NO EXTREMISM

PEACE IN ISLAM ~ 148 ~ themselves with modesty. The same point has been underlined in a hadith: “One who chooses the way of modesty will be raised up by God.” So the secret of peaceful living is to sedulously avoid any ego clash taking place between individuals or groups. This is the only successful formula for establishing a peaceful society on a permanent basis. SELF-EVIDENT PROOF A three-day symposium was held in Washington under the auspices of the American University in February 1998. At its meeting on February 6, the writer delivered a speech on the concept of peace in Islam. One part of this speech is reproduced hereunder. It is no exaggeration to say that Islam and violence are contradictory to each other. The concept of Islamic violence is so obviously unfounded that, prima facie, it stands rejected. The fact that violence is not sustainable in the present world is enough to