Peace: The Summum Bonum

around the world yielded any result, then all the radicalism, violence and killing we see in Syria in the name of hukumat-e-ilahiya (establishing a so-called ‘divine rule’) should have come to an end. Till the time Muslims do not become a peaceful community in the complete sense of the word, such instances will never finish. How did Muslim empires spread Islam? A ll previous so-called Muslim empires were dynasties; they were not Islamic empires but family empires. Islam spread on its own strength and not because of a ruler gaining political power over a people or land. Many people lost their loved ones in violence. How can their hearts be comforted? T he Quran gives advice on this matter. Almost seventy Companions of the Prophet were killed in the Battle of Uhud, but the Quran advised the Muslims saying that whatever happened with them was: so that you might not grieve for what you lost. (Quran 3:153) This means that we need to realize that the lost souls are with God, and there is not need to worry. God will take care of them. In a situation of difference, one party is wrong and another is right. Should the right one adjust to the wrong? T o see things as being either right or wrong in collective life will only cause destruction. Our policy should not be based on ‘right and wrong’. Practical wisdom is the basis of determining our attitude; what is right and what is wrong shall only become clear in the Hereafter. Who is the one to confirm what is right and what is wrong in this world? We must only see what the most practical solution for reconciliation and adjustment is. If we follow this, we would be successful. How do we change Muslims’ revenge-seeking attitude?