Middle Path of Moderation in Islam Oxford University Press

Mohammad Hashim Kamali

Hardback

9780190226831

The Quranic Principle of Wasatiyyah

In The Middle Path of Moderation in Islam, leading Islamic law expert Mohammad Hashim Kamali examines the concept of wasatiyyah, or moderation, arguing that scholars, religious communities, and policy circles alike must have access to this governing principle that drives the silent majority of Muslims, rather than focusing on the extremist fringe. Kamali explores wasatiyyah in both historical/conceptual terms and in contemporary/practical terms. Tracing the definition and scope of the concept from the foundational sources of Islam, the Qu’ran and Hadith, he demonstrates that wasatiyyah has a long and well-developed history in Islamic law and applies the concept to contemporary issues of global policy, such as justice, women’s rights, environmental and financial balance, and globalization. Framing his work as an open dialogue against a now-decades long formulation of the arguably destructive Huntingtonian “clash of civilizations” thesis as well as the public rhetoric of fear of Muslim extremism since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Kamali connects historical conceptions of wasatiyyah to the themes of state and international law, governance, and cultural maladies in the Muslim world and beyond. Both a descriptive and prescriptive meditation on a key but often neglected principle of Islam, The Middle Path of Moderation in Islam provides insight into an idea that is in the strategic interest of the West both to show and practice for themselves and to recognize in Muslim countries.

Contents
I. Introduction
Part One: Conceptual Analysis
– Definition and Scope of Wasatiyyah
– Review of the Source Evidence
– A Round-up of Modern Opinion
– Hallmarks of Extremism
– Manifestations of Wasatiyyah
– Identification of Wasatiyyah
– Institutional Developments
Part Two: Thematic Perspectives
– Moderation and Justice
– Moderation in Religiosity
– The Moderating Role of Ikhtilaf (Reasoned Disagreement)
– Between Spirituality and Legalism: The Moderating Influence of Sufism
– Harm (Darar) Must Be Eliminated
– Forbearance, Bringing Ease and Removing Hardship
– Environmental Imbalance
– Financial Imbalance, Extravagance and Waste
– Moderation in Jihad
– Character and Lifestyle
– Wasatiyyah and Women’s Rights
– Wasatiyyah and Globalisation
– Islam between Antiquity and the Modern World
– Continuity and Change: An Analysis of Tajdid and Islah (Renewal and Reform) in Islam
– Conclusion and Recommendations