Friday Sermon: Sowing the Seeds of Religious Moderation

 

Assalamualaikum, dear readers of The Islam Corner blog,

We extend our warmest greetings and prayers for your well-being. Today, we gather for another Friday sermon, titled "Sowing the Seeds of Religious Moderation." In this sermon, we delve into the importance of embracing a moderate approach in our religious practices and attitudes. As we navigate the diverse landscape of faith, it is crucial to strike a balance between extremes and adopt a mindset of tolerance, understanding, and harmony. The Islam Corner blog has been a valuable platform for spreading knowledge and fostering dialogue, and we encourage you to support its growth by sharing its insightful posts within relevant groups. Together, let us cultivate an atmosphere of religious moderation and contribute to the development of a vibrant online Islamic community.

Friday Sermon: Sowing the Seeds of Religious Moderation

Sermon I

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلهِ الَّذِيْ وَفَّقَ مَنْ شَاءَ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ بِفَضْلِهِ وَكَرَمِهِ، وَخَذَلَ مَنْ شَاءَ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ بِمَشِيْئَتِهِ وَعَدْلِهِ. وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَّا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهُ، وَلَا شَبِيْهَ وَلَا مِثْلَ وَلَا نِدَّ لَهُ، وَلَا حَدَّ وَلَا جُثَّةَ وَلَا أَعْضَاءَ لَهُ. وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ سَيِّدَنَا وَحَبِيْبَنَا وَعَظِيْمَنَا وَقَائِدَنَا وَقُرَّةَ أَعْيُنِنَا مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ، وَصَفِيُّهُ وَحَبِيْبُهُ. اَللهم صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ وَبَارِكْ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ، وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَمَنْ وَّالَاهُ، وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللهِ. أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنِّي أُوْصِيْكُمْ وَنَفْسِيْ بِتَقْوَى اللهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيْمِ الْقَائِلِ فِيْ مُحْكَمِ كِتَابِهِ: حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَىٰ وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ

Dear Muslims,

Beginning this short sermon, the speaker advises all of us, especially himself, to strive towards increasing our piety and faith in Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala by fulfilling our obligations and staying away from all that is forbidden.

Dear Muslims,

In a famous hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "The best of matters are those that are moderate." This hadith, narrated by Imam al-Bayhaqi in his three collections of hadith (Sunan al-Baihaqi, Syu’b al-īman, and aldāb), implies that when engaging in activities or practicing ideological beliefs, it should be done with a moderate approach. Being moderate suggests a stable and mature attitude, a wise character that takes the middle path between two extremes that are inclined to be dangerous.

Islam was revealed to humanity as a mercy to the universe, and its flexible nature makes it a friendly and welcoming religion in all spaces and times. This is one of the reasons that led a renowned scholar from Makkah al-Mukarramah, Sayyid al-Alawi al-Maliky, to write a book titled "Khasāish al-Ummat al-Muhammadiyyah" (The Special Characteristics of the Muhammadan Ummah), which highlights the specific qualities of the Muslim Ummah.

Among the many special qualities and virtues bestowed upon the Muslim Ummah by Allah SWT, as mentioned by Sayyid al-Alawi al-Maliky, is the designation of Islam as a moderate religion, Ummatan Wasathan (mentioned as the third characteristic). In his narration on this theme, he explains that after granting Prophet Muhammad's prayer to have their own Qiblah and not follow the Qiblah of previous religions (i.e., Baitul Maqdis), Allah SWT also granted them the assurance of guidance on the Straight Path. Only then does Allah SWT affirm that the Muslim Ummah is also bestowed with the grace of being a moderate Ummah.

This is stated in the Quran, in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 143,

وَكَذٰلِكَ جَعَلْنٰكُمْ اُمَّةً وَّسَطًا لِّتَكُوْنُوْا شُهَدَاۤءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُوْنَ الرَّسُوْلُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيْدًا ۗ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِيْ كُنْتَ عَلَيْهَآ اِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَنْ يَّتَّبِعُ الرَّسُوْلَ مِمَّنْ يَّنْقَلِبُ عَلٰى عَقِبَيْهِۗ وَاِنْ كَانَتْ لَكَبِيْرَةً اِلَّا عَلَى الَّذِيْنَ هَدَى اللّٰهُ ۗوَمَا كَانَ اللّٰهُ لِيُضِيْعَ اِيْمَانَكُمْ ۗ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَءُوْفٌ رَّحِيْمٌ (١٤٣)

Dear Muslims, may the mercy of Allah be upon you,

In the beginning of this brief sermon, the khateeb advises all of us, especially himself, to constantly strive to increase our piety and faith in Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala by fulfilling all obligations and staying away from what is forbidden and prohibited.

Dear Muslims, may the mercy of Allah be upon you,

In the famous hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "The best affairs are those that are balanced." This hadith, narrated by Imam al-Bayhaqi in his three books of hadith (Sunan al-Bayhaqi, Shu'ab al-Iman, and al-Dāb), implies that when we engage in any activity or adopt an ideological practice, we should do so with a moderate approach. Being moderate implies having a stable and mature character, wisely choosing the middle path between two extremes that can be dangerous to traverse.

