Moderation is both a safeguard for our worldly life and a bridge to spiritual excellence. In Islam, it is the general rule, while striving and sacrifice mark the path to higher nearness to Allah.
The Holy Qur’an defines the Muslim community as a people of balance:“And thus have We made you a people of the middle path (Ummatan Wasaṭan)” – wa kadhālika jaʿalnākum ummatan wasaṭan (2:144)
This calling to the middle way protects us from extremes in belief, worship, and daily conduct. It urges us to care for our health, our families, and the environment with a sense of proportion and responsibility. The Holy Prophet Muhammad(sa) summarized this principle in the hadith:
“Khairul-umoori ausaṭuhā” -the best of affairs are those conducted with moderation.
Spiritual ranks and the role of balance–The Qur’an also speaks of three broad categories of people in the Hereafter in Surah Al-Wāqiʿah (56:8–15)
- Al-Muqarraboon – those brought near to Allah, also called As-Sābiqoon , the foremost in faith and good works.
- Ashābul-Maimanah – the Companions of the Right, the righteous destined for Paradise.
- Ashābul-Mash’amah – the Companions of the Left, who incur loss and distance from Divine mercy.
A similar gradation appears in Surah Fāṭir:
“Then We gave the Book for an inheritance to those of Our servants whom We chose. Among them is he who wrongs his own soul, and among them is he who follows a middle course, and among them is he who excels others in good works by the permission of Allah.” – fa-minhum ẓālimun linafsihī wa-minhum muqtaṣidun wa-minhum sābiqun bil-khayrāti bi-idhnillāh (35:33)
Here, the muqtaṣid -the one who keeps to a middle course, represents that balanced believer who stays on the straight path, neither heedless nor fanatical, steadily doing good while avoiding major wrong.
Stages of spiritual development
Classically, and in the commentary of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra), the path of spiritual development passes through three major stages:
- Struggle against the self – waging war against low desires, strict self-control, and self-denial. At this stage, the believer is mainly engaged in kafur (suppression), forcing the ego into obedience.
- The middle course -once base passions are brought under control, the believer settles into a life of balanced obedience. This is the phase of steadiness, where progress continues but at a gradual pace.
- Excelling in goodness –-at the final stage, when full moral stature is reached, progress becomes swift and uniform, marked by love, readiness for sacrifice, and delight in obedience. This is captured in the Qur’anic expression: “wa-minhum sābiqun bil-khayrāti bi-idhnillāh” (35:33)
For the latter days, God in His Mercy sent us the servant of The Servant – Ghulam Ahmad. It was revealed to the Promised Messiah(as): “Innī anzaltu maʿaka al-jannah”- “I have caused Paradise to descend with thee.”
The Promised Messiah(as) came to revive this Ummah and foster a spiritually elite Ummah that would, through its efforts and sacrifices and fortified by the prayers of the Promised Messiah(as) and the Grace of God, evolve spiritually through the stages of Kafur (suppress) (76:6), Tafjīr (striving and doing good deeds) (76:7), Zanjabīl (spiritual power to keep ascending) (76:18) and Salsabīl (focused on seeking divine threshold) (76:19) and be the recipients of Rūḥ ul Qudus “fa nafakhnā fīhā min rūḥinā” (66:13) – and become Al-Sābiqūn (56:11) and Al-Muqarrabūn (56:12)
In this framework, moderation is not the end point but the essential middle path, the training ground of the soul. Once the self attains equilibrium and dynamic stability, it can then soar spiritually through deeper faith (taqwā), constant remembrance, and prayer.
The vision of God and “more than they desire”
The Qur’an alludes to the ultimate reward of such righteous striving:
“For them there is therein what they desire, and with Us there is yet more.” – lahum mā yashāʾūna fīhā wa ladaynā mazīd (50:35–36)
The righteous will have in Paradise what they desire, to their hearts’ content, but as man’s desires at best are limited, they will be given much more than what they desire or deserve, much more than what they would even contemplate or conceive. They will see the beautiful face of God and will bask in the warmth of His countenance. This beautiful vision in which the veil which divides man from Allah will be lifted and His Heavenly Glory disclosed to the soul,untrammeled (not restricted or hampered) by its earthly raiments. This, according to some authorities, is what is meant by the words “wa ladaynā mazīd”, i.e. “and with Us is a good deal more.”
This is the state expressed elsewhere as:
“Irjiʿī ilā rabbiki rāḍiyatan marḍiyyah” – “Return to thy Lord, well pleased with Him and He well pleased with thee” (89:28–29),
the station of nafs al-muṭmaʾinnah, the tranquil soul that no longer stumbles.
Moderation as lifestyle, striving as ascent
For us as Ahmadis, turning to Allah and praying was revived by the Promised Messiah(as). History documents that the Holy Prophet Muhammad(sa) revived the world by his example and his prayers and pleadings to God in the dark of night
This prophetic model shows that:
- In worldly affairs, moderation is our default: diet, spending, social interaction, environmental use, and even permissible pleasures are all governed by balance and responsibility.
- In spiritual aspiration, we combine moderation in method with intensity in purpose: regular Salat, abundant istighfar, voluntary fasting, charity, service to humanity, and constant remembrance of Allah.
In seeking nearness to Allah, more is required: iṭtiqā (guarding oneself), taqwā (God-consciousness), and earnest prayers. Through balanced living and passionate devotion, one rises from being merely righteous (Ashābul-Maimanah) to becoming among the Muqarrabūn -those granted the ultimate gift of Divine nearness.