PEACE IN ISLAM
Peace for the sake of Peace
THE very word Islam (from the Arabic silm) implies peace, and all the teachings of Islam are based directly or indirectly on this principle. There are traditions of the Prophet that say that ‘Peace is Islam’, and that, ‘God is peace’ (Al-Bukhari). Similarly, there is another hadith that says that a Muslim is one from whose tongue and hands, people are safe. One of the attributes of God described in the Quran is ‘As-Salaam’, which means ‘peace and security’. That is to say that God’s Being itself is a manifestation or embodiment of peace. In the Quran, divine guidance is likened to the ‘path of peace’ (THE QURAN 5: 16)
In Islam, Paradise, the eternal ideal and the ultimate objective of every man, is called the ‘Home of Peace’ (THE QURAN 10: 25) It is also said that the people of Paradise will wish peace for one another, which is another indication of the importance of peace in the ideal society.
Peace is the norm in Islam; war is the exception. All the teachings of Islam and the life of the Prophet of Islam testify to this.
There is a hadith that says that God grants to gentleness what He does not grant to harshness. That is to say, a peaceful approach is distinctly superior to violence.
The Quran is undoubtedly a book of peace, not a book of war and violence. This can be seen from the fact that all of the Quran’s pronouncements are directly or indirectly related to peace. Its opening invocation is — “In the name of God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful”, and this verse is repeated in the Quran 114 times. This is an indication that the greatest attribute of the Supreme Being who sent this book to us is His mercy. We could say that the theme of this entire holy book is God’s all-embracing compassion.
Judging by its consequences, the way of peace is far better than confrontation or conflict. According to the law of God for mankind, God has decreed success only through reconciliation, and not through violent courses of action. The Prophet's wife Aisha said that, the Prophet’s general policy was always to choose the easier (nonconfrontational) path (Al-Bukhari). This means that violence should not be adopted if peaceful processes are possible. Just as countering aggression with aggression is a hard option and countering aggression with patience and forbearance is an easier option, radicalism is harder than gradualism. Peace is always the easier option in achieving the desired results.
No Extremism
The Quran is very clear in its views on extremism:
Do not go to excess in your religion.
(THE QURAN 4:171)
The same point has been made in a hadith. The Prophet of Islam said, “You should restrain yourselves from committing excesses (ghulu) in religion, for it was due to their having gone to extremes in religion that previous communities were destroyed.” (Musnad Ahmad, 1/215, 347)
Ghulu means extremism. The way of extremism is wrong, whatever the circumstances, because it goes against the spirit of religion. Extremism usually engenders attitudes that call for war and violence. Those who have extremist tendencies remain dissatisfied with the path of moderation, since it strikes them as being far from effective. That is why they so easily incline towards violence to achieve their objectives.
Moderation, which is the opposite of extremism, is closely interlinked with peace. When people possess the virtue of moderation, they necessarily think in terms of peace and engage in their efforts in a peaceful manner.
Adhering To the Path of Truth with Patience and Perseverance
The Quran tells us that the kind of people who can prevent losses and achieve success are those “who exhort each other to justice and fortitude.” (THE QURAN 103: 3)
It is unfortunate that one who adheres to the path of truth himself, or calls on people to accept the truth, is almost invariably rejected by the people. A few people find it difficult to accept even the existence of beliefs that oppose the ones that they hold, once used to hold, or that their culture or family holds. Their resistance can be passionate and occasionally violent. Anyone who wishes to stay on the path of truth will need to exercise great patience. He should bear all hardships with fortitude and not blame others.
Patience is another name for the non-aggressive or peaceful method. This means that one who stands up for the truth ought not to counter violence with violence. He must unilaterally adhere to peaceful ways.
