Understanding Excess in Religion

UNDERSTANDING EXCESS IN RELIGION A mong the things forbidden in Islam is what is called excess (ghulu), that is, going beyond proper limits. This excess always occurs in religious matters. Accordingly, the Quran has warned the Christians against excess, saying: “Do not commit excess in your religion” (5:77). It does not say: Do not commit excess in your disbelief. Among my countrymen there was a person named Qamaruddin. He was a very sincere man. He was extremely regular in prayer and fasting. Yet it often happened that he found it difficult to reach the mosque on time for the Friday prayer. The reason was his extremist understanding of ritual bathing. On Fridays, when he began bathing, he would repeatedly doubt that his bath was incomplete. He would feel that water had not reached some part of his hair, or that some part of his body had been left unwashed. As a result, he would continue bathing for hours in the bathroom. At times,