Islam: A Religion of Peace

Man is not for religion; religion is for man- Jaklan Habib. All the religions which are known to us throughout the history, has been propagating peace. When we observe the history of the origin of religion and the cause behind its origin, we find some notions working behind it, e.g. to establish social justice, to promote peace and solidarity, to ensure morality as well as the fundamental rights of mankind and all other living beings.
Islam, claimed itself as a revealed religion, is a religion of peace and faith by its name. From its beginning till the present all the true followers and preachers propagated peace and devoted their lives to establish peace. Professor Gibbs writes in his book “Whither Islam” that No other society has much a record of uniting in an equality of status, of opportunity and of endeavor, so many and so various races of mankind”
Famous Indian intellectual Mr. K. L. Guaba writes in his book “Prophet of the Desert” to confess the Islam as a religion of Peace that “Islam is a religion of peace and toleration. The dominant features of Islam, as its very name implies, is the making of peace. A Muslim is one who has made peace with God and Man. Peace with God implies complete submission to His will and obedience to the laws of creation. Peace with mankind implies the doing of good to one’s fellow creatures.”
Islam, is an Arabic word, derives its “Salaam” and “silm.” The word Salaam means peace and the word silm means submission. So, Islam clarifies itself as a religion of Peace which could be achieved through the submission of man’s will to the will of Allah. The great Sindhi scholar professor T. L. Wasani in his article “Islam as misunderstood by H. G. Wells reproduced in the Islamic review” (February, 1938) writes that “Muhammad had a broad catholic vision. He is the person from whose tongue and hands, mankind is safe.”
Islam as a religion or ideology tied all the human beings in a relationship of universal brotherhood. Holy Quran, sacred text if Islam, declares that “People, be mindful of your lord, who created you from a single soul, and from it He created its mate, and from the pair of them sread countless men and women for and wide…… (4:1) This statements of Holy Quran makes it clear that since the beginning of creation we are tied in a bond of relationship, universal brotherhood. Holy Quran also said that “the believers are brothers, so make peace between your two brothers……. (49:10)
Stanly Lane Pool said in “The speeches and table talk of the prophet Muhammad” (Edinburgh, 1882) that “If greatness of purpose, smallness of means and astounding results are the criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man in modern history to Muhammad? On the basis of a Book (the Quran) every letter of which became law, he created a spiritual nationality which blended together peoples of every tongue and every race.”
To promote peace Islam laid emphasize on individual and communal freedom. It does not believe in mediator in the case of relationship between man and Allah. Mr. Bodley remarks in his book”The Messenger” that “there is no priesthood in Islam. There are Muslim religious teachers and preachers and mosque officials but there is no intermediary between the believer and God. A Muslim is in direct relationship with God.” In 628 A.D, a treaty have made between Muslim and Christian community, when Muslims were the ruler of Arabia, to ensure communal freedom and peace. The treaty is known in history as the charter of privilege. The charter is “This is a message from Muhammad Ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them. Verily, I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them. No compulsion is to be on them. Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries. No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage if, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims houses.
Should any one take of these, he would spoil God’s covenant and disobey His prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate. No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight. The Muslims are to fight for them. If a female Christian married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray. Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them not the sacredness of their covenants. No one of the nations (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the last day.”
Islam claimed itself as a complete code of life, through which Muslims ruled almost all the discovered land of the world, never became a means of oppression or Karl Marx’s opium. Historian lane pool writes in his article “Voice of Islam” published in 1957 that “As a statesman Muhammad was as great as he was a preacher of righteousness. His revelations now deal with things earth. When they looked only towards the things of heaven, petty social rules, and general orders, certain permissions are promulgated with the same authority and from the same divine sources as the command to worship one God alone. He governed the nations as a prophet and not as a king and as a prophet his ordinance must be endorsed with divine afflatus. He found that he must regulate the meanest details of the people’s life. Thus Islam is the God ordained complete code of life.”
As a complete code of life, Islam laid down some rules and regulations to its followers. It cordially condemned the act of injustice, all kind of evil what makes life a complex whole, all the deeds what are the causes of inconvenience. With the divine rule of Islam the true followers were heartily trying to introduce a peaceful society. Islam encourages people to work in righteous way. It declared a reward for a right person. As a propagator of personal freedom it declares that “By the soul and how he formed it……. The one who purifies his soul succeeds and the one who corrupts its fail. (91:7-10) Holy Quran also declares that “Be a community that calls for what is good, urges what is right, and forbids what is wrong; those who do this are the successful one. (3:104) In another “Allah commands justice and doing good, and generosity toward relatives….. (16:90) Professor T.L Waswani writes in his article “Islam as misunderstood by H. G. Wells reproduced in the Islamic review” (February, 1938) that “Muhammad expressed the role of life for the true Muslim in the following significant words- Do unto others what you would have them to do you, and reject for others what you would reject for himself.” In Hujjatul Bi’da prophet (sm) has said that O people! Listen to my words and understand them, know that all Muslims are brothers one to another; ye are one fraternity. Nothing belonging to one of you is lawful to his brother unless given out of free goodwill. Guard yourselves from committing injustice.
Hypocrisy or giving false testimony is a great barrier to establish peace. The religion of peace, Islam takes a strong attempt to aware them who give false testimony. Holy Quran declares that “you who believe uphold justice and bear witness to Allah, even if it is against yourselves, your parents, or your close relatives. Whether the person is rich or poor, Allah can the best take care of both.” (4:135)
Knowledge is an important fact to establish peace. Without knowledge nothing will be clear to us. Knowledge is like media working between right and wrong. It helps us to determine our value, to know the evil. Knowledge is like a candle in a deep dark forest, helps us to know the direction about right path. Prophet (sm) enjoined Muslim to seek knowledge from cradle to the grave. Holy Quran declares that “you, people, can ask those who have knowledge if you do not know. (16:43) Holy Book again declares that “do not follow blindly what you do not know to be true; ears, eyes and heart, you will be questioned about all these” (17:36)
Democracy is one of the great helper of peace. In a democratic system of government all people from different forms can participate in consultation of different matter. They can play an important role to elect their leader. In democratic country government are bound to preserve the fundamental rights of the citizens, e.g. food, shelter, medicine, education and cloths. In such country people enjoyed full freedom. They also preserve the right to criticize the government on issues. Islam as a religion of peace and as a grace of Allah to people encouraged them to practice democracy. Professor T.L. Waswani writes that “when shall the modern nations place love of man above love of the world? There can be no democracy without love of man as a man. This democracy is the very essence of Islam.” Holy Quran says that “here you are, you love them, but do not love you……. (3:119) Dr. Maude Royden remarks in his book “the problem of Palestine” that “the religion of Muhammad proclaimed the first real democracy ever conceived in the minds of men. His God was of such transcendent greatness that before Him all worldly difference was not. Even the deep and cruel cleavage of color ceased to account. All believers are equal and this fundamental equality is nit a fiction as so common among Christianity. It is accepted and real.”
Any immoral or illegal works are the causes to ruin peace. For instances, a great war in history between Sparta and troy had held only because of a women. Destruction of twin tower in America is another example. The causes behind such evil works are mainly personal or political as well as economic interests. All the conflicts on the earth, from past to present, are the results of evil activities, evil thinking. Holy religion Islam stands against all sorts of evil with clear declarations, “Do not contribute to your own destruction with your own hands” (2:105) Islam also said that “Do not kill each other” (4:29), “Do not turn your nose up at people, nor walk about the place arrogantly, for Allah does not love arrogant or boastful people” (31:18) Barnard Shaw has truly said that: “Mohammad was a savior of humanity, the mercy for all men, A blessing for men, and an exemplar in every age.” Someone may claim about the Islamic concept of Jihad. He may accuse that it is a obstacle of peace. But, friends, the actual meaning of Jihad is not attack others. Jihad first refers to fight against one’s own evil. Jihad means to endeavor, to effort. This endeavor or effort is for the establishment of peace. Than, Jihad refers to attack others in order to self defense. About the prophet’s fight with opposites parties Dr. Laura has said “The struggle was between anarchy, the materialism of Barbarian pagans, and the disagreement and falsehood of the highly civilized but intolerant Jews on the one hand and a high ideal or religious and social regeneration on the other.
This was the ideal which Muhammad desired to achieve at any cost and he fought as only a meek one could fight against arrogance who has little will to fight is compelled to fight against those who are bent upon his destruction by force. This he did with very little help, but with the certainty that he was opening the way for carrying the truth to many lives and that he was charged to indicate the right road in the midst of darkness. Arriving, he had first of all lent his friendly hand to the Jews who in this city represented a rich and flourishing group. He invited them to loyal cooperation in political and social unity. But when he realized that they were utterly hostile to him and they were bent upon the pursuit of a false and traitorous course he had to fight and punish them. War was only a means of safe-guarding and exalting the true faith and not an end in itself it was a necessary defense, not an unjust offence.”
First and foremost principle of the Islamic Ideology is to develop human equality in order to ensure social balance. A. R. Gibb has said in his article “An interpretation of Islamic history” that “In fact the social teachings of prophet Muhammad such as brotherhood of all Muslims, their equality before law and God in spite of difference of wealth and station in life and their mutual relationship of the duties arising out of these principles became crystallized and stabilized by being linked to one’s inward loyalty and onward obligation to the one true God.”
George Bernard Shaw has said in his book “Genuine Islam,” vol. 1, that “I believe that if a man like Muhammad were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world he would succeeded in solving its problems in a way that would bring it its much needed peace and happiness.”
The great theosophist and political leader Mrs. Anne Besant has said that “Islam is often attacked because it is utterly misunderstood as to the greatness of its prophet and the nobility of his teachings to the world. Often times in the west you find attack on Islam on the ground that it is fanatically persecuting, not progressive; on the ground that the position of Women in Islam is not such as it should be; on the ground that it does not encouraging learning, science and intellectual endeavor. These are the three chief attacks which the westerners make against Islam. I want towards the conclusion of what I have to say to show you that these attacks are not ju7stified by the teachings of the prophet and are controverter by the services which Islam has rendered to the world.”
Now I want to conclude with the language of Michael Hanes writes in his published article “What attracts me in Islam” march, 1959 that Islam attracts me because it offers a complete philosophy of life, because it is authentic religion, preached and practiced by those who understand it. I believed no one afford to ignore Islam in this day and age. Every one should study it with an open mind to find out just what it really is and does. Those who do so will find themselves pleasantly surprised and they should come to understand the vital truth of unity, brotherhood, morality and tolerance, which are the fundamental teachings of the religion of Islam.”