Sanctity of Human Life
The Quran says that, if someone kills another person, it is as if he had murdered all mankind. (THE QURAN 5: 32)
Murder is a horrendous act. The killing of a human being is permissible only when the danger that person poses to society can be resolved in no other way. Killing a single human being without proven justification is equivalent to killing all human beings. The difference between the two is only one of degree and not of the nature of the act itself. Killing one human being is just as horrendous as killing all human beings. Such an act breaks all traditions of respect for life.
The above verse of the Quran shows the great importance of peace and security in Islam. If someone is unjustly killed, Islam demands that the entire society become so greatly agitated over this offence that people work together to restore peace and security. It should be treated as a matter of the greatest urgency, as if all of humanity were under attack.
Clarification of a Fallacy
There is a verse in the Quran that says, “Kill them wherever you find them.” (THE QURAN 2: 191), which leads people to believe that Islam is a religion of war and violence.
This is simply not true. This verse relates only to those who attacked the Muslims while they were in Medina. This is not the general command of Islam. The application of this verse in the present times is not possible as present day wars involve multiple non-combatant casualties as collateral damage.
The Quran was not revealed all at once in its complete form, but rather, in stages, according to circumstances that required divine guidance, over a period of 23 years, twenty of which were peaceful. The revelations during these twenty peaceful years were the peaceful teachings of Islam, such as the verses on the realization of God, worship, morality, justice, etc. The Quran thus contains instruction pertaining to various situations. This variety of commands is found in all religious books, and is, in fact, necessary in order to address all the important aspects of our lives.
Believers do not have the right to wage wars against enemies. In Islam, war is not waged against the enemy, but against the aggressor.
For instance, the Bhagavad Gita, one of the holiest books in Hinduism is a 700-verse conversation between Arjuna and his charioteer Krishna during a battle in the Mahabharata. It is essentially a call to duty and to arms, by Krishna to Arjuna. This does not mean that people who believe in the Gita should take up arms. Mahatma Gandhi derived his philosophy of non-violence and selfless action from the same Gita. Like him, most people take the battle to be an allegory for the ethical and moral struggles of life. Similarly, Jesus Christ says in the Bible:
Do not think that I came to bring peace on Earth;
I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
(Matthew, 10:34)
It would be incorrect to conclude that the religion preached by Jesus was one of war and violence. Such verses relate only to particular occasions. So far as day-to-day life is concerned, Jesus taught peaceful values, such as the building of good character, love for each other, help for the poor and needy, etc.
The same is true of the Quran. The Prophet of Islam migrated from Makkah to Medina because of the hostility of the Quraysh and their allies. The Prophet always tried to avert attacks by employing the strategy of patience and avoidance, but sometimes no options existed save retaliation. It was such circumstances that necessitated the revelations relating to war. These instructions were of a specific nature, and were not meant to be all-embracing.
The Difference Between Enemy and Aggressor
Under God's scheme of trial, we have been granted freedom. Through the exercise of this freedom, enmities may develop between people, leading to conflict, but Islam makes a clear difference between enmity and conflict.
Believers do not have the right to wage wars against enemies. They have only a duty — to peacefully convey the message of Islam. The Quran is clear on this, saying:
And good and evil deeds are not alike. Repel evil with good, and he who is your enemy will become your dearest friend.
(THE QURAN 41: 34)
The Quran says:
Permission to take up arms is hereby given to those who are attacked because they have been wronged.
(THE QURAN 22: 39)
At another place the Quran gives permission to do battle:
They were the first to attack you.
(THE QURAN 9:13)
In Islam, war is not waged against the enemy, but against the aggressor. The only right given to individuals is to convey the message of Islam peacefully. The example set by the Prophet of Islam provides incontrovertible proof of this.
No Confrontation with the Enemy
The Prophet of Islam one observed: “Do not wish for confrontation with the enemy, ask for peace from God.” This means that if someone has become our enemy, we should not necessarily turn against him and start fighting with him, for the solution is not conflict, but rather the avoidance of friction.
