These few points, though brief, show that Islam has a great role to play in countering the deadly challenges, namely violence and conflict, which haunt the world today. This scheme of Islam is not based on mere ideology, but has a genuine history of practical success to back it. The history of Islam shows that its message of peace is not just a utopian dream, but is a fully practicable programme. It is a historical fact that the Prophet of Islam adopted such a well-considered strategy that all his successes were achieved with surprisingly little bloodshed. The toll of casualties in the revolution he brought about in Arabia amounted to only about a thousand on both sides. This number is comparatively so low that this revolution can rightly be termed bloodless. Thus Islam teaches conflict resolution in a peaceful manner.
The Quran enjoins: Copy Arabic text (4:128) Peaceful living is the best.
The Quranic verse as-sulh khair means peaceful living is the best, or harmonious living is the best. There's no principle greater than this. Harmonious living is possible through management of differences. Harmonious living is possible when you tolerate differences, and not eliminate differences. This is why the Quran says: Copy Arabic text (109:6) For you your religion, for me mine. This is a beautiful formula. In social and political life, this formula is called coexistence. Peaceful coexistence in spite of all those differences. This is the formula of Islam Lakum deenukum wa liya deen can be formulated thus: follow one and respect all. You follow the method which you think is right and leave others to follow whatever they want. The Islamic formula is: Follow one and respect all. There is no formula better than this. There is no conflict in this, no disharmony, no violence. You agree to follow what you think is right and allow freedom to others. This means to have peaceful dialogue over differences. As-sulh khair or peaceful living is the best means I will follow what I consider right, and in matters of differences, there will be peaceful dialogue. Dialogue is also a part of nature, or part of life. Dialogue is a permanent feature of life. Dialogue happens in every matter, so it would also take place in matters of religion. In the different aspects of human life, example politics, economics, business, education, dialogues take place. Religion will also be part of dialogue. Just as you undertake dialogue in other areas, we will do dialogue in religious matters as well. Where there are differences in religion, we will engage in dialogue with people and not fight with them. This is the formula of Islam.
