Absolute Justice, Kindness and Kinship — Page 142
Islam as the Ultimate Goal of Religious Teachings 141 … We have made you into a nation which adheres to the middle path… (S u rah al-Baqarah; Ch. 2: V. 144) Just as the Founder sa of Islam and the Book revealed to him are free from one sidedness and both adhere to the middle path, so the umma of Muhammad sa is also described as adhering to the middle path without leaning to right or left. Incidentally, the so-called extremism as preached, followed and practised by some Muslim sects has nothing to do with Islam. In addition to meaning 'the middle', the Arabic word Was t also has the connotation of excellence. So anybody who is described as Was t is a person who is well-poised and keeping to the middle as well as having a quality of excellence. Hence Ummatan Wasa t an can also be interpreted as meaning the very best. If this becomes part of the basic character of a nation, and if that nation in all circumstances and trials adheres to the path of moderation, and its leanings are not one-sided, it becomes worthy of the trust and respect of other nations. A people with one- sided leanings can in no way hold the right to adjudicate between others. So it is quite justified that Islam is presented as a universal adjudicator possessing the potential to be the guardian over the whole of mankind. In a similar way, the Prophet sa of