TOWARDS GLOBAL PEACE

TOWARDS GLOBAL PEACE We often talk of peace in the context of war. But this is a very narrow and restricted notion of peace. Peace is deeply linked with the entirety of human life. Peace is a complete ideology in itself. Peace is the only religion for both—man and the universe. It is the master-key that opens the doors to every success. Peace creates a favourable atmosphere for success in every endeavour. Without peace, no positive action—small or big—is possible. THE PROPHET: A MAN OF PEACE Peace in Islam T HE very word Islam (from the Arabic root silm) implies peace, and all the teachings of Islam are based directly or indirectly on this principle. There are teachings of the Prophet that say that ‘Peace is Islam’, and that, ‘God is peace’ (Sahih al-Bukhari). Similarly, there is another Hadith (teachings and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad) that says that a Muslim is one from whose tongue and hands, people are safe. One of the attributes of God described in the Quran is ‘AsSalaam’, which means ‘peace and security’. That is to say that God’s Being itself is a manifestation or embodiment of peace. In the Quran, divine guidance is likened to the ‘path of peace’ (5: 16). In Islam, Paradise, the eternal ideal and the ultimate objective of every human is called the ‘Home of Peace’ (10: 25). It is also said that the people of Paradise will wish peace for one another, which is another indication of the importance of peace in the ideal society. Peace is the norm in Islam; war is an exception. All the teachings of Islam and the life of the Prophet of Islam testify to this. There is a Hadith that says that God grants to gentleness what He does not grant to harshness. That is to say, a peaceful approach is distinctly superior to violent approach.