JULY 18

In Search of a Formula for Peace

Peace is a must for all kinds of constructive activities. No peace no progress, no peace no development. Because of this importance, every religion including Islam, has laid great emphasis on peace. That is why everyone is desirous of peace. All men and women want to live in a peaceful atmosphere. But it is also a fact that nowhere people are enjoying peace today. Peace is yet to be achieved. Peace remains a distant dream for all of us.

Now, what is the reason behind this failure? The reason is that peace is a bilateral issue. But everyone wants to secure peace on unilateral basis. Everyone wants to receive peace on his own terms without taking others into account. But this kind of approach is unrealistic and impractical. You know, our world is a world of diverse interests. And in such a world, unilateralism of this kind is simply not feasible. Now, let’s have a look at history, which is mentioned in the Quran as the Days of God.

A study of history tells us that practically there are only two formulas available for peace. And that whenever peace has been achieved it was achieved by following one of the two formulas.

Now the first formula for peace is that of give and take. That is, gaining something by giving something to the other party. The second formula for securing peace is to accept the status quo. Refusal to accept the status quo results in war. And acceptance of the status quo results in peace.

Now, it is circumstances that determine which one of the two formulae is applicable to any given situation. This is the gist of what I have found after a long study of Islam as well as of human history.

In short, peace is the outcome of co-existence. And peaceful co-existence is the only way of existence on this planet. This is the lesson we learn from history. Either we co-exist or cease to exist. There is simply no other option.

Some practical examples

The early Islamic history provides an example of the first formula for peace. There is a well known incident which is recorded in seerah books as Sahifa al-Madina (Madinah Declaration). When the Prophet of Islam came to Madinah, after migration from Makkah, the city was inhabited at that time by both Muslims and non-Muslims. The Prophet secured peace by following the formula of give and take. The Prophet obtained some civic rights for Muslims by acknowledging some civic rights for non-Muslim community. In this way a peaceful society came into existence in Madinah.

The Sultanate of Oman gives us a recent example of this kind of peace. Land disputes at the border between Oman and Yemen had continued for a long period of time. It was in early 70’s that the Sultan of Oman established peace on the principle of give and take. Consequently, all the gates of progress which had remained closed for so long were now opened for Oman.

The example of the second formula for peace is Sulh al-Hudaybiya (Hudaybiya Peace Treaty) in the early history of Islam. On this occasion the Prophet of Islam accepted the status quo and returned to Madinah. This enabled him to make a 10-year peace treaty with his rival group. And then he engaged himself in the completion of his constructive projects.

In present times Japan presents an example of securing peace by following this formula. After the Second World War Japan accepted the status quo as against the United States. As a result, an atmosphere of peace immediately prevailed between the two nations. And Japan found the opportunity to devote itself to its plans for progress and development.

These are the only two possible and practicable formulas for securing peace. It will depend upon circumstances which formula has to be adopted.

It is essential to learn in the matter of peace that the objective of peace is not present gain, it is always future gain. The goal of peace essentially is to normalize the situation so that the process of progress and development may be set in motion. The criterion of peace is not what has been achieved at the time of peace settlement, but what opportunities are opened up in the wake of the settlement of peace.

An Incident

Now, I want to narrate an incident very relevant to the subject under discussion here. I visited Jerusalem for the first time in August 1995. As you know, Jerusalem is a well known place of conflict in the world. I was walking around the Arab Sector of the city. At one place I saw that some Palestinian children were singing this Arabic song in chorus:

هلم نقاتل هلم نقاتل        فإن القتال سبيل الرشاد

Let’s make war, let’s make war. For war is the way to success.

I went up to them and told them that it would be much better for them to sing their song like this:

هلم نسالم هلم نسالم      فإن السلام سبيل الرشاد

Let’s make peace, let’s make peace. For peace is the way to success.

The children smiled at this. One child about ten years of age got so excited that he rushed to offer me an olive branch which is considered to be a symbol of peace. Needless to say that I accepted that with thanks. It was indeed the response of nature represented by an innocent child. It is my firm belief that nature loves peace and that if we appeal to human nature the response no doubt will be greatly positive.