الاعتِدَالُ قَائِدٌ إِلى حُسْنِ الفِعَالِ : Moderation leads to good actions

Al Quran is the final Holy Book revealed upon the Last of Prophets Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). The Quran & Sunnah is the only source of holy guidance as it entails detailed instructions for each and every walk of human life. Here guidance from Quran for the followers of Islam (الاعتِدَالُ قَائِدٌ إِلى حُسْنِ الفِعَالِ : : Moderation leads to good actions) is discussed wrt social life aspects such as the middle path or moderation leads to good actions for better living from Quran and Hadith of Prophet ﷺ. This is an approved Jumma Khutba from the Sultanate of Oman and translated in English.

In the name of ALLAH who is Most Beneficent and Most Merciful

Moderation Leads to Good Actions

Thanks be to Allah, Who has made moderation in matters a path to goodness, a sign of awareness and a guide to obedience. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, He alone, He has no partner, and I bear witness that our Lord and Prophet, peace be upon him, is the servants of Allah and His Messenger. Among the people are the wisest, the most informed and the most zealous for goodness and striving for goodness. Blessings and peace be upon him, his family, companions and all those who followed him until the Day of Resurrection. Translation of the recited verses. He says in Surah Al-A'raf:

O Children of Adam! Take your adornment (by wearing your clean clothes), while praying and going round (the Tawâf of ) the Ka'bah, and eat and drink but waste not by extravagance, certainly He (Allâh) likes not Al-Musrifûn (those who waste by extravagance). 

Surah Al Araf – 31

He says in Surah Al-Shu'ara:

"And follow not the command of Al-Musrifûn [i.e. their chiefs, leaders who were polytheists, criminals and sinners]. "Who make mischief in the land, and reform not." 

Surah Al Shu'ara – 151-152

O servants of Allah, fear Allah - adopt piety and obey Allah. If you fear Allah then you will be happy, adopt to moderate in matters and you will be successful, and follow the orders of Allah as in the Book which guides for His will. He says in Surah Al-Baqarah:

And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is At-Taqwa (piety, righteousness).

Surah Al Baqara – 197-Part

O believers, know that Islam is very keen that man should be moderate in his affairs, without exaggeration or neglect, give everything its due value, and this value matters. Everyone with faith in Islam knows what is to come and what is to be left, he does not exaggerate any matter nor take it lightly. Islam encouraged moderation and because of its excellence and importance, Allah Almighty blessed this nation with moderation and He says this in Surah Al-Baqarah:

Thus We have appointed you a middle nation, 

Surah Al Baqara – 143-Part

The servants of Allah, the purification of the Sunnah, that is, the pure Sunnah, did not remain isolated from the divine commandments, and thus, the Messenger of Allah, may God bless him and grant him peace, used to invite to everything that indicated the wisdom of the Muslims and made them wise in matters, not exaggeration and no omission. That is why the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Beware of exaggeration in religion - Exceeding the limits is extremism, i.e. going beyond the Shariah limits is reprehensible. Deliberately being moderate about something was one of the best ways of the Messenger of Allah, may God bless him and grant him peace, even in prayer he preferred moderation.

It was narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir bin Samrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that I was praying with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). The prayer of the Messenger of Allah, may God bless him and grant him peace, was moderate according to his intention, and his sermon was also moderate according to his intention." That is: moderation between long and short, and this is also known from the hadith of the Prophet of Allah, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: If one of you leads the prayer for the people, he should shorten it, because among them are the weak, the sick, and the old. And if one of you prays for himself, let him lengthen it as long as he wishes.

O you who believe, there are good forms of moderation, including moderation in what a person needs, such as clothing and food. Beloved of God, Imam al-Anbiyyah narrated – Eat, drink, give charity and wear, as long as it is not mixed with extravagance or miserliness. There is also a need for moderation in the use of money in cases of moderation, because there are some people who spend excessively on a particular matter. In this way, they create hardship for themselves and their families and some of them are very miserly, neither paying Zakat nor helping the needy - the most complete goodness in this is Allah's. It is obedience to the decree, which is described in Surah Al-Isra:

And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach (like a spendthrift), so that you become blameworthy and in severe poverty. 

Surah Al Isra – 29

And its statement came to the believers, in Surah Al-Furqan:

And those, who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor niggardly, but hold a medium (way) between those (extremes). 

