The
Holy Qur an states that the creation of the heavens and the earth and the
alternation of night and day are constant reminders for us to ponder why we are
here. Likewise, the four seasons also al-ternate as a result of the movements
of the earth, moon and the sun, giving us further food for thought. Among the
seasons, spring, which be-gins with the sun passing the line of the Equator, is
called the season of moderation or the season of the equinox.
The
lesson learned from the season of spring is very important as it teaches us to
engender moderation in our views, temperament and behavior. Just as spring is
moderate in climate, neither burning hot nor biting cold, it is also a season
when buds and flowers grow and the trees start to bear fruit. Just as the moderate climate of spring causes life to flourish so too can man s
existence blossom in the atmosphere of moderation; it is only in the atmosphere
of equability that s/he can get ever closer to God.
Thus
it is important to learn the value of moderation and temperance in the
in-dividual and social life of Muslims with reference to the Noble Qur an. Most
people, by nature, regard immoderation and activities that lead to extreme
forms of behaviour as reprehensible and unacceptable. As such we are constantly
advised that we should avoid extremes in all our activities and this is
something that agrees with common sense. Some-one who is moderate in their
behaviour is usually considered to be worthy of merit. This is because
moderation is rooted in justice and justice, according to Imam Ali, is putting
things in their proper place. Therefore actions that are moderate are actions
that are correct and those that are immoderate are those actions that are
corrupt. The Qur an uses the term tiasd” to adopt a middle course to
convey the idea of moderation, just as it uses such words as “wasat”
mid-dle , “sawaa” equality , and haneef straight, undistorted
to convey the same meaning. In the teachings of the Qur an moderation is found
in every situation that is proper and
correct.
It
would suffice to quote the words of Moses in the Qur an concerning the value
and merit of moderation when he uses the term `sawaa in saying, “Maybe my
Lord will show me the right sawaa way.” 28:22 The Qur an warns us
about extremism in different aspects of faith. In this regard, the views that
the Arab Christians and Jews of the time of the Prophet had about Abraham is
condemned as extremism. “Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, rather
he was a haneef, a Muslim, and he was not one of the polytheists.” 3:67
This statement of the Qur an shows that the Jews and the Christians arrived at
extremes regarding Abraham. One of them went to extremes in literalism and the
other to extremes in seeing him from a non literalistic point of view. One was
attached to the world and to a very exact-ing law and the other with a law that
was so exceptionally lax that it could be said that it did not have a law at
all. One was completely earthly and this worldly, and the other completely
heavenly and other-worldly.
For
this reason the Qur an says that the religion of Abraham is a religion of the
middle way haneet and it is not one of extremes. Islam, as the very religion
of Abraham, attaches high importance to moderation and temperance; the Muslim
community by virtue of the teachings of
the Qur an can be understood as the sublime society based on moderate beliefs
and conduct. The Noble Qur an explicitly and clearly describes the Islamic
com-munity as such, Thus We have made you a middle nation one of moderation
between two extremes so that you may be a witness to mankind and the Messenger
be a witness to you.” 2:143 . This sublime verse calls on Muslims to
aspire to the lofty standards of moderation in all dimensions of life and to
avoid all forms of immoderation and over-restraint. It can thus be said that
Islam is the religion of moderation and that Muslims are the community of moderation.
Indeed
we can say that the middle way is the very Straight Path Siraat al-Mustaqeem
to which we ask God to guide us in our everyday prayers keeping us away from
being among those who earn His wrath maghdoobin , which refers to those who
are immoderate, and among those who go astray the dhaallin which refers to
those who are over restrained. The
conduct of our noble Prophet as a role model was one of moderation and
temperance. The Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali a who walked in the
footsteps of the Prophet, used to say that We are the middle post, whoever has fallen behind should catch up with us and
whoever has gone ahead of us should return back to us.
”
He also said `The right and the left lead astray; the only path is the middle
way, upon which the Book of God and the way of the Prophet remain”. Based
upon what the Noble Qur an teaches, whenever the middle way is violated and
there is the tendency to-wards extremism such an activity falls under the term,
extravagance” israf . The word israf and its derivates occur in the
Qur an 23 times and have a wide scope in meaning. In general terms israf means
that which is opposed to the moderate values of the Qur an including disbelief,
wrongdoing, corruption, etc. It also includes every type of deviation in
doctrine, morals, society, economy, etc. One expression of extremism in
mor-als, for example, is sexual extremism as typified by the community of Lot
which, according to the Qur an, was the first community to be guilty of sexual
extravagance.
Concerning
this, verses 80 and 81 of Surah al-A raaf calls them people who are excessive:
“And Lot, when he said to his people, What! Do you commit an outrage none
in the world ever com-mitted before you?! Indeed you come to men with desire
instead of women! Rather you are a people of extravagance!” Regarding
extravagance in economy, otherwise known
as waste, God calls the wasteful the brothers of the devils 17:27 . Cases of
such waste are the distribution of wealth for wrong purposes, such as
disobedience, corruption, using wealth to show off or to brag, or any unwise
use of wealth that departs from proper standards. This is true in all circumstances,
and includes public as well as private wealth.
To
summarize: ignorance, hedonism, following one s lower desires, selfishness,
forgetfulness of God, thanklessness, in-gratitude and many such actions are all
indications of straying from the middle path and falling into deviation. Verses
124-127 of Surah Ta Ha, inform us about the horrifying consequences of
excessiveness in the Hereafter: “Whoever disregards My remembrance, his
shall be a wretched life, and on the Day of Resurrection We shall raise him
blind. He will say, `My Lord! Why have you raised me blind though I used to see?:
He will say, So it is. Our signs came to you, but you forgot them and thus you
will be forgotten today. Thus do We re-quite him who is excessive and does not
believe in the signs of his Lord.”