The Religion of Peace

of the Gita, it will undoubtedly be an unscholarly approach and a major obstacle in understanding the Gita’s true import. In the same way, it is recorded in the Bible that Jesus remarked: Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. (Matthew 10:34) If one looks at the complete teachings of Jesus, it will be clear that the above-quoted words are an exception. They certainly are not Jesus’ general message or teachings. In this regard, then, to determine his message, one would have to examine his general utterances. To take some of Jesus’ exceptional utterances to create a general impression or image of his message is not proper. Avoiding taking the exception as the rule is essential to a proper scholarly way of studying any text. This method is the appropriate one for studying the Gita and the Bible, and it is also one that should be used for a full understanding of the Quran. The concept of jihad has to be determined in the light of the Quran and the Hadith. The Quran says: We will surely guide in our ways those who strive hard for our cause, God is surely with the righteous. (29:69) In this verse, jihad also means efforts made in the search for Truth or to acquire intuitive knowledge of God—and in this sense it is an intellectual pursuit. Does Islam Permit Violence? Does Islam permit violence? The answer is, ‘No!’ It is true that Islam permits fighting in defense, just as this is also permitted in every other religion and in every nonreligious system. However, I consider violence to be a different sort of action from this, and from this perspective, there is no permission for violence in Islam at all. The way the word ‘violence’ is conventionally used indicates a deadly physical attack on an