Peace: The Summum Bonum

How do we cultivate tolerance when a group interprets the same Quran as peace and another as violence? Which interpretation should we then follow? T he issue of myriad interpretations is not unique to the Quran; it is a fact of life. No book, law or constitution has ever had a uniform or a single interpretation, simply because difference is an inherent part of life. For instance, the Gita, the holy book of the Hindus, pertains to wisdom and moral values. Yet along with this is the exhortation of Krishna to Arjun, encouraging him to fight (3:30). While some derived a violent interpretation from its text, Gandhiji, on the other hand, derived his philosophy of non-violence from the same Gita. The law of nature in the human world does not allow uniformity to prevail. It is this disparity which ensures that there is constant brainstorming leading to development. In truth, absence of difference would lead to intellectual stagnation. The question that arises is which interpretation should a common Muslim choose to follow? A common Muslim may choose to follow any learned scholar (alim). After listening to the advice of the scholar, he is free to take a decision. A person shall be fully accountable before God for the decision he chooses to take. In other words, before God, the result of one’s actions shall be based on one’s intent. The is alluded to in the following hadith: The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions. (Sahih al-Bukhari, hadith no. 1) The above tradition means that the reward for an action is based on the intention behind the action. Why is Islamophobia spreading outrageously in the whole world? T he term ‘Islamophobia’ has come to denote prejudice against, hatred towards, or fear of the religion of Islam or Muslims. In my opinion, this term is a self-styled creation of Muslims and the real fact is contrary to what Muslims think. For example, if the bereaved family members of the victims of the killings in Manchester (22 May 2017) hold complaints about Muslims or Islam, it is but natural. It is not due to Islamophobia; their complaint is in fact a reason-based complaint whereas phobia is an irrational aversion and it develops without a reason. Therefore, it is correct to say that there is no such thing as ‘Islamophobia’; it exists neither in the West nor anywhere else in the world. So, what is needed is for Muslims to reform themselves—then everything, including other peoples’ negative perceptions about Muslims and Islam, will be settled. It is a two-point formula: first, Muslims must admit that this phenomenon is ‘Muslimphobia’ and not ‘Islamophobia’ as such. Second, they must correct themselves. It is the duty of right-thinking Muslims to educate other Muslims in this regard.