Issues of Ijtihad

What is Peace? he is angry, so much so that he can easily become violent. To keep one’s anger under control is the way of a peaceloving person, while letting oneself get out of control when angry is the way of a person who glorifies violence. Suppose two people have a fight and one of them hurls the other to the ground. This may signify only that the former is physically stronger than the latter. However, physical strength is a very limited sort of power. In contrast, someone who is angry but is able to control his anger and behaves in a balanced way with the person who provokes him to become angry is much stronger than the person who is only physically strong. His behaviour proves that he possesses the power of intelligence, which is undoubtedly much more powerful than physical strength. Such a person can, because of his wise planning, win every battle without physically harming anyone. The Formula for Social Peace What is the ideal formula for social peace? How can social equilibrium be established? In this regard, a hadith gives us some valuable clues. According to this report, the Prophet said that fitna, or strife, is asleep, and that God’s curse is upon one who wakes up a sleeping fitna. (Kanz al Ummal, Hadith No. 30891) Self-restraint in this case is a natural formula for social peace.