8- What is meant by moderation in religion?
Moderation in religion means that a person should avoid extremism in matters related to knowledge and belief as well as practical acts of worship, and instead adopt a balanced approach. There are three groups of people regarding the names and attributes of Allah. Two of these groups fall into excess or deficiency, while one group adopts moderation. One group denies all the established names and attributes of Allah in order to prove that Allah is free from every defect. The second group claims that the names and attributes of Allah are similar to those of creation, whereas the third group believes that the names and attributes of Allah are indeed established but are not similar to those of creation.
Their details are as follows:
① The belief of the group that exaggerates in the exaltation of Allah Almighty is that only those attributes of Allah Almighty should be accepted which are in accordance with reason and which reason accepts. Based on this principle, they accept the attribute of will for Allah Almighty, but they do not accept the attribute of mercy. According to them, mercy means kindness or the intention of kindness. Due to this misunderstanding, they have denied the attribute which Allah Almighty has affirmed for Himself, even though they are denying something that reason guides more clearly. It is on the basis of reason alone that they affirm the attribute of will. They say that to designate something as specific and definite, for example, to say this is the sky, this is the earth, this is a horse, and this is a camel, this is masculine, this is feminine, is proof of the attribute of will for Allah Almighty, meaning that Allah willed that the thing become such, and so it became. We say, Sir! The attainment of blessings from Allah Almighty and the cessation of displeasure indicate the attribute of mercy more strongly than the attribute of will, but despite this, they are not ready to accept the attribute of mercy due to a doubt.
② The second group is those who liken the attributes of Allah Almighty to those of creation; they are heedless of Allah Almighty’s command: لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ…
.
③ The third group is the one that advocates moderation. They believe in all those names and attributes of Allah that Allah Himself has affirmed for His own Self or that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has mentioned in Hadith. Their belief regarding these is that there is no similarity between them and creation. Just as the essence of Allah Almighty is exalted and supreme, similarly His names and attributes are also exalted, as Allah says:
وَلِلَّهِ الْمَثَلُ الْأَعْلَى وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
“And for Allah is the highest example, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.”
People also commit excesses and injustice to themselves in matters related to physical acts. Many suffer from extreme laziness and abandon very important tasks, while the best approach is moderation. The rule and principle for this is that whatever action is in accordance with the principles of Shariah is called moderation, and whatever falls outside the scope of Shariah will either be excessive or deficient.
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned five such principles in “Aqeedah al-Wasatiyyah” which prove that the Ahl al-Sunnah are the ones who are on the right path in opposition to the innovators. It is hoped that the questioner refers to these principles, as they are extremely beneficial.
