Doctrine of Peace in the Holy Qur’ân

 

The doctrine of peace in the Qur’ân can be found both in ethical and mystical forms of manifestation. The ethical content of this doctrine occurs frequently in the Qur’ân, where it is said that the path to the attainment of peace with God is through the attainment of peace with mankind. The very nature of God as understood in Islam is As-salam or the cause of peace. Peace has been proclaimed as a supreme virtue for personal behaviour also. The Qur’ân mentions that  “the (faithful) slaves of the Beneficent are they who walk upon the earth modestly, and when the foolish ones address then their answer is peace.”

It has been further exemplified at another place in the Qur’ân, where it is said: “Be modest in thy bearing and subdue thy voice: Lo! the harshest of all voices is the voice of the ass.” This sobriety, modesty, and lack of tension are the prime virtues of demeanour which are prescribed by the Qur’ân.

Apart from these personal norms which might be less directly related to the concept of peace, there are many injunctions in the Qur’ân which emphasise the need for mercy, helpfulness, moderation, etc. in one’s attitude toward the opponents and enemies, having direct significance to the doctrine of peace. The retributive form of justice has been sanctioned by the Qur’ân, which bears a close resemblance to the Talmudic tradition. However, one who can give up the right of retribution out of charity is said to be entitled to a higher status in the eye of God.

Mercy and kindness as a virtue have been given the place of supremacy in ethical system of Islam. These doctrines concerning personal ethics have also found an impression in the social ethics of Islam where emphasis has been laid on unity of mankind. The Qur’ân says: “O ye man! we created you from a single pair of a male and a female and made you into nations and that ye may know each other, not that ye may despise each other. Verily, the most honoured of you in the sight of Allâh is, he who is the most righteous of you. And, Allâh is well acquainted with all things.”

This clearly indicates that both the norm of non-violence and the doctrine of the unity of mankind are existent in the Qur’ânic tradition of Islam. Righteousness which is a cardinal principle of non-violence has been prescribed in Islam as a personal value and a social code. That it has a place of importance in the teaching of the Qur’ân is clearly indicative of its commitment to non-violence. The Qur’ân clearly advocates that there is no compulsion in religion, it also lays down in no uncertain words, the methodology of preaching. The Qur’ân declares: “call to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and exhortation and argue with them in the best manner.”

There, thus, should be no doubt left in anyone’s mind about the methodology of preaching advocated by the Qur’ân. It has to be done with wisdom and a Muslim has to argue with convincing and appealing argument and to that in the best possible manner. The Qur’ânic tradition emphasises the religious tolerance. It says: “say ye: we believe in Allâh and his revelations to the prophets, in what was revealed to Abraham and Ismail, Issac and Jaccob, in what was revealed to all the nations and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to other apostle from their Lord: We do not make any distinction between one and another of the prophets. For, we submit entirely to Allâh.”

This shows a liberal attitude towards the spiritual leaders of other faiths and religions. Not only this, the Qur’ân specifically prohibits Muslim from abusing those who believe in gods other than Allâh. It says: “And abuse not those whom they (i.e. non-believers) call upon besides Allâh, lest exceeding the limits, they abuse Allâh through ignorance.”

Not only that, the Qur’ân prohibits believers from abusing other gods, it also makes it clear to them that “to every people have we made their deeds fair seeming; that to their lord is their return, so He will inform them of what they did.”

It is evident that Islam is based on ethics of humanism and reciprocal love. Allâh has appointed a law and a way for every community and they must co-exist in harmony and excel each other in good deed. If the Qur’ân advocates this philosophy how can it advocate the use of violence in compelling others to embrace Islam? The myth of the Qur’ân and sword arose much later, and its cause should be seen in history, as pointed out above, not in the Qur’ân. Although, the Qur’ân makes a distinction between faith (which includes ways of worshiping and associated rituals), and one’s overall situation, social as well as political. It is certainly not faith which calls for violence, it is one’s own socio-political situation which might demand it. Violence used under certain social circumstances cannot be blamed on one’s din (faith). The Qur’ân adopts a radically different position as far as faith is concerned. It is the most tolerant and liberal religion.

