2.05. PEACE

God says

And when those who believe in Our messages come to you, say “Salamun ‘Alaikum” (Peace be upon you) *…..Q.6:54

* The “peace” referred to in the above expression in 6:54 – which occurs many times in the Qur’an and has become the standard form of Muslim greeting – has a spiritual connotation comprising the concepts of ethical soundness, security from all that is evil and, therefore, freedom from all moral conflict and disquiet.

Islam literally means ‘peace’ and ‘complete submission (to God)’. Hence, maintenance of peace was assured and positive rules were set up for peaceful living. As for neighbours, for instance, The Law of Pre-emption or the Law of Neighbourhood gave right to a non-Muslim over a Muslim. (See topic 29. Duty to Neighbour in previous section). Neglect of peace with them was strictly prohibited by the Prophet of Islam who warned: “One whose neighbour is not safe from being troubled by him shall not enter paradise.” ‘He often stressed a believer’s moral obligation towards his neighbours whatever their faith.’ Even in war-time peace was never lost sight of as can be seen from the verses addressed to the Prophet.

But if they, (i.e., the enemies during war time,) incline to peace, incline thou to it as well, and place thy trust in God: verily He alone is all-hearing, all-knowing! And should they seek but to deceive thee [by their show of peace] – behold God is enough for thee! …. * Q.8: 61,62

* The implication is that “even if they offer peace only with a view to deceiving thee, this (offer of) peace must be accepted, since all judgment (of their intentions) must be based on outward evidence alone” (Razi): in other words, in Islam, mere suspicion cannot be made an excuse for rejecting an offer of peace by an enemy.

Prophet said

1. “A believer is he in whom mankind has an asylum for their lives and properties” -- H: Bukhari and Muslim. N: Abdullah-b-Amr.

2. “… Hence, whoever forsakes his brother (a Muslim) beyond three (days) and then dies shall enter the Fire.” – H: Abu Daud and Ahmed. N: Abu Hurairah.

3. “O people! Spread peace, give food, keep blood-connection, and perform (voluntary) prayer at night while others sleep; you will then enter paradise with peace.” -- H: Tirmizi and Ibn Majah. N: Abdullah-b-Salam.

2.04. BAD CONDUCT (concluded)

God says

O you who believe! Avoid most guesswork [about one another] – for, behold, some of [such] guesswork is [in itself] a sin; and do not spy upon one another, nor speak ill of each other behind their backs: Q.49:12

O you who have attained to faith! Ward off from yourselves and those who are close to you* that fire (of the hereafter) whose fuel are human beings and stones: …. Q.66: 6

* Lit., “your families” or “your people”; however, the term ahl denotes also people who share one’s race, religion, occupation, etc., as well as “dependants” in the most comprehensive sense of this word (Jawhari, Raghib; also Mughni).

Nay, [O men,] but you [are lured away from God whenever you are tempted to] give the lie to [God’s] Judgement! * And yet, verily, there are ever-watchful forces over you, noble, recording, aware of whatever you do! [Behold, in the life to come] the truly virtuous will be in bliss, whereas, behold, the wicked will indeed be in a blazing fire -- Q.82: 9-13

*A tendency inherent in most human beings to close one’s mind – occasionally or permanently, as the case may be – to the prospect of having to answer before God for one’s doings.

Prophet said

1. “Let (your) evil (action) be followed by good (deed) which will efface it.” -- H: Ahmad and Tirmizi. N: Abu Zarr.

2. “The man worst in rank before God on the Resurrection Day will be one whom people forsake for fear of his harms. (And in a narration: for fear of his indecent behaviour).” -- H: Bukhari and Muslim. N: Bibi Ayesha.

3. According to a Hadis Qudsi, quoted by Muslim on the authority of Abu Zarr, on the Resurrection Day God will not speak to one who treats others harshly, nor look at him, nor purify him and for him there will be a great chastisement.

