What it means to be Moderate

Today we increasingly hear the calls to be moderate, and not venture into the extremes, and go astray. This is perfectly correct and was stressed upon by the Prophet (peace be upon him). However, a lot of people are ignorant of what moderation is, and they fall into either one of the two extremes – being so liberal that one ignores what is required or being too extreme that one exceeds the limits. Shaykh Uthaymeen, the late scholar, has explained this beautifully.

Moderation in religion means that one does not exaggerate and go beyond the limit set by Allah, and that one does not neglect it and fall short of the limit set by Allah. Moderation means following the example of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Exaggeration means trying to do more than what the Prophet (peace be upon him) did, and negligence means not reaching that level. For example, a man says, “I want to spend all night in prayer (Qiyam Al-Layl), and never sleep all my life, because prayer is one of the best acts of worship, so I want to spend the entire night in prayer.” We say, this is going to extremes in the religion of Allah, and this is not right. Something like this happened at the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him), when a group of men got together and one of them said, “I will pray at night and will never sleep.” Another said, “I will fast and never break my fast.” The third one said, “I will never marry women.” When this news reached the Prophet (peace be upon him), he said,
“What is wrong with people who say such and such? I fast and I break my fast. I sleep and I wake up to pray, and I marry women. Whoever overlooks my Sunnah does not belong to me.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

These people had gone to extremes in religion, and so the Messenger (peace be upon him) disowned them, because they overlooked his Sunnah which includes fasting and not fasting, praying at night and sleeping, and marrying women. Those who fall short say: “I do not need to do voluntary (Nafl) deeds, so I will not do them. I will o­nly do the Fard (obligatory) deeds.” He may be even falling short in the obligatory ones, so such a person lags behind in religion.
Moderate are those who follow the path of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his rightly-guided Caliphs (Khulafaa’ Al-Rashidoon).

Here is another example: Three men come across an immoral man. one says, “I will not greet this immoral man and I will boycott him, keep away from him and not speak to him.” The second one says, “I will go along with this immoral man, greet him and smile at him. I will invite him to my place and accept his invitation. He is just like any righteous man to me.” The third one says, “I hate this immoral man for his immoral actions, but I love him for his faith. I will not boycott him unless doing so is in his best interests. If there is nothing to be gained by boycotting him, and if that will only increase him in his immorality, then I will not boycott him.” We say that the first man is being extreme, the second is deficient and the third is moderate. The same applies to all other acts of worship and dealings with others. People vary between extremism, negligence and moderation.

Here is a third example: A man is a prisoner of his wife, who directs him as she wishes and he does not stop her from committing sin, or urge her to do good. She has taken over his reason and has become the one who is in charge of him. Another man treats his wife in a harsh, arrogant and high-handed manner. He does not care about her and regards her as less than a servant. A third man is moderate in his dealings with his wife, as Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) commanded. “And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as regards obedience and respect) to what is reasonable.” (Qur’an, 2:228)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Let no believing man hate a believing woman. If he dislikes o­ne of her characteristics he will be pleased with another.” This last man is the o­ne who is moderate. The second o­ne is extreme in his dealings with his wife, and the first is falling short. The same applies to all other deeds and acts of worship. 

Collection of Fatwas & Letters of Shaykh Muhammad Bin Saleh Al-Uthaymeen, vol. 1, page 42.

Seeking Knowledge for the Beginners

By Shaykh Saalih ibn Fowzaan al-Fowzaan

What guidance and advice can you give to the students who are at the beginning stages [of gaining knowledge]?

My advice to the students of knowledge who are at the beginning stages, is that they study under the trustworthy scholars, those who are trustworthy with regards to their ‘Aqeedah, their knowledge and their advice, and that they start with the smaller, summarized books that are available in the different sciences and to memorize them.

Along with this, that they take the explanation of these books from their scholars, little by little/step by step. Specifically the curriculums that are found in the institutions of knowledge and in the Islaamic colleges, as it contains gradual knowledge for the student, where he takes it little by little and thereby achieves a lot of good.

If however a student is not part of a school or college programme, then it is upon him to regularly attend the lessons of the scholars in the Masaajid, whether the lessons are in Fiqh or in Arabic Grammar on in ‘Aqeedah or the like.

As for what some of the youth do now, where they begin with the lengthy and detailed books, or you find that one of them buys books and sits in his house and reads them , then this is not correct and this is not learning, rather this is deception and vanity.

This is what has lead to some people speaking in the affairs of knowledge and issuing Fataawa in affairs without knowledge and speaking about Allaahwithout knowledge, due to not building oneself upon a firm foundation.

