Prophet Muhammad: A Man of Peace

FOREWORD Due to the intolerance and violent extremism of small groups of people who call themselves ‘Muslims’, Islam is currently widely perceived to be a religion of violence. These groups assert that their objectives can be achieved only through a violent approach. This, however, is untrue. Islam is not the name given to the behaviour or the actions of a particular group of people who call themselves ‘Muslims’. Islam is a system of beliefs and ethics; people who hold those beliefs and value those ethics are called Muslims. It follows, then, that the behaviour of Muslims must be judged by the principles of Islam and not vice versa. Islam cannot be evaluated based on the actions of Muslims. If individuals calling themselves ‘Muslims’ adopt violent means, then the responsibility for their actions lies with them, not with the religion they profess. In spite of their professed Islamic agenda, the actions of such people cannot be deemed Islamic. PEACE IN ISLAM Islam is derived from the Arabic root word ‘Silm’. The root word Islam implies peace. All the teachings of Islam are based directly or indirectly on this principle. The Prophet Muhammad’s teachings say ‘Peace is Islam’ and ‘God is peace’ (Al-Bukhari). Similarly, there is another Hadith (the teachings and sayings of Prophet Muhammad) that says that a Muslim is one from whose tongue and hands, people are safe. One of the attributes of God described in the Quran is ‘As-Salaam’, which means ‘peace and security’. It means that God is a manifestation or embodiment of peace. In the Quran, divine guidance is likened to the ‘path of peace’.(5: 16) Islam and almost all other religions make Paradise the eternal ideal and the ultimate objective of every human. The Quran calls Paradise the ‘Home of Peace’.(10: 25) It is also said that the people of Paradise would wish peace for one another, which indicates importance of peace in the ideal society.