INTRODUCTION

Karen Armstrong, a writer based in London, has written more than a dozen books on religion. One of her nearly 300-page books is a biography of the Prophet of Islam:

Armstrong, Karen. 1992. Muhammad: A Western Attempt to Understand Islam. London: Victor Gollancz Ltd.

This book presents an attempt to study Islam in a fair and unbiased manner. In particular, it refutes the propaganda that Islam is a violent religion. The book concludes with the following words:

“Muhammad... founded a religion and a cultural tradition that was not based on the sword—despite the Western myth—and whose name ‘Islam’ signifies peace and reconciliation.” (p. 266)

Everyone who studies Islam fairly and academically shares the same view, as shown in the example above. It is possible for a Muslim individual or group to show deviation in practice, but as far as Islam itself is concerned, this is its true nature.

It is a fact that the teachings of Islam are entirely based on peace, reconciliation, and humanity. Islam, in its true essence, is a religion of peace and human values. In relation to the Creator, its core concept is oneness, and in relation to creation, its main principle is humanity.