Assalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim

1. Introduction

Existentially, humans are dual entities: creatures of earth who need material (the body) and creatures of heaven who need sacred energy (the soul). The opposite of Wasathiyah here is chronic imbalance. On one side is _Rahbaniyah_—an aversion to the world that views poverty and isolation as the only path to God. On the other side is Materialism, which worships things until the world becomes the ultimate goal. Psychologically, neglecting the world will make us a burden to others, while worshiping the world will leave us with a thirst that is never quenched. Wasathiyah is the art of placing the world in the hand as a tool, not in the heart as a goal.

Evidence from the Qur’an and Hadith

رَبَّنَآ اٰتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَّفِي الْاٰخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَّقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

"Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire." (QS. Al-Baqarah : 201)

اِحْرِصْ عَلَى مَا يَنْفَعُكَ وَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْجَزْ

"Strive for what benefits you, seek help from Allah, and do not feel helpless (lazy)." (HR. Muslim)

2. Lessons and Messages

Be a rich person whose heart still prostrates, or be a simple person whose soul remains noble. The morality of Wasathiyah teaches that the most blessed wealth is wealth in the hands of a righteous person used for the common good. Do not leave this world empty-handed of deeds, but neither leave your Hereafter behind for the sake of chasing numbers in a bank balance that you will not take to the grave.Recall the story of Abdurrahman bin Auf ra., a companion of the Prophet who was extremely wealthy. One day he wept as he was about to break his fast with a lavish meal. He remembered Mush’ab bin Umair ra., who died with only one cloth—if his head was covered his feet were exposed, if his feet were covered his head was exposed. Abdurrahman wept out of fear that his “share” of the Hereafter’s blessings had already been given to him in this world. Though rich, his heart was not attached to the world. He used his wealth to fund da’wah and support thousands of people. That is the pinnacle of balance: materially wealthy, yet still poor (feeling needy) before Allah.Life is like someone crossing an ocean in a boat. The boat is the world (material), and the destination is the far shore (the Hereafter). If you have no boat (Rahbaniyah), you will drown from exhaustion while swimming. But if the boat leaks and seawater gets inside (Materialism entering the heart), the boat will sink too. Wasathiyah is making sure your boat is strong and sails swiftly over the water, without letting the water into your helm.There was a man so “ascetic” and anti-world that he refused to work and only prayed in the mosque. When his child cried for milk, he said, "Be patient, child, this world is fleeting; milk is only a trust." His clever wife replied, "Dear, milk may be a trust, but the Angel of Death won’t leave milk on the doorstep if you don’t go to the market! Do you want to be a saint or a ‘Sharia-compliant’ unemployed?" The lesson: Tawakkul is feet that step and hands that work, accompanied by a heart that surrenders.

3. Conclusion

Dear brothers and sisters, do not be “monks” who cut ties with the world, and do not be “material worshipers” blind to the Hereafter. Be a servant who is professional in the office, yet serene on the prayer mat. Use your world to buy your Hereafter. That is Wasathiyah in truth.

والله أعلم بالصواب

الحمد لله رب العالمين

Wassalamu’alaikum Warahmaullahi Wabarakatuh.

ِAbu Sultan Al-Qadrie