Wasatiyyah (Islamic term)

In Islam, ''wasat'' (moderation) is one of the most basic terms and deliberately used topics. In the sense of shariah, it is a central characteristic of Islamic creed and has been used from the very beginning of Islam. It refers to a justly balanced way of life, avoiding extremes and experiencing things in moderation.

Etymology

''Wasat'', also called ''wasatiyyah'' () is the Arabic word for ''best'', ''middle'', ''centered'', ''balanced'', ''middle way'' or ''moderation'' in the Islamic context, meanwhile ''Qasd''
قصد
and ''Iqtisad''
اقتصاد
are other terms for moderation in Islam, which mean "right way," "middle way," and "honest, truthful way." The term is also used in the Qur'an and Hadith to mean moderation. For example: Surah Nahl (16) in verse 9, Surah Ma'idah (5) in verse 66, Surah Tawba (9) in verse 42, Surah Luqman (31) in verse 19 and 32, and Surah Fatir (35) in verse 32. The person who follows wasat/qasd is called ''wasati/wasiti'/Muqsidin'. In addition, the words Ittidal and Saddad also appear in the Hadith in the sense of moderation, the word Saddad (السداد) is used more often, and it has multiple meanings, namely, to correct, to straighten, to pay a debt, to close a hole, to perform an action, etc. Its noun form Tasdeed (التسديد) literally means refinement, directing the sight (or binoculars) in a certain direction. In many places in the hadith, the word "Saddidu wa Qaribu" (سَدِّدُوا وَقَارِبُوا) is found which translates as "straightening the right path or adopting the middle path and approaching", and also as an instruction to the imam and khatib to straighten the queue of congregational prayers or prayers. The word is used, and when straightening a prayer queue in Non-Arab countries, it is used as a translation of the original Arabic word to straighten the queue, fill in the blanks, and come closer.

In scripture

In Quran

As Wasat

As Qasd

In hadiths

As wasat

In a hadith, Islamic prophet Muhammad is purported as saying that, the meaning of wasat (moderation) in verse 2:143 of Quran is adl (justice).

As sadad, qasd or iqtisad, and ittidal

In popular culture

A newspaper in Bahrain is named ''Al-Wasat'' ('the middle') for its editorial viewpoint of "Promoting the rational middle-ground in debate and tendencies."

See also

* Wasatiyyah Institute Malaysia, a Malaysian NGO preaching moderate Islam.
* Al-Wasat Party, a moderate ('middle') political party in Egypt
* Al-Wasat (Bahraini newspaper)
* Delta Geminorum, a star also known by its Arabic name, ''Wasat'', for middle (star)
* Islam Nusantara, an Indonesian distinct Islamic philosophy that promotes the idea of theological moderation called ''tawasut'' within its ideology.
* Centrism, a political ideology
* Lagom, a Swedish concept with similar meaning
* Liberalism and progressivism within Islam
* Moderate Islam, a modern moderate denomination of Islam
* Moderation, the process of eliminating or lessening extremes.
* The Moderation in Belief, book by Al-Ghazali
* Moderate, a middle position in a left/right political scale
* Via media, the philosophy of the 'middle way'

References

{{Authority control

Islamic terminology
Liberal and progressive movements within Islam