Islamic Teachings on Peace and Conflict
The Qur'an and Islamic teachings strongly emphasize the importance of peace, harmony and non-violence. Muslims are encouraged to greet others with "peace be upon you" and to work towards settling disputes peacefully whenever possible.
Quote: "God invites everyone to the home of peace"
Definition: Peace in Islam refers to bringing harmony with oneself and others. The Qur'an states that "hearts find peace in the remembrance of God."
Highlight: The Prophet Muhammad is viewed as the ideal example of leading a peaceful life and is described as a "mercy to all people."
Islamic teachings support concepts like:
- Passive resistance - non-violent opposition to authority
- Pacifism - the belief that disputes should always be settled peacefully
- Peacemaking - the process of preventing or settling disputes
Vocabulary: Conflict is defined as a serious disagreement that may lead to disunity and war.
Muslims are encouraged to maintain positive friendships with other faiths, welcome everyone peacefully, and work for justice, forgiveness and reconciliation. An example of ongoing conflict discussed is the Arab-Israeli conflict.
While Islam peace and conflict GCSE teachings generally oppose war, Islamic law outlines conditions under which war may be permissible as a last resort:
- In self-defense
- To fight for peace
- Against injustice
Quote: "Fight in God's cause against those who fight you"
Organizations like the Muslim Peace Fellowship work towards global harmony through conferences and publications. The Qur'an states "God commands justice" and Muhammad himself settled disputes peacefully in Medina.
Vocabulary: Weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) refer to nuclear, biological or chemical weapons that cause widespread loss of life.
Islamic scholars debate the permissibility of WMDs. Some argue they can be an effective deterrent, while others say they are impermissible due to their immense destructive power.
Quote: "Such weapons are impermissible"
The concept of just war outlines conditions that must be met for war to be justified, including:
- Just cause
- Legitimate authority
- Right intention
- Probable success
- Last resort
- Proportionality
Quote: "If anyone kills a person - it is as if he kills all mankind"
Jihad quotes GCSE often focus on the concept of lesser jihad, which can justify war to guarantee freedom of faith. However, most Sunni and Shia Muslims say war must only be for self-defense.
Definition: Terrorism is defined as the unlawful use of violence to achieve a political or religious goal.
Some non-religious critics blame religion for violence and terrorism due to misinterpretations of religious texts. However, mainstream Islamic teachings emphasize peace and condemn terrorism.
Quote: "Incline towards peace, they must also incline towards it"
There are differing interpretations of concepts like holy war among Muslims. Extremist interpretations may see holy war as always acceptable to convert others, while mainstream views have strict conditions like:
- Last resort
- Intense persecution
- Authorization by Muslim leaders
Example: The Malik's Muwatta outlines 10 rules of war in Islam, including not killing women, children, or the elderly, and not destroying inhabited places or fruit-bearing trees.