Islam was revealed to this world as a merciful religion for all creation. Its flexible nature in every space and time makes it a friendly and accommodating religion. This is one of the reasons why a great scholar from Makkah, Sayyid al-Alawi al-Maliki, wrote a book titled "Khasāish al-Ummat al-Muhammadiyyah," which contains the special qualities of the nation of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Among the many special qualities bestowed upon the Muslim ummah by Allah SWT, as mentioned by Sayyid al-Alawi al-Maliki, is that Islam is a moderate religion, Ummatan Wasatan (as mentioned in special quality number 3). In his narrative on this topic, he explains that after granting Prophet Muhammad's prayer to have a separate qibla, different from the qibla of previous religions (i.e., Baitul Maqdis), Allah SWT also bestowed upon the Muslim ummah the guarantee of guidance on the straight path (Shirat al-Mustaqim). Only then did Allah SWT affirm that the Muslim ummah is also bestowed the honor of being a moderate nation.

This is stated in the Qur'an, Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 143:

"And thus We have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you."

Sayyid Alawi al-Maliki explains that al-Wasth (moderation) means standing in the middle, remaining on a stable path, and this position is the embodiment of the phrase Shirat al-Mustaqim (the straight path) bestowed by Allah SWT to the Muslim ummah. Al-Wasth also means being just because the essence of al-Wasth is the middle path between two extremes. It is undeniable that dwelling on either extreme is a mistake, and being moderate (moderate/tawassuth) is an effort to avoid those extremes.

Dear Muslims, may the mercy of Allah be upon you,

In the book "Al-Wastahiyyah min Khashaish Ummat al-Islam wa Ahl al-Sunnah" written by Dr. Muhammad bin Musa Alu Nashrin, it is explained that one form of moderation in the methodology of the Muslim ummah is to adopt a moderate approach (al-I'tidal wa al-Tawazun) and avoid extremism on both sides, avoiding both excessiveness and negligence.

This is supported by the statements of the early scholars, such as Imam al-Awza'i (d. 157 H), who said, "Whenever Allah commands something, Satan will be present in two places, though it is not known in which part he resides," referring to actions that are done in excess (al-G

huluww) and actions that are excessively lenient (al-Taqshir).

Similarly, Imam Wahb bin Munabbih (d. 113 H) mentioned that everything has two sides and a middle part. If it stays on one side, it will lean towards that side, but if it stays in the middle, it will remain balanced in that condition. Therefore, it is necessary for you to stay in the middle (adopting a moderate approach) in everything.

Dear Muslims, may the mercy of Allah be upon you,

In the context of conceptualizing moderation in religion, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, in its book "Moderation in Religion," explains that being moderate in religion means adopting a moderate perspective, attitude, and behavior amidst the existing extremes. Extremism in religion, on the other hand, means adopting perspectives, attitudes, and behaviors that exceed the limits of moderation in understanding and practicing religion. Therefore, moderation implies a balanced, just, and non-extremist behavior.

Of course, in this regard, moderation in religion needs to be comprehensively understood. As a foundation for religious practice, a moderate attitude requires measurements, boundaries, and indicators to determine the essence of such moderation. In the context of the diversity of religious communities in Indonesia, each religion has its own principles and boundaries in determining its moderate religious attitude.

Dear Muslims, may the mercy of Allah be upon you,

The principle of religious moderation is, in essence, an effort to maintain a balance between reason and revelation. Moderation is represented by a dynamic and non-static pendulum of a clock. The pendulum swings to the right and left but always returns to the center, symbolizing our inclination at times to lean too far to one side (prioritizing reason over everything) or too far to the other side (understanding religious texts without reasoning). Instead, we should avoid being fixated on either side. The pendulum must dynamically move to the right and left while still returning to the center to ensure the proper passage of time.

In addition, a moderate religious attitude should also consider balancing other aspects, such as physical and spiritual elements, rights and obligations, individual interests and communal welfare, necessity and voluntariness, religious texts and the opinions of religious scholars, ideal concepts and realities, and a balance between the past and the future.

Discussing the formulation of limits, measurements, and indicators of religious moderation is not an easy task. However, according to experts, indicators of religious moderation can be formulated into four aspects: 1) commitment to the nation, 2) upholding tolerance, 3) rejecting violence, and 4) accommodating local culture.

These four indicators signify a superior moderate attitude, especially when combined with the spirit of nationalism that should be held by each of us as good Muslims.

Dear Muslims, may the mercy of Allah be upon you,

National commitment as an indicator of religious moderation emphasizes the understanding that religious principles do not have to contradict national values; instead, they can coexist and strengthen each other. This is followed by the commitment to cultivate tolerance in the midst of Indonesia's diverse reality (religious, ethnic, and other diversities), which must be actualized for the sake of national harmony.

