Peace: The Summum Bonum

If the Muslim community embraces peace, cultivates tolerance among themselves and avoids being over-sensitive on trivial issues then the so-called ‘Islamophobic’ perception shall also disappear. What is wrong with Islam in the 21st century? I n my opinion there is only one problem facing present-day Muslims – that is, their self-styled concept of jihad. All other issues of intolerance and extremism have branched out from their misconceptions of jihad. The most important point for Muslims today is to know the importance of peace and to know that jihad is not needed in today’s age. The command for jihad, in terms of qital (war), is suspended. If in present times, we can achieve everything we want by peaceful methods, then why engage in qital or fighting? This is the basic problem that needs to be addressed. Trying to establish Islamic Shariah by force or through coercion is also an offshoot of this wrong concept of jihad. Muslims must abandon the violent method and work peacefully for constructive goals. What is a peaceful life? A peaceful life can be had if one understands that ideal peace cannot be achieved in this world. You have to adhere to practical wisdom in life and not ideal wisdom. If you take the option of following practical wisdom in every situation, you will become peaceful. Peace cannot be had if you wish to deal with situations by applying the yardstick of ideal wisdom. Furthermore, an individual’s life can be peaceful only if he accepts the principle of unilateral peace and not bilateral peace. Peace can be achieved only on a unilateral basis. If you try to demand peace on a bilateral basis, then it would become impossible. Is the Islamic concept of peace different from the typical western concept of peace? P eace is a secular subject and not a religious one. There is no such thing as ‘Islamic peace’ or ‘western peace’, because peace is a secular subject. Why whenever Muslim countries are in crisis, Islamic fundamentalism immediately flourishes?