Wasatiyyat al-Islam wa Samahatuhu - Muhammad al-Salih
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- Editions
- The book is published on the website of the Saudi Ministry of Awqaf without metadata
Wasatiyyat al-Islam wa Samahatuhu (The Moderation and Tolerance of Islam, also titled Wasatiyyat al-Islam wa Samahatuhu wa Da‘watuhu lil-Hiwar) is a contemporary treatise by the Saudi scholar Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Salih examining the Islamic principles of moderation (wasatiyyah), tolerance (samahah), and constructive dialogue.
Scope and Context
The work addresses contemporary challenges facing the Muslim world, including internal sectarian discord and external accusations that associate Islam with extremism and violence. The author argues that true understanding of Islamic tenets, founded upon the Quran, the Sunnah, and scholarly consensus, demonstrates that Islam embodies balance and rejects fanaticism.
In response to polemical claims misrepresenting prophetic traditions—such as the hadith نصرت بالرعب مسيرة شهر ("I was aided with awe [or fear] for the distance of a month's journey")—al-Salih explains the historical contexts of early Muslim defensive engagements, including the aftermath of the Battle of Uhud and conflicts arising from the broken pacts of Banu al-Nadir and Banu Qurayzah, illustrating that Islamic warfare was defensive and aimed at resisting aggression rather than spreading religion through terror.
Linguistic and Theological Foundations
The treatise examines the linguistic usage of the root w-s-t (وسط) in Arabic lexicography and classical poetry (citing Zuhayr ibn Abi Sulma, al-‘Arji, and Ibn al-Rumi). The author notes two primary meanings:
- A general meaning referring to physical or conceptual intermediacy between two points.
- A specific meaning signifying excellence, justice, and virtue (al-a‘dal, al-afdal, and al-akhyar).
Al-Salih notes that derivatives of this root appear in five places in the Quran, notably in the description of the Muslim community: وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا ("And thus We have made you a median [just and best] community, that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you", al-Baqarah: 143). Citing exegeses such as Ibn Kathir's commentary and prophetic narrations, he underscores that wasat conveys justice and fairness in testimony on the Day of Resurrection.
Manifestations of Moderation
The treatise surveys the practical application of moderation across key aspects of Islamic theology, law, and social life:
- Creed (al-‘Aqidah): Islam adopts a middle position between unsubstantiated superstition and pure materialism. Within Islamic theology, the author highlights the stance of Ahl al-Sunnah as moderate between theological negation (ta‘til) and anthropomorphism (tamthil), as well as their balanced view of the Prophet Jesus (neither divine nor rejected) and the Companions (revering them without claiming infallibility or declaring them apostates). On the status of the perpetrator of a major sin (murtakib al-kabirah), Ahl al-Sunnah position themselves between the extremes of the Kharijites and the Murji'ah, classifying such an individual as a believer deficient in faith rather than an absolute unbeliever or one guaranteed complete faith.
- Worship and Legal Obligations (al-‘Ibadah wa-l-Taklif): Islamic acts of worship strike a balance between solemn religious obligation and human capability, encapsulated in legal maxims such as "hardship brings ease" (al-mashaqqah tajlib al-taysir). Al-Salih references the Prophet's prohibition of monastic excess and severe self-denial, as well as the institution of concessions like shortening prayers during travel.
- Worldview and Materiality: The text contrasts Islamic balance with what it describes as excessive materialism in Jewish traditions and extreme asceticism/monasticism (rahbaniyyah) in Christianity, demonstrating that Islam integrates spiritual aspirations with lawful engagement in worldly life.
- Economics and Wealth: Islam protects private property while subordinating it to moral regulations that prohibit usury (riba), hoarding, and fraud. In financial conduct, it commands balance between wastefulness (israf) and parsimony (taqtir), citing the Quranic description of righteous spenders: وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا أَنْفَقُوا لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا وَكَانَ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ قَوَامًا ("And those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor stingy, but hold a medium way between that", al-Furqan: 67).
- Human Rights and Dignity: Individual freedoms are grounded in divine moral boundaries rather than unconstrained license, safeguarding human dignity regardless of lineage, race, or ethnicity.
- Da‘wah and Dialogue: Islamic propagation relies on wisdom, gentle preaching, and peaceful debate rather than coercion or violence. The author points to historical models of peaceful engagement, such as the Treaty of al-Hudaybiyyah, as evidence of dialogue facilitating mutual understanding and the spread of Islam. He stresses justice and benevolence even in dealings with peaceful non-Muslims in accordance with Quranic directives.
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