Islam and the Philosophy of Peace

Peace is not simply the signing of peace treaties and truces. Peace also requires humility, honesty, trustworthiness, righteous conduct, and equitable treatment of all members of a given society. Thus, the foundation of peace rests on proper respect for human life and recognition of the rights of all individuals.

Peace is not something that is practised only at the level of the State, but it begins in the very homes where the people live with their families.

This deep and profound philosophy of peace is so elegantly preserved in the farewell address of the Holy Prophet given during his last pilgrimage to Mecca a few months before his death.

Thus, standing on Mount Arafat, the Holy Prophet addressed the Muslims in the following words:

"O people, listen to my words; for I do not know if I shall be among you after this year. Remember that you have to appear before your Lord Who will demand from you an account of all your action.

"O people! You have rights over your wives and your wives have rights over you. Remember, you must always treat your wives with kindness. Woman is weak and cannot protect her own rights.

When you married, God appointed you the trustees of those rights. You brought your wives to your homes under the law of God. You must not, therefore, insult the trust which God has placed in your hands.

"O people! Feed your slaves as you feed yourselves and clothe them as you clothe yourselves. If they commit a fault which you are unable to forgive, then pass them on to someone else. They are part of Gods creation and are not to be harshly treated.

"O people! Listen to my words, and remember that all Muslims are brothers one of another.

As you are one of brotherhood, you will not take your brothers belongings which he does not give you of his own goodwill. And guard yourself against committing injustice.

"O people! Take not that I trample under foot all un-Islamic customs and traditions. All blood feuds are wiped out. As God has made you one brotherhood, so be not divided.

An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab over an Arab; nor a white one to be preferred to a dark one, nor a dark one to a white one. This day, retaliation for all murders committed in the days of ignorance is cancelled and all sums of interest are remitted.

"O people! Worship your Lord, observe Prayer, observe the fast during Ramadhan, pay the Zakat cheerfully, perform the pilgrimage, and obey those in authority among you; God will admit you to His paradise."

As his last will and testament to the Muslim, the Prophets Farewell Sermon is devoted more to the theme of establishing a lasting peace among his people than anything else.

His injunctions to respect the life and possession of other people, his exhortation to treat other people with justice and equity, his constant reminder to take care of the wives, to treat the slaves well and to be like brothers unto each other; his parting injunctions to forget all bloodshed and forgive interest on all borrowed sums these are fundamental principles of achieving peace, harmony and accord among the various faction of a society.

A. Abdul Aziz

Press Secretary, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jammath, Sri Lanka.