Surah Al Furqan – 67

Moderation - O people of Allah - Moderation is required in all human affairs, even in walking and talking. In the Qur'an Majeed Furqan Hameed, it has been mentioned at the place of Surah Luqman that Luqman Al-Hakim advised his son.

"And be moderate (or show no insolence) in your walking and lower your voice. 

Surah Luqman – 19-Part

So, O people of Allah, fear Allah and be a people of moderation as Allah has declared about you, and obey His law in order to gain the love and satisfaction of Allah.

أقولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ العَظِيمَ لِي وَلَكُمْ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ، إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُالرَّحِيمُ، وَادْعُوهُ يَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ، إِنَّهُ هُوَ البَرُّ الكَرِيمُ

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الحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِي حَبَّبَ إِلَيْنَا الحِكْمَةَ، وَرَزَقَنَا الوَعْيَ مِنَّةً مِنْهُ وَرَحْمَةً، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيـكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ سَيِّدَنَا وَنَبِيَّنَا مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُ اللهِ وَرَسُولُهُ، أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ اعْتِدَالًا، وَأَفْضَلُهُمْ أَقْوَالًا وَأَفْعَالًا، صَلَوَاتُ اللهِ وَسَلامُهُ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ الطَّيِّبِينَ، وَمَنْ سَلَكَ مَسْلَكَهُمْ إِلَى يَوْمِ الدِّينِ.

Thanks be to Allah who blessed us with wisdom and gave us consciousness as His grace and mercy. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, He has no partner, and I bear witness that our Lord and our Prophet Muhammad, is the servant of Allah and His Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, i the most moderate of people and the best in words and deeds. Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family and good companions and those who follow his path until the Day of Resurrection.

O people of Allah, fear Allah. Everything in Islam has benefits, consequences and fruitful outcome, and among the benefits of moderation in affairs is reward. A moderate person only applies the laws of Allah in search of reward. With moderation, a person treats people with understanding, respects others if they differ from him, and communicates with them respectfully if they hold an opinion other than his own. Rather, if the conversation is with someone who is different from them in religion, then he will be wise, fair, moderate and informed, remembering what Allah said to His Beloved Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, which is mentioned in Surah Al-Imran:

And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about you;

Surah Aal E Imran – 159-Part

And Lord Dhul-Jalal, Blessed be He Who has the Holy Names, said to Moses and Harun (peace be upon them) when they went to Pharaoh. He said this command in Surah Taha:

"And speak to him mildly, perhaps he may accept admonition or fear (Allâh)." 

Surah TaHa – 44

Moderation - O Muslims - is a humane approach to oneself, one's family and the people around in society. Because kindness does not exist in anything without making it beautiful. And it is not taken away from anything except as the Messenger of Allah, may God bless him and grant him peace, said, "He who is deprived of kindness is deprived of all good things."

Sayyida Ayesha Siddiqua Radiyallahu Ta'ala Anha narrates on her behalf, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) says: People! Do those actions that you have the strength to do, because Allah Tabarak wa Taala does not get tired, even if you do not get tired of yourself. Bukhari: (5861)

It is narrated on the authority of Sayyidna Abu Qatadah that the Messenger of Allah, may God bless him and grant him peace, went out one night and he saw that Hazrat Abu Bakr was reciting in a low voice and Hazrat Umar was reciting in a loud voice. Later, when these two gentlemen gathered in his assembly, he, may God bless him and grant him peace, asked: O Abu Bakr! When I passed by you, I heard that you were reciting in a low voice, what was the reason for this? Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) replied that I was narrating what I was whispering to. Then he said: O Umar, when I passed by you, I heard that you were reciting loudly? Hazrat Umar (RA) replied, "I used to wake up the sleeper and drive away the devil." So, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "O Abu Bakr, raise your voice a little." He said to Umar: "O Umar, lower your voice a little.”) Abu Dawood: 1329

So, people of Allah, fear Allah. And know that your moderation in matters is proof of your awareness, a sign of your good sense, and a path to your growth and elevation.

