Book Review: Menjejak Wahyu Ilahi

There are several aspects to Wasatiyyah. It includes following through with the easier of the two options; understanding that there are principles that remain unchanged even as conditions change; and not going to extremes in the practice of religion. For example, someone who spends to the point of incurring debt is not observing Wasatiyyah. Furthermore, it is also against Wasatiyyah when someone spends time at work to the point of neglecting the canonical prayers; conversely, someone who spends the night in worship to the point of being too tired for school or work is also being excessive in practice. Citing Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a renowned legal scholar of Islam, Mohammad Yusri states that Wasatiyyah is a balance between this “worldliness and the otherworldliness, between spirituality and materialism, between individualism and collectivism, and between realism and idealism.” To conclude, Wasatiyyah prevents extremism in matters of religious practice, and paves the way to be the successful ummatan wasata (balanced community) that the Qur’an calls us to be.

Shari’ah

The Shari’ah, or Islamic law, provides guidance by which we structure our lives. It goes beyond the relationship between man and God to cover all that is good in our lives. Among its characteristic virtues are justice, consultation, tolerance, ease, as well as wisdom and compassion.

Shari’ah mainly falls into two categories: definitive and speculative. The definitive arises from verses that are clear and unequivocal in their meanings, such as the commands to pray, fast, pay the zakat (alms), and the prohibition of unlawful sexual intercourse. The speculative verses, on the other hand, are open to interpretation and thus susceptible to differences of opinion among the scholars; for instance, what type of contact between the sexes nullifies ablution. Recognising these differences encourages humility and respect for diverse scholarly opinions, which is itself a form of mercy in Islamic practice.

Then there is the discussion on the status of the Sunnah, the traditions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), making up the second source of legislation in Islam after the Qur’an. According to Shaltut (quoted in Yusof 2024), the Sunnah is divided into the legislative and the non-legislative. Meaning, not everything that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did is binding as law upon us. The former covers the essentials of the faith, such as worship, whereas the latter includes the non-binding habits and personal preferences of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). This is important to note as we may think that everything that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did is binding, but according to the scholars of legal theory, this is not the case. We have to rely on the scholars to determine which practices are binding and which are particular only to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

The Shari’ah thus has several abiding principles: the essentials and needs, justice, ease and tolerance, and the common weal. It is these principles that ensure that the Shari’ah remains relevant for every subsequent age, as it continues to be a source of guidance for Muslims of all times and places.

Jihad

The final section to be reviewed concerns jihad, commonly translated as ‘struggle’. Mohammad Yusri seeks to delineate the meaning of this term and to refute extremist interpretations of the term. He first acknowledges that extremist groups do attempt to ground their viewpoints in the Qur’an and Sunnah – but are nonetheless misplaced in their interpretations and thoroughly out of context. Mohammad Yusri concedes that there are scholarly views that accord offensive warfare as part of jihad. However, he notes that the scholars contradict themselves even as they argue for this interpretation. For example, they will state that there is no coercion in matters of religion, while at the same time maintaining that there is a military imperative in Islam to spread the word of God. This point is important personally because critics of Islam often point out that Islam is an inherently militant faith, and they point to our source texts to justify this claim. It was challenging to reconcile scholars who argue that there is no such thing as jihad being offensive warfare, with the critics of Islam who say that there is. Thus, it was difficult, though necessary, to concede that there were opinions in the past that called for jihad offensively, even if, at the end of the day, we must disagree with this viewpoint as it is no longer tenable today.

To support the viewpoint of jihad as being only defensive, some scholars argued that one must examine the verses of jihad in the Quran in relation to those that call to peace. One will then find that jihad is more consistently defined as being only defensive warfare. This is not a strictly modernist view, as there is past precedence for it – all four major Sunni schools of law, except the Shafi’i school, argue that jihad is only defensive. To give an example, they cited the battles of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in his time, which were defensive in nature.

Mohammad Yusri concludes by affirming that armed warfare is the last prerogative of religion. Peace and harmony are the desired outcomes of any conflict. Jihad in the pursuit of knowledge and religion, as well as the progress in education, economy, and work, is more favourable. This last aspect of jihad is notably absent from the book. The greater struggle against one’s lower impulses to refine character; the struggle to improve one’s self spiritually and physically; and to make meaningful contributions to the society one lives in.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this tafsir treats and addresses important and relevant themes. The verses and views of scholars cited have an eye on the contemporary context. Mohammad Yusri successfully cites from both classical and modern views, choosing whichever views most suitable to our times. Furthermore, by citing both pre-modern and modern authorities, Mohammad Yusri avoids parochialism and enhances his interpretations of the verses that are relevant to the themes addressed. In addition, the author cites his personal views where relevant. This value adds to the work as it shows Mohammad Yusri is not a passive recipient of scholarly views, but actively taking part in the interpretation to find the most meaningful answers to our present predicaments. This tafsir also shows the richness of the Islamic intellectual tradition, where diversity abounds, and disagreements are treated with respect. Readers will find their appreciation of the tradition enhanced through the plurality of views showcased in this book.