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Peace and Security (part 1 of 3): Peace with God
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Description: How Islam creates a sense of peace with one’s creator and one’s self.
By Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo (© 2007 IslamReligion.com)
- Published on 19 Feb 2007 - Last modified on 01 Apr 2008
Viewed: 3121 - Rating: 4.7 from 5 - Rated by: 3
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Category: Articles
> The Benefits of Islam
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_-_Peace_with_God_001.jpg) Perhaps the best way to begin a discussion of the
relationship between Islam and peace and security is to deal with a statement
that is heard often these days: “Islam means peace.” If the one making this
statement means that the actual meaning of the word “Islam” is “peace,” then
this is definitely wrong. It is true that the word Islam and the Arabic word
for peace (salaam) both come from the same root. This demonstrates that
there is going to be a relationship between the two. It is vitally important
to understand what that relationship is and how that relationship occurs.
The word “Islam” is the verbal noun of the verb aslama.
This verb is defined as, “He resigned or submitted himself.” When used with
respect to God, it means, “He became submissive to God.”
Thus, Islam is about an individual recognizing who his Lord is and recognizing
that his attitude toward his Lord and Creator should be one of submission and
worship.
This understanding of what the word Islam means is vital
for understanding the relationship between Islam and peace. Islam, the
submission to God, is what leads to true peace. True peace—both internally and
externally—can only be the result of the correct implementation of Islam. Of
course, what is meant here is not simply peace as in “an absence of a state of
war.” Peace means much more than that. One can be free of war yet still
suffer from anxiety or despair and lack peace. Here, it is referring to a
complete sense of peace. Islam brings about a complete tranquility and peace
of mind that is the result of realizing that one is believing and acting in
accord with the guidance of one’s Creator. This internal peace can then spread
to the family, the community, the society and the world as a whole.
It is a special form of tranquility that can only be produced by the proper
belief in God. Hence, God says:
“Indeed, there has come to you from God a Light and a clear
Book wherewith God guides all those who seek His Good Pleasure to ways of
peace, and He brings them out of darkness by His Will unto light and guides
them to a Straight Way” (Quran 5:15-16)
In fact, God is calling humans to the abode of eternal
peace:
“God calls to the home of peace (Paradise) and guides whom He
wills to a Straight Path” (Quran 10:25)
For those who follow this path, their ultimate reward
will be the abode of peace:
“For them will be the home of peace (Paradise) with their Lord”
(Quran 6:127)
In sum, it is not correct to say, “Islam means peace,”
but certainly true peace comes only via Islam.
How Islam Brings About Peace
True and complete peace can only be had when the
individuals themselves achieve internal peace. This results from Islam or the
true submission to God alone. This is the only way of life consistent with the
nature of human beings. In fact, this is what can be called the “true life.” Thus,
God says:
“O you who believe! Answer God (by obeying Him) and (His)
Messenger when he calls you to that which will give you life…” (Quran 8:24)
Knowing God is what can bring about true contentment in
the soul. If the individual does not know his Creator, his soul will always be
yearning for something that is missing in his life. He will always be agitated
and confused. If and when he seeks things other than God—even things which he
believes is his “god”—he will eventually end up in despair when he realizes
that all of the things that he seeks after are not the one Being that his heart
is yearning for.
Ibn Taimiyyah wrote:
You must know
that a human’s need for God¾ that he worship Him and not associate any
partner with Him¾ is a need concerning
which there is no comparison that one can make an analogy to. In some matters,
it resembles the need of the body for food and drink. However, there are many
differences between the two.
The reality
of a human being is in his heart and soul. These cannot be prosperous except
through [their relation] with God, concerning whom there is no other god. There
is[, for example,] no tranquility in this world except in His remembrance. Verily,
man is proceeding toward his Lord and he shall meet Him. He must definitely
meet Him. There is no true goodness for him except in meeting Him.
