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. Kamari explores wasatiyyah in both historical/conceptual terms and in contemporary/practical terms. Tracing the definition 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 financial balance, 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 September 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 but often 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.

The present work focuses on the Muslim community requires for purification, prayer, charity, fasting, pilgrimage, and warfare. A lengthy introduction to Islamic law and the Hanbali’ school has been included to prepare the readers. The language employed in the translation has been kept simple, straightforward, and modern to make the work accessible to everyone who speaks English – law student or otherwise. This bilingual edition, with its parallel Arabic text, will allow readers to access the original Arabic and hopefully help with vocabulary building, oracy, and future translation. Muslims for many centuries have turned to Dalil al-Talib for study, and ultimately to be informed of their religious practices. It is hoped the translation, The Student’s Guide, will produce a similar response and convey the spirit and manner of the original owing to its style and simplicity.