MODERATION IN ISLAM: A CONCEPTUAL ANALYSIS OF WASATIYYAH

Abstract

What a Muslim would and should mean by "moderation" is what is signified by the term wasaṭiyyah, which is derived' from the Qurʾānic phrase ummah wasaṭ. This term is very significant because it outlines clearly from the very beginning the essential character of the Muslim nation (ummah), and defines their role and duty towards the mankind as a whole. In this paper, we shall attempt to analyse the meaning of the term according to the Qurʾān, and show that what is generally understood as moderation in contemporary discourse is not what is meant by wasaṭiyyah according to the Qur'an.