Dr. Muhammad Hussein Aboud / College of Islamic Sciences / University of Karbala

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and peace be upon our master and beloved Muhammad, his pure and righteous family, and his chosen companions.

Allah sent prophets and messengers as bearers of glad tidings and warners, and He sent them divine books as signs and proofs to reveal the truth of their prophethood and the essence of their messages. These books include the Torah, the Gospel, and the Psalms, with the last being the Quran, the book in which falsehood cannot approach it from before or behind. It is a book whose verses are perfected by the Wise and All-Knowing, and Allah revealed it as a perpetual miracle as long as the heavens and the earth remain. It contains the laws of the messengers, the experiences of the past generations, and the civilizations and contributions of nations. The Quran remains alive, continuously shared among the people, and they draw from its wisdom according to their preparedness.

One of the great gifts Allah has bestowed upon us through His book, which shines through its verses, is the concept of moderation. This concept is central to many of the meanings and goals of the Quran, which aims to instill and deepen it in the minds of people due to its significant role in refining souls, purifying thoughts from extremism and tension, and achieving the best level of stability and peace, which humanity constantly seeks. The concept of moderation appears in various levels in the Quran, and before exploring the relationship between moderation and economy, it is necessary to understand the importance of moderation as outlined in the Quran, according to the levels adopted by this study and the verses cited.

At the intellectual level, Allah says: “Thus, We have made you a justly balanced nation, that you may be witnesses over the people and the Messenger may be a witness over you.” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:143). This verse signifies that Allah made the nation to be in a state of moderation, one that is neither excessive nor lacking in any aspect of life. The verse emphasizes that moderation is a divine decree, a form of honor granted by Allah to this nation. This verse can be understood in two ways: the first meaning is a call to the nation to adopt and maintain this divine moderation in every aspect of its existence, so that it may be worthy of bearing witness over all other nations. In other words, moderation is the path to achieving the role of witness; the second meaning is a call to each individual within the nation to embody the quality of moderation, since the nation is made up of individuals, and moderation, or any good, cannot be achieved without the collective effort of its members. Therefore, it is said that people are of three types: one whose livelihood distracts him from the Hereafter, and he is among the losers; one whose Hereafter distracts him from his livelihood, and he is among the winners; and the closest to moderation is the third type, whose livelihood serves his Hereafter, and he is among the balanced. One cannot attain the rank of moderation unless he follows the path of balance in seeking sustenance.

At the economic level, moderation appears in several verses, such as:

First: “Give to the near of kin his due, and to the needy, and to the wayfarer. And do not spend wastefully. Indeed, the wasteful are brothers of the devils, and ever has Satan been to his Lord ungrateful.” (Surah Al-Isra, 17:26-27). This verse was revealed regarding those who used to ask the Prophet (PBUH) from among the poor and instructing him to give without stinginess or wastefulness. The theme here is kindness to relatives, the poor, and travelers, and moderation in spending—neither being stingy nor extravagant. In other words, spending in general should be free from any form of waste or excess. In another way, extravagance means wasting money in inappropriate places, even if it is small, whereas spending in its rightful place is not considered wasteful, even if it is abundant. This verse lays down the proper foundations for preserving human resources and identifies wastefulness as one of the main causes of the depletion of energies and resources. It also presents solutions for addressing the factors threatening what could be called food security, as governments put considerable efforts into regulating the consumption of resources, even water, which constitutes three-fourths of the Earth’s surface, building dams to preserve it. The verse also reveals that Islamic law preceded all other systems, laws, and civilizations in its guidance on dealing with various environments with moderation by condemning wastefulness in all its forms, at a time when humanity, in general, and the Arabian Peninsula, which was the geographical cradle of the Islamic call, were steeped in ignorance and backwardness.

The practical example of the Prophet (PBUH) and the Imams (AS) in implementing moderation and prohibiting extravagance is evident in numerous traditions. For example, Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-As narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) passed by Sa’d while he was performing ablution and asked, “What is this wastefulness, O Sa’d?” Sa’d replied, “Is there wastefulness in ablution?” The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Yes, even if you are by a flowing river.” Additionally, in a narration from Al-‘Ayyashi, Bishr bin Marwan reported that they visited Imam Abu Abdullah (AS), who asked for dates. Some of them started throwing the pits, and Imam Abu Abdullah (AS) stopped them, saying, “Do not do that, for this is wastefulness. Allah does not like corruption.”

Second: “And do not make your hand be tied to your neck and do not extend it completely, so that you sit condemned and regretful.” (Surah Al-Isra, 17:29). The verse refers to the concept of moderation in giving and not being either miserly or excessive. It conveys that the extravagant person will regret their actions and will be blamed by Allah, people, and even themselves when they are left empty-handed, whereas the miser is despised on every tongue, and their regret will be even greater. The verse promotes balance in financial social behavior, guiding individual actions to align with moderation and responsibility.

Third: “And those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor stingy, but hold a medium path between the two.” (Surah Al-Furqan, 25:67). This verse speaks to a form of moderation in spending, ensuring that financial rights are delivered without causing harm to either the spender through wastefulness or the one receiving through stinginess.

Fourth: “O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid, and eat and drink, but do not be excessive. Indeed, He does not like those who commit excess.” (Surah Al-A’raf, 7:31). This verse addresses the issue of excess in all matters and emphasizes that Allah does not love those who are wasteful. The verse instructs moderation in eating, drinking, clothing, and all aspects of life, urging Muslims to adhere to a balanced approach to consumption and lifestyle.

In conclusion, moderation plays a crucial role in regulating financial and social behaviors within the Quranic framework. It serves as a central principle in Islamic law, as supported by the verses and hadiths cited.

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and peace be upon our master Muhammad, his pure family, and his chosen companions.