So it is essential that one sits in front of the scholars in the circles of knowledge, along with having patience and endurance.

As Imaam As-Shaafi’ee-Rahimahullah- said:

“And whoever does not taste (for a moment) the humility of learning, shall drink from the cup of ignorance for the rest of his life.”

Reference: Al Ajiwibah Al Mufeedah ‘an Asilat Al Manaahij Al Jadeedah: Q:42. /Beneficial Answers to Questions on Innovated Methodologies.” (Q:42).

Constants on the Path: Five levels of Taqwa and 3 Ways to Acquire it!

Being mindful of one's relationship with God is an individual obligation whose foundation is knowledge, and whose life is practice according to Islam. Allah call's the believers, ordering them be cautious: "Oh you who believe, be cautious of Allah."

5 Stations of Taqwa

Ibn Juzay al-Maliki, a great classical scholar, wrote, "The degrees of taqwa are five: 

1. Being cautious of falling into disbelief. This is the station of submission to God (الإسلام).

2. Being cautious of falling into sin and evil. This is the station of repentance (التوبة).

3. Being cautious of doubtful things. This is the station of carefulness

(الورع).

4. Being cautious of the permissible. This is the station of indifference (الزهد). Ibn al-Qayyim said, "There are some people who will observe the obligations and avoid the prohibited. However, Shaytan will busy them with the permissible acts until the fail to make use of their extra time."

5. Being cautious of letting anything enter the heart save Allah. This is the station of witness (المشاهدة)."

Taqwa in Practice:

Once 'Umar (ra) asked as companion, describe for me taqwa." The companion responded, "If you were to walk through a thorny path way with a flowing robe, how would you walk?" 'Umar answered, "I would gather my garments, squeezing them tight, and walk carefully." The companion responded, "That is taqwa."

How to Gain Taqwa?

If you were born a Muslim, or accepted islam, then you already possess taqwa. This is great news and should serve as a spring board to preserve and develop your existing relationship with Allah! There are some pretty clear ways to do this. However, knowledge and practice are two very differnt entities:

1. Make a sincere intention to improve your taqwa. 

2. Ask Allah to increase your tawqa. It is authentically reported that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to supplicate:

اللهم إني أسئلك الهدى والتقى والعفاف والغنى

"Allahum Inni asalukal huda wa ttuqa wal 'afaaf wal ghinaa."

  "Oh Allah, I ask You for guidance, piety, virtue and sufficiency."

3. To increase your worship. Allah says, "Worship Allah...you will obtain taqwa."

4. Observe the sunna whenever possible. The Prophet (sa) said, "I am the most God fearing person." Thus, following him is a guarantee, if one's intention is right, that one is on the ways of taqwa. Imam Malik said, "The Sunna is like the Ark of Noah. Whoever got on board was safe. Who didn't, drowned."

At the end of the day, these steps are like tools hanging in our garages. If we use them, we will build something. If we neglect them, making excuses, being lazy or having bad feelings about our Lord, then we have none to blame but ourselves. Start by observing the obligatory acts, increase the number of sunna, charity and civic engagement. All of those, if done for Allah alone, are Red Bulls fortaqwa without the withdrawal!

Taqwa is a quality whose virtues are astounding. Imam al-Faruzabadi mentioned 22 virtues of taqwamentioned in the Qur'an! Look for them here in the future, God willing.

Ten Things We Waste.

(based on a lesson of Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah)

1. –Our Knowledge– Wasted by not taking action with it.

2. –Our Actions– Wasted by committing them with out sincerity.

3. –Our Wealth– Wasted by using on things that will not bring us ajr. We waste our money, our status, our authority, on things which have no benefit in this life or in akhirah.

4. –Our Hearts– Wasted because they are empty from the love of Allah, and the feeling of longing to go to Him, and a feeling of peace and contentment. In it’s place, our hearts are filled with something or someone else.

5. –Our Bodies– Wasted because we don’t use them in ibadah and service of Allah.

6. –Our Love– Our emotional love is misdirected, not towards Allah, but towards something/someone else.

7. –Our Time– Wasted, not used properly, to compensate for that which has passed, by doing what is righteous to make up for past deeds.

8. –Our Intellect– Wasted on things that are not beneficial, that are detremental to society and the individual, not in contemplation or reflection.

9. –Our Service– Wasted in service of someone who will not bring us closer to Allah, or benefit in dunyaa.

10. –Our Dhikr– Wasted, because it does not effect us or our hearts.