Adopting an anti-violence approach is another principle that serves as an indicator of successful implementation of religious moderation. Violence, in any form, is not a solution to unity; there are many other ways to resolve differences. Dialogue is one of them. The flourishing diversity of opinions, both in religious and political aspects, in this democratic country requires skilled and trained discussions and dialogues among leaders and officials as steps to resolve conflicts. Without this, our country will perish due to violence, which contradicts our principles as a nation that upholds democracy and moderation.

An accommodating attitude toward local culture,

 which is also an indicator of successful religious moderation, signifies that religions in Indonesia are not sensitive to existing local wisdom. As long as the principles and substantial values of religion remain intact, the convergence of religion with local wisdom should not be a concern. In our fiqh principles, we acknowledge the rule that "Custom can be used as a legal basis," indicating that religion can coexist with local wisdom as long as it adheres to its substantial principles and as long as the majority of knowledgeable people do not negate it.

Dear Muslims, may the mercy of Allah be upon you,

Realizing a moderate and balanced attitude is not easy. To apply Wasathiyyah (moderation) as a foundational mindset, it requires correct knowledge and understanding of the essence of religion, emotional control, and vigilance. Establishing oneself in a middle position is difficult (as it can lean to the left or right). Practicing moderation requires jihad (exertion), ijtihad (intellectual effort), and mujahadah (self-discipline).

Ultimately, a wise moderate attitude is the key to tolerance and harmony, both at the local, national, and global levels. Choosing moderation by rejecting extremism and liberalism in religion is the key to creating peace and spirituality in our religious and national lives.

Dear Muslims, may the mercy of Allah be upon you.

That concludes this brief sermon. May Allah grant us strength, ease, and ability in this month of Rajab to increase our acts of goodness and obedience to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Ameen.

أَقُوْلُ قَوْلِيْ هٰذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ لِيْ وَلَكُمْ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُوْهُ، إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْمُ.

Sermon II

إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ، وَنَعُوْذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شُرُوْرِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا، مَنْ يَهْدِ اللهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَّا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ سَيِّدَنَا مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ، اَللهم صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ عَلٰى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدِنِ الصَّادِقِ الْوَعْدِ الْأَمِيْنِ، وَعَلٰى إِخْوَانِهِ النَّبِيِّيْنَ وَالْمُرْسَلِيْنَ، وَارْضَ اللهم عَنْ أُمَّهَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ، وَآلِ الْبَيْتِ الطَّاهِرِيْنَ، وَعَنِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِيْنَ، أَبِيْ بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَعُثْمَانَ وَعَلِيٍّ، وَعَنِ الْأَئِمَّةِ الْمُهْتَدِيْنَ، أَبِيْ حَنِيْفَةَ وَمَالِكٍ وَالشَّافِعِيِّ وَأَحْمَدَ وَعَنِ الْأَوْلِيَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِيْنَ.

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَيَا أَيُّهَا الْمُسْلِمُوْنَ، أُوْصِيْكُمْ وَنَفْسِيْ بِتَقْوَى اللهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيْمِ فَاتَّقُوْهُ، وَاعْلَمُوْا أَنَّ اللهَ أَمَرَكُمْ بِأَمْرٍ عَظِيْمٍ، أَمَرَكُمْ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالسَّلَامِ عَلٰى نَبِيِّهِ الْكَرِيْمِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا، اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلٰى آلِ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلٰى سَيِّدِنَا إِبْرَاهِيْمَ وَعَلٰى آلِ سَيِّدِنَا إِبْرَاهِيْمَ وَبَارِكْ عَلٰى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلٰى آلِ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلٰى سَيِّدِنَا إِبْرَاهِيْمَ وَعَلٰى آلِ سَيِّدِنَا إِبْرَاهِيْمَ، فِيْ الْعَالَمِيْنَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيْدٌ مَجِيْدٌ. اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلْمُسْلِمِيْنَ وَالْمُسْلِمَاتِ والْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ الْأَحْيَاءِ مِنْهُمْ وَالْأَمْوَاتِ، اَللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْنَا هُدَاةً مُهْتَدِيْنَ غَيْرَ ضٰالِّيْنَ وَلاَ مُضِلِّيْنَ، اَللّٰهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَاتِنَا وآمِنْ رَّوْعَاتِنَا وَاكْفِنَا مَا أَهَمَّنَا وَقِنَا شَرَّ ما نَتَخوَّفُ، رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ.

عِبَادَ اللهِ، إنَّ اللهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإحْسَانِ وَإِيْتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبٰى ويَنْهٰى عَنِ الفَحْشٰاءِ وَالْمُنْكَرِ وَالبَغْيِ، يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُوْنَ. فَاذكُرُوا اللهَ الْعَظِيْمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوْهُ عَلٰى نِعَمِهِ يَزِدْكُمْ وَاسْأَلُوْهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ يُعْطِكُمْ وَاتَّقُوْهُ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ مَخْرَجًا، وَلَذِكْرُ اللهِ أَكْبَرُ.

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