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A summary of the concepts held by the Ahl al-Sunnah.

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Extremism and excess.

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Extremism is the act of exceeding the proper bounds.

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An example of this is the saying of Allah the Almighty:

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“Say: O People of the Scripture! Stress not in your religion other than the truth, and follow not the vain desires of folk who erred of old and led many astray, and erred from a plain road.” (5:77)

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Excess is the act of rushing ahead and overstepping.

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An example of this is the supplication made during the funeral prayer for a deceased child:

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"O Allah, make him a forerunner, a precursor, and a reward for us."

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Meaning: a predecessor to Paradise and a cause for us to join him there.

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The point here is that the one who is excessive and extremist

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is anyone who rushes ahead and advances along the path

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until they exceed the limit and deviate from it.

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Thus, their advancement is without guidance,

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causing them to overstep the bounds and stray from the path.

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Al-Tabari said in his Tafsir of the verse:

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Do not be excessive in your statements regarding what you believe concerning the matter of the Messiah,

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thereby overstepping the truth into falsehood,

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by saying that he is Allah,

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or that he is His son.

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Rather, say:

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“O People of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers, and say not "Three" - Cease! (it is) better for you! - Allah is only One Allah. Far is it removed from His Transcendent Majesty that He should have a son. His is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allah is sufficient as Defender.” (4:171)

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And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

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"Beware of extremism in religion,

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for those before you were only destroyed by extremism in religion."

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Recorded by al-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah,

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and authenticated by al-Albani.

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Therefore, extremism and excess

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consist of exceeding the limits and transgressing what Allah has commanded,

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or performing acts that Allah the Almighty has not legislated,

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nor His Messenger (peace be upon him).

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This does not refer to

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striving in obedience according to the Book and the authentic Sunnah,

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for that is a legislated matter,

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unlike blameworthy extremism.