At-Tassut (Moderation and avoiding excesses)

At-Tassut (Mo= deration and avoiding excesses)

BS Foad, 2009=

Definition

Moderation in everything that we do is the teaching of Islam. We avoid being niggardly, and we avoid being spendthrift; we enjoy l= ife in moderation; we pray but not excessively, or at the expense of our famili= es, or our health or the ability to do our work to the best of our ability.

We will discuss the following concepts:

1-Muslims are ordered to be moderate in the way they l= ive their life without excesses,

A= nd to be just and right

2-Do things on a regular basis, even if little

3-Moderation involves also our rituals of worship like prayer and fasting

4-Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is our example in moderation=

5-We should avoid excess

Muslims are o= rdered to be moderate in the way they live

Thus have We made of you an Ummat justly balanced, that ye might be witnesses over the nations, and the Messenger a witness over yourselves;

= ; Al-Baqara 2: 143

Wasat here means being moderate and being just. This way Muslims become examples for others, and their witness will be acce= pted by Allah

When we spend, we are told not to be misers or extravagant, rather to follow a moderate approach:

Make not thy hand tied (like a niggard's) to thy neck, nor stret= ch it forth to its utmost reach, so that thou become blameworthy and destitute= .

&n= bsp; Al-Isra’a 17: 29

And

Those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardl= y, but hold a just (balance) between those (extremes);

&n= bsp; Al-Furqan 25: 67

What is important is to be constant and regular, rather than excessive but irregula= r in our deeds

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) emphasized this concept when he said:

(You should do what you are capable of. Allah does not get bored till you get bo= red. The best deed to Allah is that which is done on a regular basis)=

Bokhari & Muslim

When asked: What are the deeds most beloved to Allah? He said: (The deeds most beloved to Allah are those done on a constant basis, even if little)

Bokhari & Muslim

= ;

We should = be moderate in our rituals of worship and avoid extremes=

We cannot spend long hours in prayers each night, because this will affect our health and can only be accomplished at the expense of other duties. We need= our sleep and we need to care for our families. We also need to be fresh and do= our work to the best of our ability.

When Prophet Muhammad heard that Abdullah Bin Amrou Bin Al’as used to fast every day, and stay awake at night praying, he told him: (Do not do that: f= ast, but not every day; stand up in prayer, but sleep part of the night; for your body has rights over you, and your eyes have rights over you, and your wife= has rights over you, and your visitor has rights over you. It is sufficient to = fast three days each month: for each good deed is rewarded ten times; you would = then have fasted the whole time) Bokhari & Muslim

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also said:

(None of you his own deeds alone will save him). His companions asked: Not even y= ou O messenger of Allah? He said: (Not even I, unless= Allah encompasses me in His mercy. Do what is right, and do what you can, pray by night and day, and be moderate, be moderate, then you will achieve success) Bokhari

Our ritual= s of worship should be moderate, not excessive

If we pray all night long, we will become tired and will not be able to do our work the next day. If we pray all night long we will neglect our duties tow= ards our spouses and children. It is also humanly impossible to pray all night l= ong for several days or weeks in succession. We have advice from Prophet Muhamm= ad (PBUH) in that regard. He said: (If one of you feel sleepy during prayer, l= et him sleep till he wakes up and becomes refreshed; because if you pray while sleepy you may wish to seek forgiveness, but you may curse yourself) Muslim=

One time the Prophet (PBUH) entered the mosque and found a robe stretched betwe= en two pillars. He asked: (What is this rope?). They answered: This role belon= gs to Zainab, when she feels tired, she holds on to it. He said: (No, cut it d= own. When one of you feels tired let him stop, and only pray when he feels refre= shed and active) Bokhari & Muslim

Fasting also should not be excessive. We cannot and should not fast every day of our life. We cannot do it and will get sick and weak. Prophet Muhammad’s advice to Amrou was (Fast three days of each month. A good deed equals ten, therefore, it is as though you have been fasting = the whole time). When Amrou said: I can do more than fast three days, the Proph= et (PBUH) said: (Then fast like Dawood (PBUH) used to fast. He fasted one day,= and broke his fast the next day) Bokhari & Muslim

When giving Zakat we should give generously but not to the extent that we do not fulfill the needs of our homes and families, or give excessively that we be= come poor and need help ourselves.

Our exampl= e of moderation is prophet Muhammad (PBUH)=

When the three men came to the prophet’s house and asked his wives about his worship and were inform= ed, one of the men said: “I will pray every night and not sleep. The seco= nd man said: “I will fast every day of my life”. The third man sai= d: “I will remain cilibant and not marry women”. When Prophet Muha= mmad (PBUH) heard what they said, he said: (By Allah among you I fear Allah the = most and I am most conscious of Him and serve Him the best; I fast (optional fas= t) but not every day; and I pray at night, but sleep part of the night; and I marry women, Whoever does not wish to follow my Sunnah, then he is not one = of us) Bokhari & Muslim

When Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave a Khutba it was not excessively long, and not = too short.

