Summary of the concepts of Ahl al-Sunnah
Moderation in worship
Worship in Islam is a middle path between those who are negligent and fall short in it, and those who are extreme and practice monasticism.
As for those who are negligent in worship, worldly life has deceived them, they clung to it, and they ran after it.
So all their measures were materialistic and worldly.
And the clearest representation of these people
are the Jews, concerning whom Allah said:
“And thou wilt find them greediest of mankind for life and (greedier) than the idolaters. (Each) one of them would like to be allowed to live a thousand years. And to live (a thousand years) would be no means remove him from the doom. Allah is Seer of what they do.” (2:96)
“And thou wilt find them greediest of mankind for life and (greedier) than the idolaters. (Each) one of them would like to be allowed to live a thousand years. And to live (a thousand years) would be no means remove him from the doom. Allah is Seer of what they do.” (2:96)
So they are eager for life,
thus, in indefinite form,
which implies a love for life, whatever it may be,
even if it is animalistic, filled with instincts and desires.
And for this reason, they deserved to be described as
the ones who have incurred Allah's wrath,
for their refusal to comply with religious commands
and their cunning maneuvers to circumvent them for their worldly benefit.
And those who are extreme in worship,
their extremism led them to forbid what Allah had made lawful,
and to innovate monasticism,
like the monks of the Christians and their worshippers,
who forbade themselves marriage and good things from sustenance,
and considered that an abomination from the work of Satan.
So they rejected Allah's bounty upon them,
and did not find guidance to the truth in the matter of worship.
So they deserved the description of being astray.
The former are people of deficiency and sin,
and the latter are people of excess, extremism, and innovation.
And the salaf warned against both of them.
And the concept of moderation in worship in Islam is summarized
by considering the texts of the two revelations on this matter,
and combining some of them with others,
to act upon some of them and abandon others.
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, who said:
"The mujahid is he who strives against himself."
is the same one who said to the three men who asked about his worship,
as if they found it burdensome,
so one of them said: "As for me, I will pray all night, always."
And another said: "I will fast all day and never break my fast."
And another said: "I will abstain from women,
and never marry."
So the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"You are the ones who said such and such."
"But by Allah, I am the most fearful of Allah among you and the most pious."
"However, I fast and break my fast, I pray and I sleep,"
"and I marry women."
"Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not of me."
So he urged in the first text the striving in worship,
and in the second he forbade extremism and monasticism.
So his path, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
is based on moderation and balance between rights and obligations.
And when Salman al-Farisi said to Abu al-Darda', may Allah be pleased with him:
"Indeed, your Lord has a right over you,"
"and your self has a right over you,"
"and your family has a right over you."
"So give each one his due."
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"Salman has spoken the truth."
Likewise, the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
permitted what was legislated from vows,
and invalidated the innovative and rejected ones.
When he saw a man standing,
he asked about him, and they said:
"He vowed to stand and not sit,"
"and not seek shade, and not speak, and to fast."
So he said: "Tell him to speak,"
"and to seek shade, and to sit,"
"and to complete his fast."
Narrated by Bukhari.
And this is from the moderation of worship,
Summary of the concepts of Ahl al-Sunnah.