Islam and Peace – Summary Points
The understanding of peace expressed in the Qur'an and Hadith
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Qur'an is the fundamental text for all Muslims
It contains the revelation of Allah, complete and unaltered as revealed to the Prophet
Muhammad
Qur'an is organised into 114 surahs or chapters
Hadith refers to the collection of traditions of the words and deeds of Muhammad
The word "Islam" comes from selm and salam the Arabic words for peace Muslims
greet one another with the expression "As-Salamu-Alaykum" which means peace be
with you
The first verse of the Qur'an contains the wish for peace " In the name of Allah, the
Most Merciful, the Most compassionate."
One of Allah's names in the Qur'an, is "As Salaam" which means peace.
The Qur'an refers to Islam as 'the paths of peace' ( 5:16 )
It describes reconciliation as a basic stance (4:128) and states that Allah abhors
disturbance of the peace (2:205)
The mission of the Prophet Muhammad is one of peace and mercy to humankind.
(21:107)
The ideal society, according to the Qur'an is "Dar al Salaam" which means the house
of peace. ( 10:25 )
The accounts of creation and the natural order in the Qur'an present the universe as a
model, which is characterised by harmony and peace (36:40)
When Allah created heaven and the earth it was ordered so that each element may
perform its function peacefully without clashing with any other part
The Qur'an states that "the sun is not allowed to overtake the moon, nor does the night
out pace the day. Each in its own orbit runs." (36:40)
Peace is not simply an absence of war
The tradition of the Prophet Muhammad affirms "Allah grants to ifq (gentleness) what
he does not grant to unf (violence), (Hadith4/255)
No aggressive war is permitted in Islam
Muslims can engage themselves only in a defensive, not in an offensive war,
whatever the circumstances (2:190)
According to Islam, peace is the rule and war is only an exception
In the situation of a defensive war if the likely outcome does not warrant the conflict
Muslims should avoid the war
Jihad is a central teaching of Islam but is not synonymous for war
When the Qur'an refers to war or fighting it uses the word "qital" and not jihad.
Jihad literally means to strive or to struggle
In its proper usage Jihad refers mostly to the essential struggle in overcoming
obstacles to submission to Allah
Jihad can, and does also refer to the military struggle to achieve religious freedom for
Muslims and the protection of Muslim values
The use of force is always a last resort and war of aggression is never an option for
Islam.
According to the Hadith, the daily prayer of the Prophet Muhammad was centered on
peace "O Allah, you are the original source of peace; from you is all peace, and to you
returns all peace, So, make us live with Peace; and let us enter paradise; The House of
Peace. Blessed be you, our Lord, to whom belongs all Majesty and Honor!"
Principal teachings about peace in Islam
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Islam is based on the notion of peace as an essential element
The word "Islam" itself comes from the Arabic words for peace selm and salam
The traditional Muslim greeting "As-Salamu-Alaykum" means peace be with you
The first verse of the Qur'an expresses the Muslim understanding of peace. " In the
name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most compassionate"
One of the names for Allah is "As Salaam" which means peace
The Qur'an refers to Islam as 'the paths of peace' ( 5:16 )
It describes reconciliation as a basic stance (4:128) and states that Allah abhors
disturbance of the peace (2:205)
The mission of the Prophet Muhammad is one of peace and mercy to humankind.
(21:107)
The principal teachings of Islam strongly advocate peace
Clear teachings in Islam also permit the use of force in certain situations
The teachings of Islam on the use of force have frequently been misrepresented
The concept of "Jihad" is often the source of the misrepresentation
Jihad is a central teaching of Islam but is not synonymous for war
Qur'an uses the word "qital" and not jihad to refer to war and fighting
Jihad literally means to strive or to struggle
In its proper usage it refers mostly to the essential struggle in overcoming obstacles to
submission to Allah
Jihad can also refer to the military struggle to achieve religious freedom for Muslims
and the protection of Muslim values
The use of force is always a last resort
War of aggression is not permitted Islam
Peace is the fundamental aim of Islam
Wars can be fought to defend against acts of aggression and overcome oppression
War is not a way to advance ideology or extend political power and influence
Peace in Islam does not just mean the absence of war
Extends to the absence of oppression and tyranny
True peace can only exist where there is justice
Islam justifies war against oppressive regimes that prevent people from living in
freedom and upholding their religious beliefs and practices
Does not justify war against non-Muslim people for the purposes of forcefully
spreading the influence of Islam
In the early years of Islam, under persistent threats of persecution and harassment
Muslims adopted a pacifist stance in Makkah
In Madinah, force was only used in response to those who attacked the Muslims
Permission to use force is expressed in the Qur'an "to those against whom war is
made, permission to fight is given" ( 22:39 )
Muslims remained at peace with the Jews who lived in Madinah
Muhammad forged an alliance of cooperation and friendship with the Jews
Assured them of their freedom of religion as well as their security in the Muslim
world
Notion of the two domains "dar al lslam" and "dar al Harb" did not arise until
sometime later during a period of conflict between Islam and the Byzantine empire
