Middle Path of Moderation in Islam

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 thedefinition 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 financialbalance, 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 butoften 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.

invaluable ... Kamali makes a crucial set of observations about how moderate Islamic traditions go beyond just dealing tolerantly with other religions ... A culmination of his decades of scholarship on Islamic law and jurisprudence, this book should serve as an important reference for years to come., This scholarly book is a major addition to works that deal with 'moderate' Islam, still the Islam of the majority of Muslims, which is also traditional Islam. Drawing from a wide range of sources and many notable voices, Kamali presents an extensive range of issues from social justice to the environmental crisis, from spirituality to relation with other religions, all seen from the perspective of moderation or wasaIiyyah, which is the authentic Islamic perspective. Kamali is to be congratulated for writing a much needed work on normative and genuine Islam at a time when so many strident forces and voices, both the non-Islamic and nominally Islamic, are seeking to eclipse in the eyes of many the authentic image of the Islamic religion., an essential addition to the body of knowledge after more than forty years of uninterrupted contribution to the study of Islamic studies.

Mohammad Hashim Kamali was Dean and Professor at the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC) and the International Islamic University in Malaysia. He currently heads the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS) Malaysia.Tariq Ramadan is Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at Oxford University (Oriental Institute, St. Antony's College).