Balanced Nation
In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
Dr. Abdul-Rahman ibn Muala al-Luwaihiq al-Mutairi
Thus have We made of you a nation justly balanced, that
you may be witnesses over the people and the Messenger a witness over
yourselves. [al-Baqarah 143] Therefore, one finds that Islam presents the moderate way in every
aspect of life. Not only that, it also warns against heading towards either
extreme: the extreme of too much zealousness and the extreme of too much
nonchalance. Guide us to the straight way, the way of those upon whom
You have bestowed Your grace, not those whose (portion) is wrath nor those who
have gone astray. [al-Fatihah 6-7] This balanced approach that distinguishes Islam from the other
religions is the true justice and excellence. Abu S'id al-Khudri narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said, "On the Day of Resurrection, Noah will be
brought and asked, 'Did you convey (the message)?' He will say, 'Yes, O Lord.'
His nation will be asked, 'Was the message conveyed to you?' They will answer,
'No warner came to us.' He (the Lord) will say (to Noah), 'Who are your
witnesses?' He will answer, 'Muhammad and his nation.' Then you (i.e., the
followers of Muhammad) will be brought and will give witness." Then the
Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) read the verse, "Thus have We
made of you a nation justly balanced," - he stated, "(That is) just,"- "that you
may be witnesses over the people and the Messenger a witness over yourselves."
[Bukhari, ...] This explanation (for the above verse) is also what the early
scholars of Quranic exegesis stated, including Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Sa'id ibn
Jubair, Qatadah, as well as others of the later Quranic commentators. [See
at-Tabari, al-Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, ar-Razi, ash-Shawkani] Hudhaifah ibn al-Yaman said, "Beware of Allah, O Quranic reciters
(i.e., religious scholars). Follow the path of those before you. Then you will
be the best of leaders. But, if you go right or left, then you will go far
astray." [Bukhari, ...] Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz wrote to one of his workers, saying, after
advising him to follow the path of the early predecessors, "There is no room to
fall short of them and there is no room to go beyond them. Some people shortened
the matter and fell short. Some people went above them and therefore went to
extremes. They (the pious predecessors) were between that (those two extremes)
upon a straight guidance." [Recorded by Abu Dawud. It is a lengthy quote but
only the relevant portion was quoted here. The first two sentences have been
explained in Awn-ul-Ma'bud as meaning, "The pious predecessors would refrain
themselves from revealing what was not necessary to be revealed of the matters
of the religion, withholding without going beyond. Similarly, they would reveal
what was needed of the religion without going beyond."] Ibn al-Qayyim wrote, "Allah does not make any command except that
Satan has two incitements (towards it), either to negligence and neglect or to
excess and exaggeration. The religion of Allah is in a middle position between
being aloof from it and exaggerating in it. It is like a valley between two
mountains, guidance between two astray positions and the middle, just position
between two blameworthy positions. In the same way that one who is aloof from a
matter loses that matter, the one who exaggerates also loses that matter. The
first by his not meeting the minimum requirements and the second by going beyond
the limits." [Madarij-ul-Salikin. See also al-Fawa`id and ash-Shanqiti's
Adwa-ul-Bayan.]
Courtesy Of: Islaam.com