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The Ummah of Moderation
(Imam Mohamed Baianonie at the Islamic Center of Raleigh, NC, delivered this Friday speech on July 9, 2004)
The most prominent characteristic of the Muslim Ummah is that they live their
lives and practice their Deen in the most moderate and balanced way.
Allah (S.W.T) says in the Noble Qur’an, what could be translated as, “Thus We
have made you [Muslims] a Wasat nation, that you be witnesses over mankind and
the Messenger Muhammad be a witness over you.” (Surat Al-Baqarah, Verse 143)
In this verse, Allah (S.W.T) says He has made this Muslim Ummah, an Ummah of
Wasat. And No one has the right or authority to change the Ummah’s status of
Wasatiyyah.
In the same verse, Allah (S.W.T) indicates to us what the objectives of
Wasatiyyah are. They are “That you be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger
Muhammad be a witness over you.” And no one has the authority to change the
objectives of Wasatiyyah.
We will go over three points. First we will go over the meaning of Wasat, second
what it means for us to be witnesses over mankind, and third what it means for the
Messenger to be a witness over us.
What is the meaning of Wasat?
In an Arabic dictionary, the term Wasat has three meanings. The three meanings
are: to be moderate, to be in the middle, and to be the best. Therefore, when Allah
describes the Muslim Ummah as a nation that is Wasat, Allah means that we are
moderate, we are an Ummah that is in the middle, and that we are the best nation.
Atawasoot in an Islamic sense means that the Muslim should try his best to be
moderate in all of his affairs, and he should keep away from extreme practices and
making extreme statements.
The Importance of Moderation:
The best way for a Muslim to behave is in moderation. In trying to explain the
importance of moderation, Imam Ibn Al-Atheer said: “Every good manner has two
extreme and bad sides. For example, generosity, a good and moderate behavior, comes
between two bad behaviors, on one side stinginess and on other side overspending.
Braveness, another good and moderate behavior, comes between two bad behaviors on
one side cowardness and on other side carelessness. So humans have been ordered to
avoid all bad behaviors; by staying away from two bad behaviors, a person will be
exactly in the middle which is the farthest point from each extreme.”
Imam Ibn Taymiyyah said, “Islam as a religion is the midpoint among all other
religions. The Muslims believe in the messengers of Allah in a moderate way. For
example, they do not go to extremes in their beliefs about the prophets as the Christians
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do, nor do they put the messengers at such a low status, as do the Jews. The Muslims
always stand in the middle when it comes to all matters of Deen.”
Imam Ibn Al-Qayim said: “Always encourage people to take a moderate stand,
because it will rescue you from transgression. So we find the middle position between
two extremes to be the most balanced and just, where a person will find all the benefits
and comforts of this worldly life and the Hereafter. Furthermore, even the human body
cannot live normally without the benefits of moderation. If a person is moderate when
sleeping, waking, eating, drinking, exercising, in staying away or mixing with others,
then the body will function properly. However, if a person goes to an extreme in one of
these aspects, then the body will not function properly and the person will not live a
normal life.”
Imam Ash-Shaatibee said: “All matters of Deen and its obligations came to man
in the most moderate way, so that man could apply those obligations without severe
hardship or too much leniency. All of those obligations were very well-balanced, which
requires those who practice them also be very moderate.”
So we find that there are many Quranic verses and Ahadith of the prophet
(S.A.W.) that have ordered us to be moderate and balanced. They also forbid us from
extremism in all matters of life or religion. I will mention some of these evidences.
Allah (S.W.T) has ordered us to be moderate when we spend. He says, in what
could be translated as, “And let not your hand be tied (like a stingy person) to your
neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach (like the squanderer of money), so that
you become blameworthy and in severe poverty.” (Surat Al-Israa, Verse 29) In
another verse, Allah (S.W.T) says in what could be translated as, “And those, who when
they spend, are neither extravagant nor stingy, but hold a medium (way) between
those (extremes).” (Surat Al-Furqan, Verse 67)
Allah (S.W.T) has also ordered us to be moderate in our food and drink. He says,
what could be translated as, “And eat and drink but do not waste extravagantly,
certainly He (Allah) does not like the extravagant.” (Surat Al-‘Araaf, Verse 31)
The Messenger (S.A.W.) taught his companions to be moderated in what they say
and what they do. The Messenger (S.A.W.) always made sure that he and his
companions always behaved moderately. And whenever any of his companions went to
the extreme with a sincere intention to increase their reward, he used to condemn them
and not remain silent. This is because the Prophet (S.A.W.) knew that it contradicts with
the characteristics of Wasatiyah-moderation in the knowledge and practice. In this way
the Messenger (S.A.W.) is a witness over his Ummah with what he conveyed and raised
them with. Let’s mention some of these Ahadith.
