PEACE IN ISLAM

Muslims while they were in Medina. This is not the general command of Islam. The application of this verse in the present times is not possible as present day wars involve multiple non-combatant casualties as collateral damage. The Quran was not revealed all at once in its complete form, but rather, in stages, according to circumstances that required divine guidance, over a period of 23 years, twenty of which were peaceful. The revelations during these twenty peaceful years were the peaceful teachings of Islam, such as the verses on the realization of God, worship, morality, justice, etc. The Quran thus contains instruction pertaining to various situations. This variety of commands is found in all religious books, and is, in fact, necessary in order to address all the important aspects of our lives. Believers do not have the right to wage wars against enemies. In Islam, war is not waged against the enemy, but against the aggressor. For instance, the Bhagavad Gita, one of the holiest books in Hinduism is a 700-verse conversation between Arjuna and his charioteer Krishna during a battle in the Mahabharata. It is essentially a call to duty and to arms, by Krishna to Arjuna. This does not mean that people who believe in the Gita should take up arms. Mahatma Gandhi derived his philosophy of non-violence and selfless action from the same Gita. Like him, most people take the battle to be an allegory for the ethical and moral struggles of life. Similarly, Jesus Christ says in the Bible: Do not think that I came to bring peace on Earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. Matthew, 10:34 It would be incorrect to conclude that the religion preached by Jesus was one of war and violence. Such verses relate only to particular occasions. So far as day-to-day life is concerned, Jesus taught peaceful values, such as the building of good character, love for each other, help for the poor and needy, etc. The same is true of the Quran. The Prophet of Islam migrated from Makkah to Medina because of the hostility of the Quraysh and their allies. The Prophet always tried to avert attacks by employing the strategy of patience and avoidance, but sometimes no options existed