Islam believes that all those who perform good deeds will be equally rewarded on the Day of Judgment (that is when one will have to account for one’s deeds) irrespective of their religion. Be one a Muslim, a Jew, a Christian, or a Sabian, if he has faith in God and in the Day of Judgment and does good things will have his rewards. The Qur’ân says: "Lo! those who believe (in that which is revealed unto thee, Muhammad), and those who are Jews, and Christians, and Sabeans— whoever believeth in Allâh and the Last Day and doeth right— suerely their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve.” 

It is the most tolerant position one can think of. It is wrong to think that Islam condemns all other religions.

Islam in fact did not seek to fight peaceful idolaters, much less seeking their forceful conversion. In fact, it sought to fight the idols of greed, desire, and interest to establish a society based on unity and equality of all human beings. Thus the ethics of non-violence that is contained in Islam is of an activistic and positive nature, it is based on the doctrine of doing positive good to human beings and extending help to them in the hour of their adversity.

However, we also found in the Qur’ân some references to non-violence in the form of such ethical injunctions as are found in Hinduism. Animal killing in certain occasions is prohibited in Islam. The Qur’ân says: “To hunt and to eat the fish of the sea is made lawful for you for sea-farers, but to hunt on land is forbidden to you so long as you are on pilgrimage. Be mindful of your duties to Allâh unto whom ye will be gathered.”

This clearly indicates that in regard to the killing also there are injunctions in Islam, although from a different point of view, the ethical system of this religion is oriented towards the non-cosmic nature, and the anthropocentric ethics.

In this respect the tradition of peace as described in the Qur’ân comes closer to the Confucian and the Christian traditions rather than the Hinduistic. With the Christian tradition of course it has ‘affinity of the blood’ since both have merged from the same parental stock of the Judaic and Hebrrew tradition. But its resemblance to the Confucian tradition is based on the homogeneity of the virtues that are peaceful by the two. What is universal love and righteousness in Islam is Zen in Confucianism. The Qur’ân, unlike the Gita and other Hindu scriptures, does not associate the norm of non-violence with ascetic self-denial, although as we have mentioned above, it does forcefully extol the virtue of moderation, self-control and modesty in the believers. On the other hand, the early Vedic and the Upanishadic tradition of non-violence might be said to be closer to that in the Qur’ân.

There is abundent evidence to show that the ethic of universal love has been fully emphasised and is oriented in the Qur’ânic tradition. In the Qur’ân, there are many references to the unity of all being created by God. It says: “there is not an animal that lives on earth, not a being that flies on two wings but they are living beings like unto you.”

It show that unity of all creations in the being of God is recognised in Islam, although it could not very much influence the ethical system which developed from this tradition. In Hinduism this unity is led to the ethics of non-killing and non-injury to all living creatures. In Islam it could not develop to this extent, killing of animal for food and for the good of human beings is justified and has been allowed. However, the sanction for killing did not mean an unmerciful behaviour towards the animals or other living creatures. Mercy and kindness towards all compromise the general ethic of Islam.

It is evident that the doctrine of peace has been prominent in the tradition of the Qur’ân. Some of the cardinal elements in this system of values are emphasised on love for all, mercy and kindness to others, faith in unity of all mankind, and acceptance of equality of all creatures in the kingdom of God. These doctrines render the Islamic ethics commitment with the positive concept of non-violence. Love in the Qur’ân does not signify a merely passive feeling of sympathy with the fellow-beings but an attitude of active responsiveness and altruism. This renders it much more ethical and humane.

Similarly, the concept of mercy in the Qur’ân implies active help to the poor, the beggar, the suffering, etc. and not mercy as vicarious and subjective sharing of their pain or suffering. Taking into consideration all these factors, it may be said that the value system of peace as contained in the Qur’ân illustrates the richness and positive commitment of Islam to the tradition of peace.

Some Qur’ânic verses are also aduced in corroboration of their arguments. Those who are not well versed in the Qur’ânic text and context, history and cause of revelation (asbab al-nuzul), easily get convinced about the violent and war mongering nature of Islam. This concept of jihad has also created serious misunderstanding in the mind of both Muslim and non-Muslim. Jihad is often understood as a war of aggression, subjugater of non-Muslim and imposing jiziya over them. It is no wonder, then, that Islam and violence have become an integral whole.