The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam — Page 109
أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ 103 the wrathful faculty and act savagely; and by those who have gone astray are meant people who behave like animals. The middle way is that which has been described as the way of those on whom God has bestowed His favours. In short, for this blessed people the Holy Quran has prescribed adherence to the middle. In the Torah God Almighty had laid emphasis on retribution, and in the Gospel He laid emphasis on forbearance and forgiveness. The Muslims have been directed to seek appropriateness and to adhere to the middle. Accordingly, God Almighty states: 144 وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا Thus have We made you the people of the middle, meaning that the Muslims have been directed to keep to the middle. Thus blessed are those who follow the middle path. 145 خَيْرُ الْأُمُورِ أَوسَطهَا. Spiritual Conditions The third question is, what are the spiritual conditions? We have already stated that according to the Holy Quran the fountainhead of spiritual conditions is 144. And thus have We made you an exalted nation, (The Holy Quran, al- Baqarah 2:144) 145. The middle is the best. Tafsir Qurṭabi, vol. 2, p. 154.