If the human experiences any pleasure or happiness other than in God, that joy
and happiness will not endure. It will move from one nature to another or from
one person to another. The person will enjoy it at one time or only some of
the time. In fact, sometimes the thing he enjoys and gets pleasure from does
not bring him pleasure or enjoyment. Sometimes it even hurts him when it comes
to him. And he is even more harmed by that. But his God is definitely always
with him under every circumstance and at all times. Wherever he is, He is with
him [by His knowledge and aid]…
If someone
worships anything other than God¾ even
if he loves it and attains some love in this world and some form of pleasure
from that¾ [that false worship] will
destroy the person in a way greater than the harmful displeasure that comes to
a person who ate poison…
You must know
that if anyone loves something other than for the sake of God, then that
beloved thing will definitely be a cause of harm and punishment… If somebody
loves something other than for the sake of God, that thing will harm him
whether it is with him or he is without it…
All of the wealth and the goods of this world will not
be able to bring the human such true internal contentment. Abu Hurairah
narrated that the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said:
“True richness is not via much property and
belongings but true richness is in self-contentment.”
Another hadith states:
“True richness is the richness of the heart. True
poverty is the poverty of the heart.”
Once an individual is at peace with himself and free of
any internal agitations, he can then enter into truly peaceful relations with
others. He will have no reason to feel resentment towards the rest of the
world—those whom he may blame for his lack of internal peace. In fact, since
his goal is that of the Hereafter, he has no reason even to feel envy or rage
towards others concerning what they have received in this world—while envy and
rage strike at the very root of peaceful relations towards others.
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Peace and Security (part 2 of 3): Society
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Description: How Islam creates a sense of peace with in society, and the role of laws in maintaining security.
By Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo (© 2007 IslamReligion.com)
- Published on 19 Feb 2007 - Last modified on 19 Feb 2008
Viewed: 2736 - Rating: none yet - Rated by: 0
Printed: 187 - Emailed: 2 - Commented on: 0
Category: Articles
> The Benefits of Islam
> Benefits to Society
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His freedom of internal agitation should definitely,
therefore, affect how he interacts with those around him. This starts with
those closest to him in his family and extends to his neighbors and others in
the community, eventually extending to all of humankind as a whole. Thus,
Islam establishes an entire social structure in which people interact with
others, based on relationships, rights and obligations, in ways that bring
about a peaceful coexistence. Children recognize the rights of their parents
upon them while parents recognize their roles towards their children. Husbands
and wives come together not as competitors but as partners cooperating to
produce a home filled with peace and love. Indeed, God points to this
relationship that He has created as a great sign:
“And among His Signs is this, that He created for
you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has
put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a
people who reflect.” (Quran 30:21)
Thus, God has laid down stringent laws that protect the
sanctity of the home, such as the laws concerning adultery, fornication and
slander. The reason is that the home is truly the foundation for the society
as a whole. If there is no peace in the home, one can hardly expect that
people will exit their home in a troubled state and be peaceful, fulfilling
members of society.
Since the guidance of Islam covers not only what is
traditionally known as “law” but also ethical behavior and conduct, Islam
provides detailed guidance for the manner in which members of a society should
interact with one another. There is a great emphasis on mutual respect, with
each member of society realizing that he is part of a larger unity entailing
rights and obligations. This mutual feeling produces a society that is filled
with peace, wherein each individual looks after the welfare and needs of the
other members of society.
Thus, when Islam is enacted, the individual finds peace
all around him, from within himself and throughout the entire society. In
fact, even world peace can only truly come about when there is justice. In
recent years, more and more people have realized this fact and emphasize,
“There is No Peace Without Justice.” (Justice is often a slogan used when going
to war but it is usually not more than that, a slogan.) But there can be no
true justice or peace until people raise themselves above national or ethnic
economic or political interests. There can be no true justice or peace as long
as people still believe that they can go to war against others simply for their
own economic interests, such as, for example, in order to exploit the natural
resources that are on somebody else’s land. True justice can only occur when
people dedicate themselves to God, applying His guidance while removing their
egos and desires from their decisions.
