Conclusion

The Arabs regard the Jews as their enemies and are fighting with them. But the Quran tells us that the enemy is our potential friend. This potential friendship, therefore, has to be turned into a reality. Thus, according to the Quranic principle, what is required in such a case is enmity management, rather than fighting. The Arabs say that they want peace, and they want peace with justice. But they must know that justice is not a part of peace. Justice can be achieved only through one’s own efforts. Peace only opens the door of opportunities, and by availing of these opportunities, one can achieve the desired justice. A practical example of this policy in the life of the Prophet is found in the form of the Hudaybiyya agreement. It was an agreement meant to ensure peace. To finalize this agreement, the Prophet accepted all the conditions laid down by the opposite party. This peace agreement opened up all kinds of opportunities, and by availing of these opportunities, the Prophet was able to achieve everything he wanted to achieve. In Islam, peace is the summum bonum. Therefore, Muslims must adopt a peaceful course of action, rather than a violent course of action. According to this principle, suicide bombing is quite unacceptable in the Islamic scheme of things. Islam advocates result-oriented action. Any action that fails to yield a positive result is against the spirit of Islam. The Quran advocates seeking a common ground between the two parties. Such common ground can be found in both the religious and the secular fields.