Islam
Islam is a tradition of love and submission to God that ultimately strives for peace. The ancient religion emerged in the seventh century and was able to appeal to the public through its deeply entrenched attitudes to peace. Islam’s constant endeavour for peace can be presented through its ancient traditions and sacred texts, history and historical events and current practices and contemporary events of the religion.
The sacred texts of Islam are the Quran, which contains the revelations from Allah and the Hadith, which outlines the way of the prophet Muhammad. These sacred texts are fundamental to Islam and it is through these texts that Muslims formulate an understanding of peace. This is reflected through the Quranic statement:
“O ye who believe! Come, all of you, into complete peace and follow not the footsteps of evil. Surely he is your open enemy.” (2:208)
Despite the world of violence and belligerence that Muhammad was born into, his approach to the ethics of war and peace differed from the prevailing tribal culture of the time. Muhammad’s attitude with regards to the concept of peace was one of active non-violent resistance and open defiance of persecution by non-believers. The essence of this is represented in the Quranic verse:
“The recompense of evil is punishment like it, but whoever forgives and amends, he shall have his reward from Allah; surely he does not love the unjust.” (Sural al-Shura 42:40-43 ‘The counsel’)
The history of the religion emerged in Mecca, the birthplace of Muhammad, and later in Medina. Medina was situated on one of the Middle East’s principal trade routes and is home to a large religious shrine and sacred site known as the Kaaba. It was here that that the news of the new prophet was carried from distant lands.
One of the most historical events within the history of Islam was the death of the prophet Muhammad in 632 CE. After Muhammad’s death, Abu Baker; Muhammad’s successor and father in law, along with three other
The sacred texts of Islam are the Quran, which contains the revelations from Allah and the Hadith, which outlines the way of the prophet Muhammad. These sacred texts are fundamental to Islam and it is through these texts that Muslims formulate an understanding of peace. This is reflected through the Quranic statement:
“O ye who believe! Come, all of you, into complete peace and follow not the footsteps of evil. Surely he is your open enemy.” (2:208)
Despite the world of violence and belligerence that Muhammad was born into, his approach to the ethics of war and peace differed from the prevailing tribal culture of the time. Muhammad’s attitude with regards to the concept of peace was one of active non-violent resistance and open defiance of persecution by non-believers. The essence of this is represented in the Quranic verse:
“The recompense of evil is punishment like it, but whoever forgives and amends, he shall have his reward from Allah; surely he does not love the unjust.” (Sural al-Shura 42:40-43 ‘The counsel’)
The history of the religion emerged in Mecca, the birthplace of Muhammad, and later in Medina. Medina was situated on one of the Middle East’s principal trade routes and is home to a large religious shrine and sacred site known as the Kaaba. It was here that that the news of the new prophet was carried from distant lands.
One of the most historical events within the history of Islam was the death of the prophet Muhammad in 632 CE. After Muhammad’s death, Abu Baker; Muhammad’s successor and father in law, along with three other