TOWARDS GLOBAL PEACE

‘Assalam-u-Alaikum’ that is, peace be upon you. According to another saying of the Prophet, the best Islam is to greet everyone you come across, whether or not you are acquainted with the person. (Fath ulBari) The frequent reiteration of this phrase ‘peace be upon you’ is in fact an external manifestation of the desire for peace within. Islam wishes to inculcate this feeling within every individual so that he become a true lover of peace to the point that this feeling starts welling up in his heart, finding expression whenever he meets a person. Islam is a peace-loving religion from beginning to end. And it is but natural that it should be so, as all the best results it aims to achieve, can be achieved only when an atmosphere of peace is maintained at both national and international levels. This path of peace is followed by the entire universe. It is known as the law of nature, which is imposed upon it by God. Whereas man has to adopt the path of peace of his own free will. This has been expressed in the Quran in these words: Do they seek a religion other than the religion of God, when everything in the heavens and the earth has submitted to Him, willingly or unwillingly? To Him they shall all return. (3: 83) When peace is the religion of the entire universe, it should, therefore, be the religion of man too, so that, in the words of Jesus Christ: The will of the Lord may be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6: 10) In a similar vein, the Quran tells us that: The sun cannot overtake the moon, nor can the night outpace the day: Each floats in [its own] orbit. (36: 40) When God created heavens and the earth, He so ordered things that each part might perform its function peacefully without clashing with any other part. For billions of years, therefore, the entire universe has been fulfilling its function in total harmony with His divine plan. Peace is no external commodity to be artificially imposed upon man. Peace is inherent in nature itself. The system of nature set up by God already rests on the basis of peace. If this system is not disrupted, it will Islam enjoins us to establish peace even at the cost of unilateral sacrifice and patience.