A believer should not pray to God thus: “O God, destroy the enemy.” Rather his prayer should be: “O God, help me to stay away from the path of violence and confrontation, in spite of the enmity of others, and help me to pursue the journey of my life along the path of peace.” The power of peace is far more effective and useful than the power of violence.
Extinguishing the Fire of Violence
The Quran says:
Each time they kindle the fire of war, God extinguishes it.
(THE QURAN 5: 64)
This verse of the Quran shows the creation plan of the Creator for this world—a plan based on the principle of peace. Whenever one of two opposing sides is intent on fuelling the fire of war, the other should attempt to extinguish it by resorting to peaceful strategy so that violence can be prevented from spreading. The most desirable way of leading our lives in this world is not to fight fire with fire, but to extinguish it. This is something that should be tried at the very beginning of any disagreement.
War Only For Defence
The Quran says:
Permission to fight is given to those who are attacked, because they have been wronged.
(THE QURAN 22: 39)
This is not just a Quranic injunction aimed at Islamic believers, but rather, a statement of international law. The verse clearly says that war is permissible only when it is taken up to counter open aggression, i.e. in self-defence. All other forms of war come under the heading of aggression. And aggressors have no lawful place in this world.
According to the Quran, even defensive war can be taken up only after making a formal declaration of war, and only by an established government (THE QURAN 8: 58). Non-governmental organisations have no right to wage war on any pretext. We can thus safely conclude that according to the laws of war, as stated in the Quran, all wars, except for those in self-defence, are unlawful. For instance, guerrilla war, proxy war, undeclared war and aggressive war, are all undoubtedly unlawful in Islam.
Peace is the preferable option in every circumstance, except, again, where different strategies to implement it have been tried and have failed, and where armed self-defence becomes necessary for survival.
Jihad
The Quran commands us to carry out ‘Jihad by means of it.’ (THE QURAN 25: 52). As we know, the Quran is a book—an ideological book. Therefore, ‘jihad’ by means of the Quran can only mean conveying the ideas of the Quran to the people.
The above-mentioned verse makes it clear that what is called jihad in Islam entails only the kind of peaceful struggle which has nothing to do with violence. The Arabic word jihad means to strive, to struggle, that is, to exert oneself to the utmost to achieve one’s goal.
For an explanation of the concept of jihad in Islam, see the article ‘The True Jihad’ on page 24
Adopting the Course of Reconciliation
The Quran states:
Reconciliation is best.
(THE QURAN 4: 128)
God has thus decreed that success will be achieved only through a reconciliatory path, and not through a confrontational or a violent course of action.
One of the commandments of the Quran, addressing the enmity between the Muslims and the Quraysh was:
And if they incline towards peace, you too incline to it, and put your trust in God. Surely, it is He Who is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. And if they intend to deceive you, then surely God is sufficient for you.
(THE QURAN 8: 61-62)
This verse of the Quran shows that peace is desirable in Islam, even if it can only be established by incurring risks. If offers of reconciliation are made, they should be accepted without delay, even if the fear of deception exists. We put our hopes in God taking the side of those who love peace, not the side of those who use deception.
Another reality that emerges is that, in this world, peace can be established only by those who have great courage. Problems inevitably arise between different groups of people, because no human situation is ever absolutely ideal. Everyone is, at some point in their lives, faced with injustice. In these situations, only such individuals can establish peace as can rise above all considerations and disdain all pretexts to engage in violent retaliation. Only the truly courageous can establish peace in this world. Those who lack in courage will continue to fight, and will thus never allow the history of the world to be re-written in terms of blessed peace.
War: A State Action
In Islam, war is not the prerogative of the individual, but of an established government. Only an established government can declare war. Islam does not sanction individual action on this issue. As a general principle, the Quran tells us that, even in the face of danger or an external attack, the people should refer to their rulers and together counter the threat. (THE QURAN 4: 83)
The hadith also say that the government is the shield, battle is done under them, and security attained through them. The common man can play his role as need be, under the government's command and not independently.
