PEACE
Peace in Islam M a u l a n a Wa h i d u d d i n K h a n
IN ISLAM
Islam is a religion of peace in the fullest sense of the word. The Qur an calls its way the paths of peace (5:16). It describes reconciliation as the best policy (4:128), and states that God abhors any disturbance of peace (2:205). The root word of Islam is silm , which means peace. So the spirit of Islam is the spirit of peace. The first verse of the Qur an breathes the spirit of peace. It reads: In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. This verse is repeated in the Qur an no less than 114 times. It shows the great importance Islam attaches to such values as Mercy and Compassion. One of God s names, according to the Qur an, is As-Salam, which means peace. Moreover the Qur an states that the Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him) was sent to the world as a mercy to mankind. (21:107) A perusal of the Qur an shows that most verses of the Qur an (and also the Hadith) are based on peace and kindness, either directly or indirectly. The ideal society, according to the Qur an is Dar as-Salam, that is, the house of peace (10:25). The Qur an presents the universe as a model that is characterized by harmony and peace (36:40). When God created heaven and earth, He so ordered things that each part might perform its function peacefully without clashing with any other part. The Qur an tells us that the sun is not allowed to overtake the moon, nor does the night outpace the day. Each in its own orbit runs. (36:40) For billions of years, therefore, the entire universe has been fulfilling its function in total harmony with His divine plan.