“Every child that is born, is born innocent and remains in this sinless stage until the age of discretion. His duties towards God and duties towards His creations are clearly defined in the Qur’an and the Traditions of the Prophet. Observance of these (virtues) enables the soul reach its perfection (paradise): their neglect (sin) leads to degradation (hell).” –Al-Hadis

2.04. BAD CONDUCT

God says

…. do not help each other in furthering evil and enmity; …. Q.5: 2

….if any of you who does bad deeds out of ignorance and thereafter repents and amends (his conduct), He shall be [found] much-forgiving , Most Gracious. - Q.6: 54

…. behold, prayer* restrains [one] from shameful deeds and from all that moral sense ought to reject;…. Q.29: 45

* Prayer offered regularly, concentrating upon the fact of being in the presence of God and understanding what is being said by the servant and his Master, has immense benefits. Here is mentioned one of them, and how important!

Whoever does what is just and right, does so for his own good; and whoever does evil, does so to his own hurt; and in the end unto your Sustainer you all be brought back.-- Q.45: 15

O you who believe! No men shall deride* [other] men: it may well be that those [whom they deride] are better than themselves; and no woman [shall deride other] woman: it may well be that those [whom they deride] are better than themselves. And neither shall you defame one another, nor insult one another by [abusive] nicknames. Bad is the name of lewdness after faith;** and they who [become guilty thereof and] do not repent – such are evil-doers!- Q.49:11

* I.e., to attack with scornful laughter **This applies no less to the one who insults than to that of the insulted (Razi): cf. 6: 8 – “[those] who have not obscured their faith by wrongdoing”.

Prophet said

1. “He whose conduct is bad and (who is) harsh shall not enter paradise” – H: Abu Daud. N: Haresah-b-Wahab.

2. “Two traits do not occur in a believer-- miserliness and bad conduct” --H: Tirmizi. N: Abu Sayeed.

3. “Most disliked by me among you and farthest from me on Resurrection Day will be those who are worst of you in conduct” -- H: Baihaqi. N: Abu Salabh.

2.03. GOOD CONDUCT (concluded)

God says

True] servants of the Most Gracious are [only] they who walk gently on earth, and who, whenever the foolish address them,* reply with [words of] peace; and who remember their Sustainer far into the night, prostrating themselves and standing; and who pray: “O our Sustainer, avert from us the suffering of hell – for, verily, the suffering caused by it is bound to be a torment dire: verily, how evil an abode and a station!” --: and who, whenever they spend on others, are neither wasteful nor niggardly but [remember that] there is always a just mean between those [two extremes]; and [true servants of the Most Gracious are they] who never invoke any [imaginary] deity side by side with God, and do not take any human being’s life -- [the life] which God has willed to be sacred – otherwise than in [the pursuit of] justice, and do not commit adultery. And [know that] he who commits ought thereof (i.e., any of the three sins mentioned) shall [not only] meet with a full requital [but] shall have his suffering doubled on Resurrection Day: for on that [Day] he shall abide in ignominy. Excepted, however, shall be they who repent and attain to faith and do righteous deeds: for it is they whose [erstwhile] bad deeds God will transform into good ones – seeing that God is indeed much forgiving, and dispenser of grace, and seeing that he who repents and [henceforth] does what is right has truly turned away unto God by [this very act of] repentance. And [know that true servants of God are only] those who never bear witness to what is false,** and [who], whenever they pass by [people engaged in] frivolity, pass on with dignity; and who, whenever they are reminded of their Sustainer’s messages, do not throw themselves upon them [as if] deaf and blind;*** and who pray: “O our Sustainer! Grant that our spouses and our offspring be a joy to our eyes,**** and cause us to be foremost among those who are conscious of Thee!” [Such as] these will be rewarded for all their patient endurance [in life] with high station [in paradise], and will be met therein with a greeting of welcome and peace, therein to abide: [and] how goodly an abode and [how high] a station! -Q.25:63-76

*Sc., “with the aim to ridicule them or to argue against their beliefs”.

**Implying that neither do they themselves ever bear false witness (i.e., in the widest sense of this expression, tell any lie) nor do they knowingly take part in anything that is based on falsehood (Razi).

***Explaining this verse, Zamakhshari remarks that whereas the average run of people approach the divine writ with a mere outward show of eagerness, “throwing themselves upon it” for the sake of appearances but, not making the least attempt to understand the message as such and, hence, remaining deaf and blind to its contents – the truly God-conscious are deeply desirous of understanding it, and therefore “listen to it with wide-awake ears and look into it with seeing eyes”.

****I.e., by living a righteous life

Prophet said

1. “Among believers the one most perfect in faith is the one best in manners” – H: Abu Daud. N: Abu Hurairah.