There are conditions attached to all actions in Islam. Wars are also subject to these principles, one of them being that when a war (in defence) has been declared by the state, only attacking combatants are targets. Targeting non-combatants is unlawful. The Quran only permits us to defend ourselves against those who attack us. (THE QURAN 60: 8)
Muslims are also not permitted to commit suicidal bombings. This can in no way lead to shahadat, or martyrdom. According to Islam, to die while fighting for a just cause is to achieve martyrdom, but we cannot court death deliberately or use our own deaths as weapons.
A Mercy for Mankind
The Quran says of the Prophet of Islam:
We have only sent you as a mercy to all mankind.
(THE QURAN 21: 107)
The advent of the Prophet of Islam made manifest God’s mercy for all mankind. Through him, God communicated those principles of life by opting for which man may inhabit the abode of eternal peace and security (Dar us Salaam). (THE QURAN 10: 25)
Through him, such teachings were revealed as could turn human society into a peaceful society. The Prophet of Islam presented a complete ideology based on the concept of peace. He gave us the formula for a peaceful life — to shun hatred and violence.
The entire life of the Prophet illustrates this peace-loving policy. At the time of the migration or Hijrath, the people of Makkah were all set to wage war against the Prophet and his companions. Had the Prophet wished, he and his companions could have confronted the enemy. Omar and the other companions were seeking permission to engage with the enemy but the Prophet refused and avoided conflict by quietly leaving his homeland for Medina. This was not escaping out of fear for their lives, rather it was a concerted decision to avoid conflict and change the place of action.
Just prior to the Hudaybiya treaty in 628 AD, a state of war prevailed, but the Prophet accepted all the conditions of his enemies unilaterally and agreed to a peace treaty. On the occasion of the battle of Khandaq, the 12000 strong army of the Quraysh had arrived at the borders of Medina, in order to do battle. But the Prophet and his companions dug a long trench to set up a buffer between themselves and their enemies, thus avoiding bloodshed.
The Prophet lived in an age of conflict. This fact could not be ignored during his mission. In spite of his peace loving nature and peaceful mission, the society he lived in was not peaceful. The battles that he was forced to engage in were purely due to this factor. These battles were so brief that we might describe them as skirmishes rather than wars. It would be quite correct to say that the Prophet of Islam initiated a revolution which, although very great in its scope and later repercussions, was ideologically non-violent. He impressed upon his followers that violence was the way to destruction, while peace was the way to salvation. He held patience to be the greatest form of worship, and disturbing the peaceful system of nature to be the greatest crime.
The Prophet enjoined believers to greet one another by saying “As salam o alaikum!” (Peace be upon you!). This shows that any relationship should be based on peace and security. The Prophet told believers that success in the Hereafter should be the objective of our lives. He dispelled the notion that material accumulation was the aim of life, for that ultimately results in conflict and violence. They were told to make themselves useful to others, and if that was not possible, to at least refrain from causing anyone any harm. No one should be regarded as an enemy; even the enemy must be given fair treatment, for only then would the realization come that one’s enemy was potentially one’s friend: the ‘enemy’ always has it in him to be a friend.
Peace in All Circumstances
The Prophet of Islam was a peace-lover to the ultimate extent. His opponents repeatedly attempted to draw him into war, but on each occasion he avoided becoming entangled. However, sometimes in view of unilateral aggression, he had no option but to fight purely in self-defence, and for a limited duration. The battle of Badr is one such example.
History shows that at the exact moment when the armies of both sides were standing ready for battle, the Prophet was visited by Gabriel, God’s angel. He said to the Prophet: “O Muhammad, God has sent you peace (salam).” On hearing this, the Prophet of Islam replied: “God is peace, peace is from Him and to Him is peace.” (Al-Bidaya wa'l-Nihayah). This incident shows that even at such a juncture, the Prophet of Islam was a peace-lover. His mind was free of hatred and violence. All he had was the desire for peace to be established in the world with the help of God.
