The Moderate Path of Practising Islām
Imām ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Nāṣir al-Saʿdī
On the authority of Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) who said: The Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
“Indeed, this religion is one of ease and it shall thoroughly overwhelm those who seek difficulty and hardship in it. So adhere to correct moderacy, try your utmost to fulfil its commandments, and give glad tidings of reward [for consistent action even if paltry]. And seek aid [in consistent engagement in acts of worship] by being active in the mornings [between Fajr and sunrise] and afternoons [after Ẓuhr], and a portion of the latter part of the night.” In another narration: “Adhere to moderacy! Be very moderate and you shall achieve [your goal]”.
Imām ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Nāṣir al-Saʿdī comments:
How magnanimous is this ḥadīth! It constitutes goodness, beneficial directives, and encompassing fundamentals. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) has laid the foundation of a great fundamental in the start of it when he said: “Indeed, this religion is one of ease” that is, it has been made simple and easy in relation to its creed, the conduct it espouses, the actions and work it encourages, and in that which it requests abandonment of.
The Correct Creed and Its Merits
Its creed is to possess belief in Allāh, His angels, books, messengers, the Last Day, and divine predestination—both good and bad. This is the correct, sound creed to which hearts find comfort and tranquillity, facilitating for the one who truly believes arrival before the greatest and most exalted of goals [Paradise]. Islamic behaviour represents the most complete, upright and perfect manner of conducting oneself, for it necessitates goodness in one’s religion, in the life of this dunyá, and in the hereafter. To the extent that the one who lacks adoption of these actions will find their life completely devoid of goodness and uprightness. These (upright actions) are easy and simple to engage in, as every responsible adult tasked with the fulfilment of these directives will find no consternation or hardship in his engagement with them. This creed and its constitution is correct and easily incorporated and accepted by the uncorrupted, pure mind. Engagement in its obligatory aspects is considered among the most straightforward tasks.
The Merits of Ṣalāh
As for the five daily prayers, one’s engagement in them repeats five times every day and night at specific, appropriate times. The Most Kind and Courteous [to His servants], the One who is All-Aware [of everything] has perfected the ease with which these prayers are performed by obligating their performance in congregation. For indeed, congregating for the purpose of engaging in acts of worship increases the ease with which they are performed, while also encouraging active and enthusiastic engagement in it. The uprightness of one’s belief and the goodness attributable to one’s religion is predicated on the performance of these prayers, just as Allāh’s reward—both in this life and the hereafter—has been promised for its performers. All of which act to necessitate performance of these prayers by the true believer, and that he additionally praises Allāh for obligating its performance upon His servants, for in actuality, they would never be able to do without them.
The Merits of Zakāh
As for Zakāh, it has not been obligated upon the poor person who does not possess wealth above the niṣāb.2 It is only obligatory upon the wealthy such that their Islamic state is further perfected and completed, their wealth is further increased, the manner in which they conduct themselves is made more replete with goodness; a means by which the sicknesses and corruption attributable to one’s self and his wealth is warded off, a manner in which his misdeeds are expiated, a means of displaying beneficence and consolation to the destitute and impoverished, and all around goodness is attained. Even in spite of these great benefits, it represents but a small proportion of the wealth and provisions already granted to them by Allāh.
The Merits of Siyām
As for fasting, it is obligatory in a single month out of the entire year. A month in which all of the Muslims gather and collectively abandon their base desires for food, drink, and sexual intercourse during the day. Allāh—in His bestowment of blessings and goodness upon them—compensates them by making it a means by which their religion and īmān is perfected and completed. Their perfection is increased by means of it, their reward enhanced, an encompassing piety is achieved and other than these great benefits and goodness all of which are attributable to fasting. For it is a means towards the attainment of taqwá which is a term used to collectively refer to engaging in acts of righteousness and abandonment of all objectionable acts.
The Merits of Ḥajj
As for Ḥajj, Allāh has only obligated its performance upon the one who is able [to pay the costs associated with one’s conveyance, provision and residence while being physically able]. Furthermore, its performance has only been obligated once in a person’s entire life. Ḥajj constitutes immense, innumerable benefits both in this dunyá and the hereafter. We have elucidated the uprightness and goodness attributable to Ḥajj in another treatise. Allāh—the Most High—said:
لِّيَشْهَدُوا مَنَافِعَ لَهُمْ
“That they may witness things that are of benefit to them (i.e. reward of Ḥajj in the hereafter, and also some worldly gain from trade, etc.)”
(Al-Ḥajj, 22:28)
That is, religious and worldly benefits.
The Merits of the Remaining Legislations
After these five pillars, Islam’s remaining legislations are all at the very pinnacle of ease and simplicity, all of which constitute fulfilment of the rights of Allāh and of His servants. They are, in and of themselves, easy as the Most High says:
يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ
“Allāh intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you.”
(Al-Baqarah, 2:185)
Despite this, if a servant should be afflicted with sickness, or is in a state of travel, his responsibilities are lessened and eased to an even greater extent: he is excused from having to perform some of that which was obligatory, or he is permitted to adjust its characteristics or manner of performance to suit his circumstance.