Previously peaceful relations had existed between the Islamic world and the Christian
realm of Abyssinia
The Qur'an has been used to provide support for extremists in their campaigns Surahs
such as 2:193 at face value suggest an endorsement of a campaign to force others to
submit to Islam. "And fight them on until there is no more Fitnah and religion should
be only for Allah" (2:193)
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In context this surah clearly refers to a defence of Islam in the face of aggression by
others. "Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not commit
aggression, for Allah loves not aggressors." (2:190) . but if they cease, let there be no
hostility except to those who practice oppression" (2:193)
Another section of the Qur'an seems to invite aggression towards non Muslims "slay
the mushrikin wherever you find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in
wait for them in every stratagem; but if they repent, and establish Salat and pay Zakat,
then open the way for them" (9:5)
The context is clearly a reference to the non Muslims at the time of Muhammad who
were actively plotting against the Muslims in Madinah
This surah is not an endorsement of hostility towards non Muslims it does contain the
basis for the Muslim support of a pre-emptive strike where the evidence of an
imminent attack is unmistakable
In Islam, the permitted use of war is to establish and assure justice, and to overcome
oppression and tyranny
Four situations can be seen where an Islamic state is justified in using force
The first situation is to overcome oppression where there is the denial of religious
freedom
The second situation is when individual Muslims and their property are under attack
from another group in the community
The third situation is where an Islamic state is invaded by a foreign power
The fourth situation relates to law enforcement where there is a need to subdue
rebellion against legitimate authority within an Islamic state
Muslims see the use of force as necessary in certain contexts, believing that without
the responsible use of force there would be chaos and the triumph of tyranny in the
community
"Had it not been (the Will of) Allah that one set of people is repelled by another,
certainly the earth would have been in a state of disorder." (2:251)
"Had it not been (the Will of) Allah that one set of people is repelled by another,
certainly there would have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and
mosques, in which the name of Allah is commemorated in abundant measure." ( 22:40
)
Guidance for Muslims in achieving inner peace
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For Muslims, peace is not a single dimensional or individual concept
Peace is firstly to be at rest with one's own desires and ambitions
Secondly, to have peace with the world around
There is a reciprocal relationship between this inner peace and the peace with the
wider world
No one can be at peace with themselves until they are also at peace with others
It will not be possible to live at peace with others until there is a sense of peace and
wellbeing with one's self
In Islam the concept of peace is two-fold
Firstly, to be at peace with Allah and then, secondly, to be at peace with oneself and
with the rest of the world
In Islam the concept of peace is closely related to the idea of submission
The goal of Islam is submission to Allah and in this submission peace is found
Muslims understand that peace is not possible outside of this relationship with Allah
In submitting to Allah a person finds peace, peace first of all with Allah then with self
and also with others
Submission to the will of Allah is the only means of attaining peace with Allah
The Qur'an sets out clear paths for Muslims to follow in their desire to submit to Allah
The most significant of these are the five pillars or the pillars of Islam (arkan al-islam)
Each of the pillars requires both an internal or spiritual commitment together with an
outward action or sign
The first of the five pillars is a witness to the oneness of Allah and the role of the
Prophet Muhammad as its messenger
Known as the shahada which means to bear witness "I bear witness that there is no
god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah".
The witness in the shahada is essentially all that it takes to be considered a Muslim
The repudiation of anything false includes a repudiation of self and selfishness which
frees a Muslim to worship Allah freely without the restrictions of egocentrism
This freedom is an integral part of the quest for inner peace as a focus on self and
selfishness will effectively destroy this peace
The second of the pillars of Islam is the requirement of ritual prayer known as "salat"
The requirement here is that every Muslim will offer five daily prayers
They are an act of obedience to Allah
They proclaim the oneness and greatness of Allah
The prayers serve the function of bringing people closer to Allah
They contribute to the purity of the person praying, provide strength to carry out the
requirements of Islam and forgiveness for transgressions
The purity and strength associated with salat provide important foundations for a
sense of peace and wellbeing
The third pillar of Islam is the requirement of almsgiving known as "zakat"
The aim of zakat for the one contributing is to purify and cleanse wealth and to allow
it to be free from greed and selfishness
It helps Muslims to overcome feelings of attachment to money and the wish to cling
to it
It affirms that money is for the service of human kind and not for exclusive personal
gain
The freedom from the attachment of wealth and possessions is considered by Muslims
to be an essential element in the quest for inner peace
To maintain close ties to wealth and possession will effectively undermine the search
for inner peace.
