Assalamualaikum and a very good morning to the esteemed judges, teachers and fellow friends.

Today I stand before you to talk about wasatiyyah, the pillar of unity of a nation. If we look at the history of Rasulullah s.a.w whether it is the Makkah or Madinah era, we find that many of his interactions with Muslims or non-Muslims normally had a purpose. Among his main aims was to portray the beauty of the religion of Islam that was revealed to him. It was also to show that Islam is a religion of good. It is a religion of peace that is suitable for all times, places and conditions. As such, the approach taken by Rasullulah in preaching contained the very nature of the Islam that was revealed to him. It invites humans to make Islam a way of life. Rasullulah s.a.w called for an approach that is moderate and balanced (Al-Wasatiyyah). As Allah has said in the AlQuran : " Thus We have appointed you a middle nation, that you may be witnesses against mankind and that the messenger may be a witness against you. Surah Al-Baqarah ayat 142. Wasatiyyah is an important aspect in Islam that places justice as a reference for the entire human race as said by Allah SWT in Surah Al- Baqarah, ayat 143 : "I also made you, O people of Muhammad as the chosen people again fair, so that you may be witnesses against mankind on the Day of Judgment and the Messenger will be a witness against you ... ". Based on the verse mentioned above, scholars interpret wasatiah as an impartiality, which entitles people became witnesses in the Hereafter acts of those who deviate from the truth and against the apostles who has been sent by Allah SWT. Yet in a broader sense, wasatiah includes the following : 1. Fairness, 2. Truth, 3. Balance, 4. Perfection, 5. Meets fitrah What is wasatiyyah? In Arabic, wasatiyyah means balanced and moderate. The term wasatiyyah comes from the root word wasat which means middle or balanced or moderate. Actually, the wasat (middle) is a synonym for virtue because virtue is defined as the mid between two bad extremes. For instance, generosity is the wasat between niggardliness and extravagance. Islam is the moderate way, neither too difficult but neither too lax. In accordance to the human fitrah as described in Quran ~

So direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah of Allah upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah . That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know. Surah Rum verse 30. So from the definition we are the nation that has chosen between extremely spirituality without practical benefits and extreme laxness without spirituality. Islam does not allow us to drown in water, but it certainly does not keep us from coming in contact with the water, but taking the needs of human nature in consideration, shows us a balanced way and teaches us to swim. He sent His Messenger SAW as a guide to teach us this middle way. "Indeed, in the messenger of Allah a 'good example (uswatun hasana)' has been set for the one who seeks Allah and the Last Day and thinks constantly about Allah." ( Al Quran..33:21) so he (SAW) is the best teacher of this middle path which is siraatul mustaqeem, for he knew better than anyone else what ALLAH meant by this middle nation. Among the traits of the Muslim community is "ummatan wasatan" - that is, a community that takes the middle path or the "moderate ummah" that practises moderation in every area of life. To make this a reality, each individual Muslim should follow two things before making a decision. They are: i. To understand considerations for us to understand the Islamic laws more clearly. This is because achieving balance requires weighing of considerations. ii. To hold on to the principle of justice because a community that takes the middle path is a community that is just. Weighing considerations means being able to assess what is good when we come face to face with two things that are opposed to one another. Justice requires that we take action that does not victimize certain parties. It is undeniable that the unity of a nation is the core to a nations survival. Wasatiyyah is a practice that is very important because as it will ensure unity among fellow human beings in general. By inculcating wasatiyyah, they prioritizing devotion to God without distinction of race, culture, language and skin color. Allah says in Surah al-Hujarat verse 13 "O mankind! We have created you from male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye berkenalkenalan (and mingle with each other). Verily, the most honorable of you with Allah is the most righteous of you, (not because of their ethnicity or race). Allah is Knower, Aware of His Knowledge (of the situation and deeds). "

Among the claims contained in this wasatiyyah practice is that we are always just follow the tenets of Islam; whether being fair in making decisions or in dealing with any conflict in giving rights to people who deserve it. By practicing wasatiyyah ,we learn to adopt an earnest, diligent and steadfast nature, in accordance with the tenets of Islam as taught by the Prophet . Allah says in Surah Al- Hashr verse 7 ; "Whatever is given by the Prophet (whether granting or order ) to you , accept it , and whatever he forbids you to do so then abstain . Fear Allah . Allah is stern in His ( for those who violate His command ) " . It is clear , that the attitude adopted wasatiyyah organized by the Prophet , none other is not to conform to the nature of mankind . Practice wasatiyyah indirectly to educate us not to be extravagant and not be bigoted to deny the truth in any situation. Negative attitudes like this really would not be able to create unity among fellow human beings . Conversely, this attitude will only be the cause of the conflict and controversy existing in society today. Hadith of Ibn Jubair Mut'im that Allah's Messenger; "He is not among us those who invite to asabiyyah , not from among us those who fought on the basis asabiyyah and not from among us those who died fighting for asabiyyah " In a nutshell, Islam is a religion that stresses moderation in every area of life. The religion of Islam strikes a balance between theory and practice. Some key features that make a pillar for the unity of Muslims. Among them are prioritize fairness in society. placing a balance in life, staying true to the tenets of Islam , without neglecting and voiding possessing an obsessed character which can bring yourself down. Islam should not be practiced too loosely or too tightly as it is in between these two extreme conditions.