Each of our steps should be based on realities and not on wishful thinking or vague suppositions.
October 7, 2008
Each of our steps should be based on realities and not on wishful thinking or vague suppositions.
Download Printable Format (PDF)
Through this book, the author proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Islam and violence are contradictory to each other. Islam claims to be an eternal religion and violence as a principle is totally alien to the scheme of things in Islam. The truth of the matter is that, all the teachings of Islam are based directly or indirectly on the principle of peace. The concept of Islamic violence is so obviously unfounded that prima facie it stands rejected.
Peace is the only religion for both man and the universe. In a peaceful environment all good things are possible, whereas in the absence of peace, we cannot achieve anything of a positive nature, either as individuals, or as a community. The same holds true at national and international levels.
Scholars have rightly defined peace 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 (may peace be upon him) provides a very clear example in his method of negotiating the Hudaybiyya peace treaty. By unilaterally accepting the conditions of his opponents, he concluded a historic 10-year no-war pact, 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.
A peaceful world is like a 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.
No excuse, therefore, justifies the use of violence, in individual or national life. We must maintain peace unilaterally, for nothing that we desire can be achieved without it.
Although at opposite poles, peace and violence result from human thinking. And if one were to think of the end result, one would never indulge in violence. One should bear in mind that peace is in consonance with humanity, whereas violence means a descent to the animal level. Peaceful minds make for a peaceful world. Man was born in peace. Man must die in peace.
