The Principle of Wasaṭiyyah as a Higher Objective of the Sharī‘ah: A Historical Survey

Abstract

Early and modern scholars have deliberated extensively on the principle of wasaṭiyyah with its various interpretations. Yet, the term has not been perceived through the Sharī‘ah point of view, and there is no study which directly relates it with the objectives of the Sharī‘ah. This paper, therefore, examines the necessity of wasaṭiyyah from the perspective of the Sharī‘ah. It aims at highlighting the principle of wasaṭiyyah as one of the objectives of Sharī‘ah. In doing so, the Qur’ānic and prophetic texts dealing with the principle of wasaṭiyyah along with the views of early and modern scholars are examined. In addition, this paper also examines some approaches of wasaṭiyyah by Muslim reformists. They demonstrated the different manifestations of wasaṭiyyah and its signifi cance in accordance with the needs and circumstances of the society. Based on the signifi cance of wasaṭiyyah, this paper concludes that it can be considered as one of the fundamental principles of the Sharī‘ah. In other words, the principle of wasaṭiyyah should be acknowledged as a higher objective of the Sharī‘ah which must be obtained at both the individual as well as the collective level.