Wasatism

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Wasatism is an approach towards Islamic Law that was led by Yusuf Al-Qaradawi and Mohammed al-Ghazali drawing on the ideas of Rashid Rida that maintains that the essence of Islam is harmonizing contrasts such as matter and spirit, individualism and communality, rationality and faith. [1] Qaradawi proposes the approach as constituting a balance between two contradictory positions, proposing a third position. [2]

Contents

Terminology

Wasatism (Arabic: وسطية) refers to the strand of Islam which is the via media between traditional, textually-orientated strands such as Maddhabist traditionalism, Salafism and anti-traditional, culturally-orientated strands such as modernism and progressivism. [3] * Yasir Qadhi [3] [4] [5]

Yasir Qadhi, an Islamic scholar identified as a Wasatist, [3] [4] [5] has stated that the movement "tries to balance text and context" and "has an interplay between the classical tradition and modernity". [3]

Beliefs

Wasatis believe Islam is a religion of facilitation, and aim to produce practical and flexible fatwas that balance text and context and accommodate changing realities in order to make life easier for Muslims and make them fond of their religion, by drawing on all four madhabs and beyond to find the most practical solution [1]

History

Wasatism grew out of the phenomenon of Islamic Modernism propagated by Jamal al-Din al-Afghani. Muhammad Abduh, and Rashid Rida, who saught to reform Muslim society by means of Islam. [2]

In August of 1960, Yusuf Al-Qaradawi wrote "Al-Halal Wal-Haram Fil-Islam" (The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam) which was his presentation of the Wasati approach to Islamic law dealing with many issues Muslims faced. [6] It was institutionalized by the nineties, and the approach was adopted by various Fiqh Councils established by Qaradawi.

Sami Khatir, a member of Hamas's political bureau, has explained that the movement has always leaned towards the Wasati paradigm, with their Wasati Approach to Islamic law garnering condemnation from Salafi Jihadists. [7]

References

  1. 1 2 Shavit, Uriya (2014). Islamism and the West: From “cultural attack” to “missionary migrant”. Routledge. p. 19. ISBN   978-0-415-71500-3.
  2. 1 2 Polka, Sagi (2019). Shaykh Yūsuf al-Qaradāwī: Spiritual Mentor of Wasatī Salafism. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press. ISBN   978-0-8156-3634-2.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Qadhi, Yasir (2023). Contemporary Issues in the Muslim Ummah: Modern Muslim Movements. The Islamic Seminary of America (TISA)
  4. 1 2 Modern Islamic Authority and Social Change, Volume 1: Evolving Debates in Muslim Majority Countries. Edinburgh University Press. 2018. doi:10.3366/j.ctv7n0978. ISBN   978-1-4744-3322-8.
  5. 1 2 Modern Islamic Authority and Social Change, Volume 2: Evolving Debates in the West. Edinburgh University Press. 2018. doi:10.3366/j.ctv7n09q1. ISBN   978-1-4744-3326-6.
  6. ↑ Roberto, Tottoli (2022). The Routledge Handbook to Islam in the West. Abingdon, Oxon: Taylor & Francis. ISBN   978-0-367-21178-3.
  7. ↑ Sagi Polka (2017): Hamas as a Wasati (Literally: Centrist) Movement: Pragmatism within the Boundaries of the Sharia, Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, DOI: 10.1080/1057610X.2017.1402432
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