Wasatiyya
/ˌwɑː.səˈtiː.jə/noun
An Islamic principle or movement emphasizing moderation, balance, and a middle way between extremes.
Did you know?Wasatiyya is associated with Qur’an 2:143, which describes the Muslim community as an ummatan wasaṭan—often translated as a balanced or middle community—although the noun itself is a later formation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*w-s-ṭ
“A reconstructed root connected with the ideas of being in the middle, central, or between two sides.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
wasaṭ
“Middle, center, central position; also moderation or the state between extremes.”
Qur’anic Arabic
Arabic
wasaṭan
“In the middle, balanced, or just; used in Qur’an 2:143 in the phrase describing a balanced community.”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
wāsiṭ
“Mediator or intermediary; a related formation from the same Arabic root referring to what stands between parties.”
Modern Arabic
Arabic
wasaṭiyya
“Moderation, centrism, or the advocacy of a balanced Islamic approach.”
Modern English
English
wasatiyya
“A transliterated loanword used in English scholarship, journalism, and political discussion for Islamic moderation or centrism.”