THE CULTURE OF PEACE TOWARDS GLOBAL PEACE

The Quran says: “God calls to the Home of Peace.” (10: 25) Paradise is thus described as Dar al-Salam, the Home of Peace. This tells us that peace is not merely a social convenience. It is a value deeply embedded in the divine scheme of creation. Peace should never be mistaken for weakness. In reality, maintaining peace often requires greater strength than entering into confrontation. Retaliation is easy because it follows emotion. But remaining calm when provoked, forgiving when one could retaliate, and continuing constructive work despite unpleasant circumstances require great self-control. The Quran describes the servants of the Merciful as those who, when addressed harshly by ignorant people, respond with “Peace” (25: 63). This is not passivity. It is wisdom—the ability to prevent another person’s behaviour from determining one’s own behaviour. War may sometimes bring victory, but it cannot build civilization. Civilization grows through education, cooperation, commerce, research and constructive endeavour. All these require peace. The wise person therefore makes peace his first choice. He refuses to waste his energies in avoidable confrontation and uses them instead for constructive purposes. To choose peace is to live in harmony with the culture of the universe. It opens the door to progress in this world and helps develop the peaceful personality worthy of the eternal Home of Peace.  War may sometimes bring victory, but it cannot build civilization. Civilization grows through education, cooperation, commerce, research and constructive endeavour.