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. FROM THE MILITARY TO THE NON-MILITARY AGE I N the first half of the seventh century, when Islam emerged, almost the whole world was groaning under political coercion, ruled by a system of Absolute Imperialism. This coercive system had robbed people of almost every conceivable goodness. At that time, God commanded the end of the artificial system so that the doors of goodness could be opened to humanity. The Quran sets forth this commandment: Fight them until there is no more [religious] persecution, and religion belongs wholly to God. (8: 39) In this verse, ‘persecution’ or, in Arabic, fitna, means the ancient system of political coercion that, at the time when the verse was revealed, prevailed all over the world. And here the term ‘religion’, or, in Arabic, deen, means God’s creation system based on nature. This means the artificial system of coercion should be ended and , according to God’s creation plan, the natural condition should be established wherein everyone will have freedom to act and able to undergo the test of life in a free environment. Through the struggles and sacrifices of the Prophet and his Companions, the ancient coercive system was demolished, and a new system, which God wanted, emerged. This was a great change, a unique revolution that changed the face of the globe. Islam overthrew the traditional order of history.