In the Hereafter, of course, it will only be through
believing in God and following His guidance that one will achieve eternal peace.
Again, God makes it very clear that this is what He is actually calling the
humans to:
“God calls to the home of peace (Paradise) and guides whom He
wills to a Straight Path.” (Quran 10:25)
Before leaving this question of peace, there is a very
important question but maybe its complete discussion is beyond the scope of this
article: Can someone have true internal peace when the life he is living in
this life does not give him any clue to how he will fare in the Hereafter, or
if there is a complete disconnect between the two or if there even seems to be
some contradiction between the two. For example, capitalism, socialism and
democracy all promise to provide something in this world yet, in reality, they
can provide nothing to the individual with respect to the Hereafter. Hence,
they leave a void in the individual’s life that will prevent him from ever
finding true peace. The result is that the individual may try to dichotomize
his life: being secular with respect to this world while having some form of
spiritual belief concerning the Hereafter. But how can he even know if his
secular pursuits are compatible with what his spiritual teachings are telling
him will happen in the Hereafter. Does he have to make himself schizophrenic? Even
worse, what if the spiritual teachings he believes actually point to the fact
that his worldly life is wrong, such as when his spiritual teachings tell him
that the flesh and this world are evil and so forth. How can individuals of
this nature ever find true peace in themselves?
How Islam Brings About Security
Security can be considered a corollary to the issue of
peace. The factors that bring about peace contribute to the establishment of
security.
However, probably the first thing that comes to people’s
mind when they think of security has to do with laws. Laws are definitely
important for security as they lay down the parameters of acceptable behavior.
In fact, Islam is a religion that not only provides general principles for life
but also provides detailed laws. These laws further bring about peace and
security. Peace and security will undoubtedly be the goal of any society. However,
God is the only one who has the knowledge of this creation to be able to
determine laws that can bring about peace and security. As for humans, they
are always guessing. One can point to the example of the death penalty
(capital punishment). The death penalty is arguably one of the greatest
deterrents for major crimes. However, the European Union has completely banned
it. In the United States, the masses keep swaying back and forth, never quite
sure as to whether it is a good thing or not. In reality, they will never be
able to be certain. This is because they will never be able to put humans in a
laboratory experiment and determine whether the death penalty is more positive
than negative. Hence, they will always be guessing. Even the European Union
that is completely against it is actually completely against it based on
nothing but conjecture. On the other hand, one of the main goals of Islamic
law is the preservation and continuance of life. As part of that goal, the law
of retribution and the death penalty are part of Islamic law. These laws are
not meant simply for the sake of punishment. Such laws are actually meant to
protect life, as God says:
“And there is (a saving of) life for you in the Law of
Equality in punishment, O men of understanding, that you may become the pious”
(Quran 2:179)
This statement is coming from the only one who could
possibly make such a statement and who alone knows the reality. Thus, by
turning away from God’s guidance, humans will always be groping and it does
not, therefore, seem likely that they will ever be able to advise a complete
social system on their own that could truly produce peace and security. Thus,
Islam, the religion of the Creator, is the only way of life that can ensure
security.
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Peace and Security (part 3 of 3): God Consciousness
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Description: The role of the belief in God and being constantly conscious of Him in bringing about peace and security in society.
By Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo (© 2007 IslamReligion.com)
- Published on 19 Feb 2007 - Last modified on 01 Apr 2008
Viewed: 2351 - Rating: none yet - Rated by: 0
Printed: 183 - Emailed: 2 - Commented on: 0
Category: Articles
> The Benefits of Islam
> Benefits to Society
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In reality, though, laws alone cannot bring about peace
and security. This leads to another very important factor that sets Islam
apart from all human attempts at peace and security. The first and most
important factor that contributes to security has to do not with laws but with
what is in the hearts of the people. The ultimate goal of Islamic law is to
establish, strengthen and support the faith in individuals and in the community
as a whole. As discussed above, this faith brings peace into the heart, which
immediately curtails violent feelings towards others. Furthermore, part of
this faith is the implanting of taqwa (God-consciousness) into the
hearts of the individuals. As noted above, this faith and taqwa brings
him peace but it also restrains his actions. He must behave only within a set
of general principles and one of the goals of those principles is the
establishment of peace and security. If he is disgruntled, for example, he
understands that he does not have the right to go to his workplace and start
shooting at everyone in sight, as has happened on more than one occasion in the
United States in recent years. So there are limits to his behavior that
ensure security and peace.
There is actually a very important point that underlines
the person’s entire outlook on life which again results in security and peace.
This faith and taqwa provides a purpose to one’s life and an
understanding of being a noble creator with a goal in life. This life is not
meaningless. It is not the result of some random combining of matter. Similarly,
humans are not simply descendant from other animals. This understanding in
itself has a profound effect on the individuals’ actions. This author has had
personal experience working in prisons in the United States. Upon asking
numerous inmates why they committed their crimes, the response was invariably,
“Why not?” The only question to them was whether they could get away with an
act and not get caught. There was no question of any responsibility towards a
Creator or any sense of purpose in this life. Indeed, one cannot argue much
against their way of thinking if one is foolish enough to believe that this
existence is purposeless and by mere chance.
Not only, though, is there a restraint on one’s actions
via faith and taqwa but there is developed a corresponding desire to do
what is good. On this point, one can take the famous example of the
prohibition of alcohol in the United States enacted in 1919. This law was
passed as a result of widespread drunkenness as well as increases in crime and
violence. Even though people could see the wisdom of the law and believed in
the law—and that is why the law was actually passed—many of them did not have
anything in their hearts that would lead them to obey the law. When there is belief
in God’s laws and taqwa, the situation is very different. There
develops a hatred in the heart for the act that is banned. The believer
recognizes that the act in itself is evil and, even worse, it is displeasing to
his Lord. Thus, the believer restrains himself to the best of his ability from
such illegal acts. And, since the enactment of God’s laws results in security,
this end result is met.
What further contributes to the implementation of God’s
laws that ensure security is that stress that Islam puts on the spirit of
community. In recent years in the United States, as a reaction to the lack of
peace and security, many communities developed what is known as “neighborhood
watches.” This is where the neighbors look after one another and keep an eye
on things. The goal is not simply to spot breaches of peace and security but
to make the people realize that they are part of a community and that they
should be concerned with what is happening to the others in their neighborhood.
Of course, what they develop cannot compare to the kind of community spirit and
brotherhood that is developed within Islam. The reality is that some people
are weak and they can be easily swayed by desires or by other evil people. They
need people that they can lean on to keep them on the Straight Path and help
them overcome their weaknesses. Thus, the spirit of brotherhood in Islam is
permeated by the obligation to look after one another, encourage one another to
do good and prevent one another from doing evil. Thus, God says:
“The believers, men and women, are auliyaa (helpers,
supporters, friends, protectors) of one another, they enjoining what is good
and eradicate what is evil…” (Quran 9:71)
The Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon
him, said:
“The believer with respect to another believer is
like a building, one portion strengthening the other.”
This relationship between the individual members of
society, like the spirit behind the Neighborhood Watch programs, further brings
about peace and security for the individuals of society.
Islam takes care of both this life and the Hereafter. In
fact, it ties the two together. One can argue that it is only through this
intimate relationship that true peace and security are going to be achieved. Guidance
must come from God—and can only come from God—to know what are the beliefs,
laws and steps that will provide peace and security. Via Islam, the individual
can find internal peace. That can allow him to be at peace with others. At
the same time, he has the steps and laws he needs to ensure peace and security
for the society at large.
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