The Principle of Wasatiyyah-Consumerism in Syama’il Muhammadiyyah: A Study of Al-Hadith Al-Mawdu‘iy

Abstract

Consumerism is the final stage after the production and distribution stages. A community that is so accustomed to a modern lifestyle tends to spend extravagantly and uncontrollably up to the point of creating various socio- cultural and socio-economic issues. This is explained by the fact that the widely used capitalist system is progressing, and the progress is measured using maximum material utility. Thus, at part of the Malaysian government’s efforts and commitment to realize wasatiyyah as a national aspiration that increases the people’s wellbeing, this concept should be discussed as this approach shapes the form of consumerism. In relation to this issue, this working paper aimed to identify and analyses the principle of wasatiyyah-consumerism in Syama’il Muhammadiyyah. The question is, what form of consumerism could be based on the wasatiyyah concept? How the principle of wasatiyyah-consumerism should be practiced? To answer these questions, this paper work only analysed secondary data, which comprised the al-Hadith al-Mawdu’iy (thematic hadith) analysis method. The findings showed that the principles of wasatiyyah-consumerism in Syama’il Muhammadiyyah were the principle of charity; the principle of balance; and the principle of ihsan.