Imam Bukhari reported that three companions came to the houses of the wives of
the prophet (S.A.W.) to inquire about how much the prophet (S.A.W.) worshiped. When
the men were informed, they considered the amount of worship to be insufficient and
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said: “Where are we in comparison with the prophet (S.A.W.) while Allah has forgiven
his past sins and future sins.” One of them said: “As for me, I shall offer prayer all night
long.” Another said: “I shall observe fasting continuously and shall not break it.” Another
said: ‘I shall abstain from the woman and shall never marry.” The prophet (S.A.W.) came
to them and said, “Are you the ones who said such things? By Allah, I fear Allah more
then you do, and I am most obedient and dutiful among you to Him, but still I fast (some
days) and I don’t fast (other days), I pray at night and I also sleep (meaning he does not
pray all night), and I married, and whoever does not follow my Sunnah (way of life) does
not belong to me.”
Imam Bukhari also reported that the prophet (S.A.W.) made a bond of
brotherhood between two companions of the prophet, Salman and Abu Ad-Darda’.
Salman went to visit Abu Ad-Darda’ and found Umm Ad-Darda’ (his wife) dressed in
shabby clothes and asked her why she was in that state. She replied: “Your brother Abu
Ad-Darda’ is not interested in the luxuries of this world. In the mean time Abu AdDarda’ came in and prepared a meal for Salman. Salman requested Abu Ad-Darda’ to eat
with him but Abu Ad-Darda’ said: “I am fasting.” Salman said: “I am not going to eat
unless you eat.” So, Abu Ad-Darda’ ate with Salman. When it was night and a part of the
night passed, Abu Ad-Darda’ got up to offer the night prayer but Salman asked him to
sleep and Abu Ad-Darda’ slept. When it was the last hours of the night, Salman asked
him to get up and both of them prayed Tahajjud. Then Salman told Abu Adarda’: “Your
Lord has a right upon you, your body has a right upon you, your wife has a right upon
you, your guest has a right upon you, so you should give to everyone his right.” Abu AdDarda’ came to the prophet (S.A.W.) and narrated the whole story. The prophet (S.A.W.)
said, “Salman is right.”
Also Imam Muslim reported that the prophet (S.A.W.) warned us by saying,
“Ruined are those who insist on hardship in matters of Deen.” He repeated this three
times.
And Imam Muslim reported that Jaber Bin Samurah (R.A.) said, “I used to
observe prayer with the prophet (S.A.W.) and his prayer was of a moderate length and his
sermon too was moderate in length.”
Now I will explain how the Muslim Ummah will be a witness over mankind.
Firstly, this Ummah will be a witness over mankind in this life by establishing
justice, and also by providing people with the most accurate scale that has been given by
Allah. This accurate scale will bring forth the truth and balance in all aspects of life and
Deen without being extreme on either side. And also, this Ummah will be a witness over
mankind by monitoring and examining mankind’s way of life. If the Ummah sees
extreme practices on either side of the scale, then the Ummah will correct the practice by
returning the people to being moderate in all areas of life without exception including
their belief, in their worship, in their relationships.
Secondly, this Ummah will be a witness over mankind on the Day of
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Resurrection. On this day, there will be some nations that will deny that the message was
ever conveyed to them. So the Muslim Ummah will come forth as a witness to support
the messengers that they had conveyed the message. The Muslim Ummah will be asked,
“How do you know?” And they will reply, “We learned this from what Allah has
notified us of in His book, carried by the tongues of the truthful prophet.” Imam Bukhari
reported that the Messenger (S.A.W) said, “Noah will be called on the Day of
Resurrection and he will say, “Labbayk and Sa’dayk (I respond to Your call and I am
obedient to Your orders) O my Lord! Allah will say, Did you convey the Message?’
Noah will say, ‘Yes.’ His nation will then be asked, ‘Did he convey the Message to you?’
They will say, “No Warner came to us.’ Then Allah will say (to Noah), ‘ Who will bear
witness in your favor?’ He will say, “Muhammad and his followers.’ So they (Muslims)
will testify that he conveyed the Message—and the Messenger Muhammad (S.A.W) will
be a witness over you, and that is what is meant by the following statement of Allah
(S.W.T): “Thus We have made you [Muslims] a Wasat nation, that you be witnesses
over mankind and the Messenger Muhammad be a witness over you.”
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