His advice to those leading the prayers: (Do not prolong your prayers, because among those praying behind you are ones who are old and weak, and those ill, and those pressed for time, or preoccupied) Bokhari.

We should = avoid excess and avoid extremes

Some people make life difficult and always follow a harsh restrictive interpreta= tion of Islam. Our Islam teaches us to be mild and not excessive or extreme, and= to make life easy and not difficult.

Aesha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that : Whenever Allah’s messenger (PBUH) was given a choice between two cour= ses of action, both lawful, he always chose the easy course (Bokhari).

In his advice Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: (Make life easy, and not difficult; give glad tidings, rather than scare people or make them dislike you ) Bokhari

One way of being excessive is to follow extreme ideology, because it will lead = to misguidance and error. The extremists isolate themselves and regard any view not their own as wrong. They give themselves the right to kill innocent peo= ple and use violence and terror to achieve their goals, and claim to be Muslims. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) warned us about being excessive or extreme in our Islam. He said: (Avoid extreme views and positions in your religion; those before you perished because they followed this extreme view) Nesa’ee,= Ibn Majja & Ahmad

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also said:

(Allah made certain rituals obligatory, therefore follow it; and He made certain crimes punishable, therefore do not commit these crimes; and He made certain things forbidden and unlawful, therefore do not approach these forbidden things; and He left certain things, not because He forgot, therefore, do not look for them) Hakim. The Qur’an alludes t= o the same concept:

O ye who believe! ask not questions a= bout things which, if made plain to you, may cause you trouble. But if ye ask ab= out things when the Qur-an is being revealed, they w= ill be made plain to you, Allah will forgive those: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Mo= st Forbearing.

&n= bsp; Al-Maeda 5: 101

Some people before you did ask such questions, and on that accou= nt lost their faith.

&n= bsp; Al-Maeda 5: 102

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:

(One of the Muslims who would have caused the most damage to the Muslims is the person who asks about something that was not made unlawful, and because of = him it becomes unlawful) Bokhari & Muslim

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: (O people Hajj (pilgrimage) has been ordained on you, therefore do Hajj). A man asked: every year O messenger of Allah? The Proph= et (PBUH) kept quiet. The man asked the second time: Every year O messenger of Allah? The prophet (PBUH) kept quiet. And the man asked the third time: Eve= ry year O messenger of Allah? The prophet (PBUH) said: (If I said every year, = it have become obligatory on you, and you would not have = been able to do it. Do not ask too much. What I order you to do, do it; and what= I forbid you, avoid it. Those before you perished because they disobeyed their prophets) Muslim

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:

(This religion is one of ease; anyone who tries to make it difficult and restrict= ive will be overcome. Therefore, do what is right, and do what you are capable = of, and be happy and content, and seek help in prayers by day and by night) Bok= hari

The image = of Islam that the extremists portray is wrong and harmful

Extremists and radicals portray a form of Islam that is flawed in many ways:

1-Extremists portray hatred towards other peopl= e, especially non-Muslims, whereas Islam teaches us to be kind and just and to work with and cooperate with people of other faiths

2-Extremists portray violence and commit murder, whereas Islam is a peaceful religion that safeguards human life and human liberties

3-Extremists portray a desire to force Is= lam on others and to fight till everyone become a Muslim, whereas Islam respects t= he right of everyone to his faith, and forbids Muslims from forcing others to become Muslims against their will

4-Extremists portray a narrow dogmatic point of view and are not willing to listen to opposing points of view, whereas Islam calls on Muslims to think, consider and reflect and listen to all points of view

5-Extremists want to live in the glory of the p= ast, whereas Islam is a progressive religion that is suitable for all times and = is compatible with Western democracy

This image of Islam as a backward, hateful viol= ent religion is harmful to Muslims every where and is ruining our efforts to bu= ild a better life for ourselves and our families, and to safeguard the future of Islam in America. We are being high jacked by those who call themselves Muslims for no fault = of our own. The Islamic center has repeatedly stood up and denounced the viole= nce and wrong behavior of extremists, but the damage they cause is already done= . Years of hard work to cultivate personal contacts and to build bridges is destroyed by violence and by hatred.

Some Muslims are reluctant in condemning their = so called fellow Muslims and may even have sympathy with their struggle. They = do not condone their methods or the killing of innocent people, but say to themselves: “At least they are doing something, and are not sitting i= dle while Muslim land is being occupied, and Islam is being attacked”. Th= is reasoning is wrong on several accounts:

·        It legalizes the wrong behavior of people who are terrorists. They are not Muslims, even if they call themselves Muslims. Islam forbids murder and what they are doing is plain murder

·        Wr= ong cannot be fought by wrong behavior, it must be fought correctly by explaini= ng why it is wrong and by patient perseverance and by struggle. Muslim land wi= ll not be won back by committing murder. It is won by being strong and by figh= ting in the proper way and not giving up, and by exhibiting our faith in our mor= als and behavior

·        Our struggle is not with innocent bystanders. It is against those who are fight= ing Islam and the Muslims.

·        We must weigh in the harm against any potential benefit.