Islam’s golden rules for peace

When Islam started in 610 AD, it was introduced into what was then a chaotic part of the world, where people were divided by tribal differences and loyalties and where their lives were not safe and feuds could last for decades. The wider world was at war too, even the biggest powers of the time. The Roman empire and the Sassanid empire were at loggerheads with each other, while the rest of the world either supported one or the other or were engaged in conflicts of their own.

In this, what is now all too easily recognisable, situation, Islam set out to create an atmosphere of tranquillity, peace and human brotherhood. Then, as now, it was never going to be easy to convince people to accept changes to the political spectrum, alter the way they ran their lives and reject the whole mindset of the time, so that they could be united within a sense of human belonging.

Islam emphasised to the people that ‘Allah does not love those who spread mischiefs in the land’ and that if they did so they were challenging their religious loyalty to Allah. Islam even then forbade them to initiate any act of transgression, as Allah does not love aggressors, by saying: ‘Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you but do not transgress, for Allah does not love transgressors’. S2 V190

Permission to defend against a transgression is granted but prohibition is made against initiating a transgression or conflict. However, those who initiate hostility are directly responsible for that transgression and then a defensive action is granted.

Why Islam is peaceful? The reason is simple: Islam forbids all hostility or any hostile actions for religious, political or social reasons!

But Islam also argues its case logically, as always, saying that a good action and a bad action cannot be seen as equal, and that only goodness must be followed.

The Quran says in the Surah 41verse 34: ‘O Prophet! Good and evil are not equal. Repel (evil) with that which is good, and you will see that he, between whom and you there was enmity, shall become as if he were a bosom friend (of yours). But none attains to this except those who are steadfast; none attains to this except those endowed with mighty good fortune’.

Obviously this is the path we must follow if we want to create a peaceful and friendly world! Not an easy task, certainly, as it requires personal sacrifices from us all. We must reject our unjust temptation to dominate others, or to put others down, or to always win the day. Human greed can never be seen as logical, based, as it is, solely on personal interest and benefit. We must also demonstrate a spiritual commitment to peace and a sense of accountability within our souls, in this world and in front of Allah the Almighty.

People are all too readily tempted to react in the most adverse manner, often as a result of a dislike for, or a disagreement with a person or for some other issue. Islam asks that people pause and think before reacting to any such situation, saying just after the above mentioned verses: ‘and if you are prompted by a provocation from Satan, seek refuge with Allah, He and He alone, is All Hearing, All-Knowing’.

Furthermore, in the most hostile of situations when the provocation is at its most severe, the Quran requires people to practice serenity and reflection. It says: ‘O Mohammad! Repel evil in the best manner. We are well aware of all that they say about you’. S23 V96

Our greatest test against the forces of evil comes when we are personally affected and the challenge then is not to respond ‘in kind’ or, even worse, to ‘teach a permanent lesson’. In Islam, the path of forgiveness and the seeking and finding of a solution, to minimise the hostility or passion created by conflict, is the best path and divinely approved.

We all struggle to avoid provocation but our greatest struggle will be to lay down the foundations of peace and peaceful human interaction.

The Prophet, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, never allowed Muslims to use violence as the solution for any of their problems. A peaceful path was always recommended as the most powerful and positive tool in bringing people together and in creating peace in the society and in the world.

In todays world, the noble meaning of the concept of Jihad has been so badly distorted that even the most level headed Muslims are reluctant to use it any more, fearing a backlash and negative reactions. It has become synonymous with mindless violence and sheer brutality in which no rules are followed.

In their thirst for revenge, some people attempt to justify their vileness by their use of the name of Allah, and other religious slogans, which is completely unjustified, untenable and un- Islamic!. The worth of a human soul is described in this following verse and we all need to remind ourselves of this before we commit to any violent action. The Quran says: ‘he who slays a soul unless it be (in punishment) for murder or for spreading mischief on earth shall be as if he slain all mankind; and he who saves a life shall be as if he had given life to all mankind.’

There cannot be a better description of human worth than this and the reason why every soul should be regarded as sacred. That this is so was repeated and reinforced in the last sermons of the Prophet, in his last Hajj, when he told people that; ‘your soul, your property and your honour are as sacred as the sacredness of that day, that land and that month.

Conflict begets conflict but peaceful engagement bears a peaceful outcome. We must fully engage in whatever creates peace and strengthens human bonds. Only a peaceful environment is conducive for the acceptance of mutual understanding and values. A hostile world is not a good place for anyone to be and we all must cooperate to avoid it. Violence by individual Muslims has heightened the passion for revenge and for tit-for-tat reactions and any tolerance for others or their values has all but disappeared.  No good will ever come from this present situation, and we can only hope that people will understand that good and evil cannot be equal and that evil must be repelled by good.  

The Quran says: ‘As far those who strive in Our Cause, We shall surely guide them to our ways, indeed Allah is with those who do good’. S29 V69