PEACE IN ISLAM

save retaliation. It was such circumstances that necessitated the revelations relating to war. These instructions were of a specific nature, and were not meant to be all-embracing. The Difference Between Enemy and Aggressor Under God's scheme of trial, we have been granted freedom. Through the exercise of this freedom, enmities may develop between people, leading to conflict, but Islam makes a clear difference between enmity and conflict. Patience is another name for the non-aggressive or peaceful method. Believers do not have the right to wage wars against enemies. They have only a duty — to peacefully convey the message of Islam. The Quran is clear on this, saying: And good and evil deeds are not alike. Repel evil with good, and he who is your enemy will become your dearest friend. THE QURAN 41: 34 The Quran says: Permission to take up arms is hereby given to those who are attacked because they have been wronged. THE QURAN 22: 39 At another place the Quran gives permission to do battle: They were the first to attack you. THE QURAN 9:13 In Islam, war is not waged against the enemy, but against the aggressor. The only right given to individuals is to convey the message of Islam peacefully. The example set by the Prophet of Islam provides incontrovertible proof of this. No Confrontation with the Enemy The Prophet of Islam one observed: “Do not wish for confrontation with the enemy, ask for peace from God.” This means that if someone has become our enemy, we should not necessarily turn against him and start fighting with him, for the solution is not conflict, but rather the avoidance of friction.