NO EXTREMISM

PEACE IN ISLAM ~ 143 ~ we should opt rather for avoidance of friction, so that conflict is effectively prevented. ‘Ask for peace from God’ means to adopt the way of peace instead of confrontation and secure God’s succour for peaceful activities. A believer should not pray to God thus: “O God, destroy the enemy.” Rather his prayer should be: “O God, help me to stay away from the path of violence and confrontation, in spite of the enmity of others, and help me to pursue the journey of my life along the path of peace.” This shows that according to the plan of nature, peace in this world is the general rule, while violence is a temporary necessity. Furthermore, this tells us that if an individual or a group is our enemy, the way of confrontation is not the only way to solve the problem. A better and far more appropriate method is to neutralize enmity through a peaceful strategy. The power of peace is far more effective and far more useful than the power of violence. THE PEACEFUL METHOD IS THE BEST We learn from a tradition what the Prophet’s policy was in general matters: