Qurʾān and Sunnah to the world around them. There are two essential tools that facilitate the acquisition of such understanding, the Arabic language and Islamic studies. A deep knowledge of Arabic is the means through which exegesis, close textual analysis, is possible. It is the key to understanding how the culture, sociology and philosophy of previous generations functioned in the light of the Qurʾān and Sunnah. Islamic studies includes such disciplines as ʿAqīdah, Islamic thought, and Fiqh: it is the means through which one gains access to the Qurʾān and the resulting spiritual connection to our Creator, a connection that is the surest path for happiness in this life and the next.