The fourth pillar of Islam involves fasting
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It refers to voluntary fasting and is known as "sawm"
The period of fasting is for the month of Ramadan
The fast will be rendered worthless if the disposition of the person fasting is not as it
should be
It is a primary way of commemorating Ramadan and honouring the occasion of the
revelation of the Qu'ran
Secondly it is a time where the hunger of the person fasting brings to mind the reality
of poverty and where almsgiving is strongly encouraged
The self discipline of fasting is an important companion to achieving inner peace as it
is one of the ways of putting aside self and selfishness
The fifth pillar of Islam is the pilgrimage or "hajj"
Every devout Muslim male will desire to make the pilgrimage to Makkah at least once
in their lifetime
The word "hajj" means to embark on a journey with a purpose
The purpose is essentially to visit the Ka'bah in Makkah and worship on Mount Arafat
The physical demands of the Hajj, the organisation required for someone to take part
and the material cost are all elements which require sacrifice and dedication
These elements involve putting aside selfishness in seeking to submit to the will of
Allah
The more perfect the submission to Allah, the more profound the sense of inner peace
that will be experienced by the Muslim
The mystical movement of Sufism has had significant influence on the quest for inner
peace
Sufi teachings have a strong emphasis on peace in general but most particularly on the
attainment of a deep inner peace.
Sufism teaches that a person travels through three stations or stages of peace in their
spiritual journey
The first station is known as the stage of Islam and it refers to the conscious act of
submission to the will of Allah such as achieved through the sincere practice of the
pillars of Islam
The second station refers to a stage where the peace of Allah has come into the heart
of the Muslim and where the peace of Allah has become internalised
This second station is known as Iman
The third station known as the stage of Ihsan is a transformative stage where the
power of evil is defeated and the Muslim experiences the peace of Allah free from the
entrapments of evil
Contribution of Islam to World Peace
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Islam is essentially a religion of peace and true Muslims are peace loving people
Strong misconception about the nature of Islam and its followers.
The sources of this misconception are varied
The misconception stems from a prejudice arising from the fear of the unknown.
Islam is a relatively unknown religion in Australia
Only a small number of Muslims in Australia , few non Muslim Australians have had
the opportunity of getting to know Australian Muslims
Most rely on secondary sources of information to inform their views on Muslims and
Islam in Australia
Tendency to hold prejudices against people and groups who are not well known and
understood in a community
The second source of misconception stems from the political conflicts that have
existed in the Middle East
Particularly through the conflicts between Western interests and those of Middle
Eastern countries
People in countries such as Australia feel uneasy when there is conflict around
Western interests and the use of terrorist tactics by some groups has heightened this
sense of unease
Many people are not able to differentiate between the political interests of some
Middle Eastern countries and the religious interests of Islam
The activities of some extremists who claim to be acting in the name of Islam tend to
reinforce the misconception that Islam is in some way responsible for the unrest
A third source of misconception is the media
Media organisations in Australia have been only too willing to promote
misconceptions and stereotypes in order to create a greater interest in their product
Fear and uncertainty is a great motivator in Australian society and media
organisations have traded on this fact
It serves their purposes to demonise certain members of the community in order to
foster this sense of unease
The fact that so many Australians rely on the media for their information and the
media's propensity to stereotype Muslims as terrorists has contributed greatly to the
misconception of Islam
In the light of this prevailing misconception it is very difficult for Muslims to play a
constructive role in the work for world peace
Many Muslim organisations and individual Muslims who are undertaking important
work for peace
In Australia it is difficult for such work to be recognised and supported because of the
negativity felt towards Muslims
Muslim groups in Australia have found that the most constructive way they can be
involved in the peace process is to provide opportunities for people in the Australian
community to become more familiar with Muslim values and beliefs
Such initiatives have profound significance in terms of addressing the underlying
causes of conflict
Muslims has also taken active roles in partnerships with other religious organisations
in the search for peace
In particular, Muslims work closely with Jewish and Christian organisations
Muslim organisations in Western countries include statements on their websites which
state their opposition to the terrorist activities of extremist groups
Muslim leaders have also contributed to joint statements and programs with leaders of
other religious faiths to condemn violence and work for peace
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Throughout the world there are a number of countries which have predominantly
Muslim populations and in all of these there are organisations and activists who are
prominent in their work for peace.
Nurdin Rahman is a Muslim peace activist who has worked tirelessly during the
conflict in Aceh province
The Israeli-Palestinian Relations Committee of the Israeli & Palestinian Bereaved
Families for Peace has worked in the midst of the conflict in the Middle East
It is a gathering of Palestinians and Israelis who've lost family members due to the
occupation and the severe cycle of violence
They work towards an end to the occupation and peaceful reconciliation between
warring sides in the conflict
In India the South Asia Forum for Human Rights has developed a number of
important programs including the program of "Regional Dialogues of Women
Building Peace"
Their work acknowledges that women are so often the innocent victims of conflict
The dialogues seek to engage women in partnerships that will begin to breakdown the
sources of the conflict