Then, should a servant examine the obligatory and supererogatory actions he has been tasked with on a daily and nightly basis, whether they be in the form of prayer, fasting, giving charity or other than it, and desires to emulate the most perfect human ever created, the leader of the Muslims, Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم), he will find no difficulty or hardship in it. Nor will he find before him a blockade that prevents him from incorporating habits that will ultimately lead to religious uprightness. Rather, he shall, by means of this emulation, be fully able to fulfil the rights of Allāh upon him, the rights of his own self, those of his family and companions, and the rights of all of those to whom he is responsible with ease and full composure.
The Importance of Moderacy and the Dangers of Excess
As for those who inflict hardship and difficulty upon themselves, refusing to suffice with that which the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) had chosen to suffice with, the methodology which he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) taught and guided his ummah towards, choosing to be extreme and worshipping in an exaggerated manner, then this religion shall thoroughly overcome and overwhelm them. The outcome of the path they have chosen for themselves will ultimately lead to inability to fulfil that which they have obligated upon themselves, followed by complete abandonment. Concerning this, he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “and it shall thoroughly overwhelm those who seek difficulty and hardship in it”. Therefore, those who oppose this religion with extremism, exceeding its boundaries and refusing to be moderate, will be overcome by it. They shall ultimately retrace their steps, full of regret. For this reason, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) commanded and encouraged moderacy, saying: “Adhere to moderacy! Be very moderate and you shall achieve [your goal]”.
Then, he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) commanded engagement in actions that are both correct and invite closeness, strengthening the resolve of people by means of spreading glad tidings of imminent goodness, and refraining from despair. As for correct actions, they are inclusive of both speech and actions one engages in. It is to embark upon the sound, correct path wherein a person’s speech and actions are, in every way, consistent with the truth. If one is unable to reach complete correctness, then let him fear Allāh as much as he is able. Let him seek closeness to the goal. For the one who is unable to reach complete soundness and correctness should suffice with being as close to it as possible. Whoever is unable to engage in an action should attempt to engage in it in accordance with his capabilities.
This ḥadīth also constitutes a guiding principle of immense benefit, which is also indicated in the saying of the Most High:
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ
“So keep your duty to Allāh and fear Him as much as you can”
(Al-Taghābun, 64:16)
And his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) statement: “If I command you with an action, then fulfil my command as much as you are able”.3 The issues of jurisprudence that are based on this fundamental principle are innumerable. In another ḥadīth: “Ease [the responsibilities of Islam upon the people], do not make it difficult [for them]. Give glad tidings and do not alienate or chase people away”.4
Then, he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) concludes his statement of immense benefit in this ḥadīth with advice that represents an alleviation and relief for the soul. He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “And seek aid [in consistent engagement in acts of worship] by being active in the mornings [between Fajr and sunrise] and afternoons [after Ẓuhr], and a portion of the latter part of the night.” These are the three timings that facilitate the traveller covering near and far distances in actual, physical journeys with ease and relaxation on the part of the traveller himself as well as those transporting him, allowing him to arrive at his destination in a state of comfort and ease. Additionally, these are also the three timings that facilitate one being able to traverse the journey of the hereafter, embarking upon the straight path, travelling towards the final meeting with Allāh in the most beautiful of ways. Such that the one wishing to engage in acts of worship with resolve, being active in goodness and acts of righteousness at their appropriate times—in the beginning and end of the day and a portion of the night, particularly its latter portion—will be able to attain the goodness he seeks and is allotted a sizable, generous allotment of good, righteous deeds.5 By means of it, he would have attained true happiness, triumph, prosperity and success, all while being in a state of comfort and tranquillity, and managing to fulfil his worldly and personal goals.
This represents the greatest proof of Allāh’s mercy for His servants by means of this religion, the one who abides by it ultimately achieving eternal happiness. For Allāh has instated it for His servants, then clarified it for them by means of His Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) speech. He has made it easy and simple for them to follow, aiding them in their fulfilment of its directives in every way. He has shown courteousness to those enactors of His religion, protecting and maintaining them from that which would prevent or harm them.
Guiding Principles Towards Implementing Islām
We may elucidate from this ḥadith several guiding principles:
- Comprehensive ease of this religion’s legislation in a general sense.
- Difficulty ultimately leads to ease.
- “If I command you with an action, then fulfil my command as much as you are able”.
- Encouraging the enactors of worship to be proactive while giving glad tidings to them of goodness and reward for the acts they engage in.
- Comprehensive advice with regards to the methodology of traversing the path towards Allāh. This traversal removes the need for all else and the absence of it may not be fulfilled by anything else.
May Allāh’s peace and blessings be upon the one who has been granted an encompassing, beneficial speech.
Endnotes:
[1] Authentic: narrated by al-Bukhārī: 39 and 6463. I was not able to find this ḥadīth in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim. And Allāh knows best.
[2] Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymīn said: “The Niṣāb is the minimum amount of wealth upon which Allāh has legislated the owner pay Zakāh”. See: Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ 6:16.
[3] Authentic: narrated by al-Bukhārī: 7288 and Muslim: 1337
[4] Authentic: narrated by al-Bukhārī: 69 and Muslim: 1734.
[5] ‘Good, righteous deeds’ here is referencing al-Kahf, 18:46:
وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا
“But the good righteous deeds (five compulsory prayers, deeds of Allāh’s obedience, good and nice talk, remembrance of Allah with glorification, praises and thanks, etc.), that last, are better with your Lord for rewards and better in respect of hope.”
Source: Bahjah Qulūb al-Abrār: 88-91
Translated by: Riyāḍ al-Kanadī