Peace: The Summum Bonum

In addition, the Quran makes a very clear statement: …whoever killed a human being, except as a punishment for murder or for spreading corruption in the land, shall be regarded as having killed all mankind. (Quran 5:32) It is true that some Muslims are engaged in violence in the name of Islam, but these violent activities are quite against Islamic teachings. Islam in its very essence connotes peace and there is no association of a peaceful religion with terrorist movements at all. You have to judge Muslims in the light of Islamic teachings, and not vice versa. As a Muslim, do I need to fear Israel? Not at all. In the case of Israel-Palestine conflict, a two-nation settlement was reached in 1948 under the 1947 General Assembly Resolution. Right after this, the Palestinian side launched a massive military attack on Israel. Israel has continued to retaliate to the actions undertaken by Palestine against them. It is unwise to think that one can use violent force against someone and the other party will not retaliate with its full might. The devastation Palestine faces today is actually the repercussion of its past actions. This is not a religious matter, but a political one. If you have doubts whether Islam commands the killing of Jews and holds that Jews are aggressors, let me clarify that Islam makes no such sanctions. Islam is a religion of peace in the fullest sense of the word. The Quran calls its way: ‘the paths of peace’. (Quran 5:16) The Quran believes that: Reconciliation is best. (Quran 4:128) God abhors any disturbance of peace. (Quran 2:205) How can we eliminate all terrorists from the world? Can there be an everlasting peace? Terrorism is a phenomenon that results from the misuse of freedom by human beings. God bestowed freedom upon mankind in order to put us to the test in this world. It is the misuse of this God-given freedom which creates all kinds of problems in society. Since we cannot abolish this freedom, we cannot establish an ideal system. It is this fact due to which establishing a perfect society or system is simply not possible.