O people of Allah, in this decree of Allah, such people were mentioned who wronged themselves in sins:

Say: "O 'Ibâdî (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allâh, verily Allâh forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Surah Az Zumr – 53

هَذَا وَصَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى إمَامِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ؛ مُحَمَّدٍ الهَادِي الأَمِينِ، فَقَدْ أَمَرَكُمْ رَبكُمْ بذَلكَ حينَ قَالَ

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلَـٰٓٮِٕڪَتَهُ ۥ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّۚ يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ صَلُّواْ عَلَيۡهِ وَسَلِّمُواْ تَسۡلِيمًا

Surah Al Ahzaab – 56

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وسَلِّم عَلَى نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ وسَلَّمتَ عَلَى نَبِيِّنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ نَبِيِّنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَبَارِكْ عَلَى نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى نَبِيِّنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ نَبِيِّنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِي الْعَالَمِينَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ، وَارْضَ اللَّهُمَّ عَنْ خُلَفَائِهِ الرَّاشِدِينَ، وَعَنْ أَزْوَاجِهِ أُمَّهَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَعَنْ سَائِرِ الصَّحَابَةِ أَجْمَعِينَ، وَعَنِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ، وعَنْ جَمْعِنَا هَذَا بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ

اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ جَمْعَنَا هَذَا جَمْعًا مَرْحُوْمًا، وَاجْعَلْ تَفَرُّقَنَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِ تَفَرُّقًا مَعْصُوْمًا وَلا تَدَعْ فِينَا وَلا مَعَنَا شَقِيًّا وَلا مَحْرُومًا

اللَّهُمَّ أَعِزَّ الإِسْلامَ وَاهْدِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلَى الْحَقِّ، وَاجْمعْ كَلِمَتَهُمْ عَلَى الخَيْرِ، وَاكْسِرْ شَوْكَةَ الظَّالِمِينَ، وَاكْتُبِ السَّلامَ وَالأَمْنَ لِعِبادِكَ أَجْمَعِينَ 

اللَّهُمَّ يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ يَا ذَا الجَلالِ وَالإِكْرَامِ، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ بِكَ نَستَجِيرُ وَبِرَحْمَتِكَ نَستَغِيثُ أَلاَّ تَكِلَنَا إِلَى أَنفُسِنَا طَرفَةَ عَينٍ، وَلاَ أَدنَى مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَأَصلِحْ لَنَا شَأْنَنَا كُلَّهُ يَا مُصلِحَ شَأْنِ الصَّالِحِينَ

اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا احْفَظْ أَوْطَانَنَا وَأَعِزَّ سُلْطَانَنَا وَأَيِّدْهُ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَيِّدْ بِهِ الْحَقَّ يَا رَبَّ العَالَمِينَ، اللَّهُمَّ أَسْبِغْ عَلَيْهِ نِعمَتَكَ، وَأَيِّدْهُ بِنُورِ حِكْمَتِكَ، وَسَدِّدْهُ بِتَوفِيقِكَ، وَاحفَظْهُ بِعَينِ رعَايَتِكَ

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْزِلْ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ بَرَكَاتِ السَّمَاء وَأَخْرِجْ لَنَا مِنْ خَيْرَاتِ الأَرْضِ، وَبَارِكْ لَنَا في ثِمَارِنَا وَزُرُوعِنَا وكُلِّ أَرزَاقِنَا يَا ذَا الْجَلالِ وَالإِكْرَامِ

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا في الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالمُؤْمِنَات، المُسْلِمِينَ وَالمُسْلِمَات، الأَحْيَاءِ مِنْهُمْ وَالأَمْوَاتِ، إِنَّكَ سَمِيعٌ قَرِيبٌ مُجِيبُ الدُّعَاءِ

عِبَادَ الله إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأۡمُرُ بِٱلۡعَدۡلِ وَٱلۡإِحۡسَـٰنِ وَإِيتَآىِٕ ذِى ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَيَنۡهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِ وَٱلۡمُنڪَرِ وَٱلۡبَغۡىِ‌ۚ يَعِظُكُمۡ لَعَلَّڪُمۡ تَذَكَّرُونَ

بے شک الله انصاف کرنے کا اوربھلائی کرنے کا اور رشتہ داروں کو دینے کا حکم کرتا ہے اوربے حیائی اوربری بات اور ظلم سے منع کرتا ہے تمہیں سمجھاتا ہے تاکہ تم سمجھو

Surah An Nahl-90