honor and respect—as maintaining a position toward it between excess and neglect. He stated that honoring such people—those who possess this quality—is part of glorifying Allah, Mighty and Majestic. There can be no doubt that this is an exalted rank and a noble station, attained by adhering to the Quran and not deviating from it through excess or neglect, addition or deficiency.

Explaining the meaning of the aforementioned hadith of Abū Mūsā, Abū Ubayd al-Qāsim ibn Sallām—may Allah have mercy on him—said: “The extremist is one who goes to excess in following it until this leads him to declare people unbelievers, as the Khārijites do. The one who neglects it is one who disregards its limits and treats it lightly. Similar in meaning to this hadith are the words of the fourth of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, Alī ibn Abī Tālib—may Allah be pleased with him: ‘Allah’s religion lies between the extremist and the one who falls short. You must therefore adhere to the middle way, for through it the one who falls short catches up, and to it the extremist returns.’”

These are excellent words of immense benefit. The renowned linguist Thalab said of them: “Nothing narrated concerning moderation is finer than the words of the Commander of the Faithful, Alī—may Allah be pleased with him”—referring to his aforementioned statement.

Satan is never more intent than when seeking to divert a Muslim from the proper course and distance him from the straight path, whether toward excess or toward neglect. The enemy of Allah does not care which of the two he succeeds in leading him into. One of the early Muslims said: “Allah Most High never commands anything without Satan having two impulses regarding it: either toward negligence and deficiency, or toward transgression and excess. He does not care which of the two he achieves.”1. In this matter, the enemy of Allah employs astonishing guile and a remarkable stratagem.