Islam teaches us to be moderate and balanced in all aspects of life, whether it is religion, worship, relationships, ideas, or daily activities. Principled moderation is one of the defining characteristics of good character in Islam.
Allah said:
وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا
Thus, We have made you a justly balanced community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you.
Surat Al-Baqarah 2:143
Ar-Razi comments on this verse, saying:
أَنَّ الْوَسَطَ حَقِيقَةٌ فِي الْبُعْدِ عَنِ الطَّرَفَيْنِ وَلَا شَكَّ أَنَّ طَرَفَيِ الْإِفْرَاطِ وَالتَّفْرِيطِ رَدِيئَانِ فَالْمُتَوَسِّطُ فِي الْأَخْلَاقِ يَكُونُ بَعِيدًا عَنِ الطَّرَفَيْنِ فَكَانَ مُعْتَدِلًا فَاضِلًا
The justly balanced (wasat) in reality is the furthest point between two extremes. There is no doubt that the two poles of excess and extravagance are destructive, so to be moderate in character is to be furthest from them, which is to be just and virtuous.
Source: al-Tafsīr al-Kabīr 2:143
Moderation is the center point between two extremes. Every one of our virtues sits at the moderate center of two vices that stray from it. Our goal should be to find that center and always return back to it when we move away from it.
Ibn Manẓūr writes in his classical Arabic dictionary:
كُلُّ خَصْلَةٍ مَحْمُودَةٍ فَلَهَا طَرَفَانِ مَذْمُومَانِ فَإِنَّ السَّخَاءَ وَسَطٌ بَيْنِ الْبُخْلِ وَالتَّبْذِيرِ وَالشَّجَاعَةَ وَسَطٌ بَيْنِ الْجُبْنِ وَالتَّهَوُّرِ وَالْإِنْسَانُ مَأْمُورٌ أَنْ يَتَجَنَّبَ كُلَّ وَصْفٍ مَذْمُومٍ
Every praiseworthy characteristic has two blameworthy poles. Generosity is the middle between miserliness and extravagance. Courage is the middle between cowardice and recklessness. Humanity has been commanded to avoid every such blameworthy trait.
Source: Lisan al-Arab 15/209
Moderation is closely related to balance (tawazun) and justice (‘adl), as justice implies balancing rights and duties and setting everything in its rightful place. The moderate, just, and correct action in any given situation often involves the balancing a various concerns and seeking the middle ground between them.
Wahb ibn Munnabih, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
إِنَّ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ طَرَفَيْنِ وَوَسَطًا فَإِذَا أَمْسَكْتَ بِأَحَدِ الطَّرَفَيْنِ مَالَ الآخَرُ وَإِذَا أَمْسَكْتَ بِالْوَسَطِ اعْتَدَلَ الطَّرَفَانِ ثُمَّ قَالَ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالأَوْسَطِ مِنَ الأَشْيَاءِ
Verily, everything has two ends and a middle. If you hold one of the ends, the other will be skewed. If you hold the middle, the two ends will be balanced. You must seek the middle ground in all things.
Source: Hilyat Al-Awliya 4818
This understanding of moderation is alluded to in our concept of the straight path to Allah in Islam. The straight path is the one that traverses the middle ground, neither swerving right nor left.
Hudhaifa, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
يَا مَعْشَرَ الْقُرَّاءِ اسْتَقِيمُوا فَقَدْ سُبِقْتُمْ سَبْقًا بَعِيدًا فَإِنْ أَخَذْتُمْ يَمِينًا وَشِمَالاً لَقَدْ ضَلَلْتُمْ ضَلاَلاً بَعِيدًا
O people, remain straight upon the path and you will have taken a great lead, but if you swerve right or left then you will be led far astray.
Source: Sahih Bukhari 6853, Grade: Sahih
In fact, it is Satan who sets up his partners along the straight path to call people away from it. The devils intend to mislead humanity into the extremes of any direction as long as it is away from the straight and middle path.
Ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, drew a line with his hand and he said:
هَذَا سَبِيلُ اللَّهِ مُسْتَقِيمًا
This is the straight path of Allah.
Then the Prophet drew lines to the right and left and he said:
هَذِهِ السُّبُلُ وَلَيْسَ مِنْهَا سَبِيلٌ إِلَّا عَلَيْهِ شَيْطَانٌ يَدْعُو إِلَيْهِ
These are other paths and there is not a path among them but that a devil is upon it calling to its way.
Then the Prophet recited the verse:
وَإِنَّ هَذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ
Verily, this is the straight path, so follow it and do not follow other paths. (6:153)
Source: Musnad Ahmad 4423, Grade: Sahih
As such, the principle of moderation should be pervasive in our thought processes and at the forefront of our reasoning in daily life.
We should be moderate when it comes to balancing the duties of religion and the duties of worldly life.
Allah said:
وَابْتَغِ فِيمَا آتَاكَ اللَّهُ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ ۖ وَلَا تَنسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا
Seek the home of the Hereafter by that which Allah has given you, but do not forget your share of the world.
Surat Al-Qasas 28:77
[Abu amina elias]