A Peaceful Struggle

all who embark upon such a course must study the Quran and the Sunnah dispassionately and objectively. Only after passing through this intellectual jihad will one be able to articulate a true representation of the faith. Two necessary conditions have been laid down for communicating the message of Islam to people—wellwishing and trustworthiness. Well-wishing reflects an earnest desire on the part of the communicator for the wellbeing not just of his immediate audience but for the whole of humanity. One should be so rooted in this well-wishing that it remains undiluted even if one encounters injustice and oppression. Overlooking people’s negative behaviour towards them, one who seeks to share God’s message with others should continue to remain their well-wisher. The element of trustworthiness is important in that it ensures that the message God has sent to the world will be presented to people without deletion, addition or distortion. For instance, if God’s message is Hereafteroriented, it should not be projected as world-oriented; if it is spirituality-based, it should not be presented as politicsbased; if it confines struggle only to peaceful efforts, it should not be misinterpreted as violence-driven. In the context of the above discussion, it is important to recall the verse in the Quran that says: “God calls man to the home of peace” (10:25). Thus, our target should be peace. Thus, our efforts should be directed toward peace. Therefore, we need to proceed towards peace. So, that is the true criterion by which to judge whether our activities are authentically ‘Islamic’ or not. If our activities lead in the