This is one of the highest examples of positive thinking. War is the most negative of all events. To the Prophet, standing on the battlefield, the words that came to his lips were those of peace and security, rather than of war and violence. This is indicative of the highest human virtue. The noblest human character is one who thinks of peace amidst violence and who can plan for reconciliation even during war.
Peaceful Citizens
According to a hadith, the Prophet of Islam defined a believer as a person from whom people are safe as regards their lives and property. (At-Tirmizi, An-Nasai, Ibn Majah, Musnad Ahmad)
According to this hadith, the way of the faithful is to live as peaceful citizens in society. No one should pose any danger to others’ lives, property or honour. Under no circumstances, should one take to the way of violence.
How should we lead our lives so that every member of the society we live in remains safe and secure from injustice? It is by maintaining the way of moderation. All members of society should be able to bury their complaints in their own hearts instead of pouring them out on others. A society in which such self-control is exercised is one in which its members can enjoy a feeling of security. A peaceful society is the ideal framework for positive human development. A society fraught with violence offers little hope for the realization of individual human potential.
The love of peace is a noble human virtue, whereas the love of violence brings the human being down from a higher ethical plane to the level of brutishness.
Unconditional Peace
Peace is rightly defined as 'the absence of war'. However, there are some who hold that peace should necessarily be accompanied by justice. But setting such a condition for the attainment of peace is impractical. For the role of peace is purely to set the stage for us to strive for justice and to work towards other constructive ends.
The Prophet Muhammad provided a clear example in his method of negotiating the Hudaybiya peace treaty. By accepting all the conditions of his opponents, he began a ten-year long period of peace, without apparently receiving justice or his rights. But by means of this peace treaty the Prophet and his companions were enabled to consolidate themselves so thoroughly that they had no need to wage war to attain justice.
Jesus Christ once said, “Love your enemy.” This means to be on peaceful terms with one’s enemy, i.e. winning over your enemy by using the power of peace. This is the divine formula to attain peace.
The Quran says:
God calls to the Home of Peace.
(THE QURAN 10: 25)
This means that according to the creation plan, peace and harmony should prevail in human society. God Himself is Peace (Peace being an attribute of God). He intended this world to be peaceful, and only a peaceful world will be able to receive His blessings. Such a world is like paradise on earth. It is only in such a world that we can meet and establish contact with God, the Creator of Man and the Universe.
Both peace and violence result from human thinking, and if we consider the final result we would never employ violence. Peaceful minds make for a peaceful world.
Peace—Positive Behaviour
Peace is a product of a positive mental attitude, while violence is the result of a negative one. Peace is the natural state of society, while violence is not. Peace is as much in accordance with nature’s plan as violence is against it. When peace prevails in a society, all activities take place properly. If the atmosphere of peace is disturbed, however, the normal functioning of society is disrupted. According to the scheme of nature, peace is the only secret of smooth functioning in human society as well as in the rest of the universe.
Peace is such a basic requirement of man, that it is crucial to maintain it in all situations. Without peace there can be neither development nor progress. No excuse whatsoever justifies the use of violence in individual or collective life. Regardless of how unfavourable circumstances might be, an environment of peace is indispensable. We must maintain peace unilaterally, for nothing that we desire can be achieved without it.
If we fail to establish peace, then we must face destruction in every field of life. We have to choose between peace and annihilation, because without peace, there is no hope for the survival of humankind.
Peace—Man’s Absolute Right
Peaceful revolution is the outcome of peaceful thinking. Peaceful minds make for a peaceful world. Man was born in peace. Man must live in peace. Peace—man’s birthright—is God’s greatest blessing for human beings.
Peace in Society
Whenever the state of peace prevails in a society in the real sense, its members will necessarily engage themselves in positive activities.
Their energies will be channelized into the reconstruction of their own lives and of their social environment.
