Working Toward World Peace
Wa laa tufsiduu fil-‘ardi ba’-da ‘is-laahihaa wad-‘uhuu
khawfaww-wa tama-‘aa: ‘inna Rahmatallaahi qariibum-minal Muhsiniin. Do no mischief on the earth after it has
been set in order and call upon Him in fear and hope. Surely, the mercy of
Allah is near to those who do good. (7: 57)
Wa ‘izaa qiila lahum laa tufsiduu fil-‘ardi' qaaluuu
‘in-namaa nahnu mus-lihuun. And when it is said to them, ‘Create not
disorder in the earth’ and they say, ‘We are only promoters of peace.’ (2: 12).
It is no longer a secret that in
this age of science and technology, man has the capacity to destroy this earth
many times over. If mankind wants to avoid this catastrophe then it can do so
only by adopting the Islamic teachings which are based on the concept of a
lasting universal peace. In fact the religion of Islam is the only faith which
has severely condemned any activity which is likely to disturb peace. From the
verses of the Holy Quran which I have recited in the beginning, it is clear
that Islam places great importance on the maintenance of peace and deprecates
all acts which are likely to disturb it whether in the domestic, national or
international spheres. The marvellous thing about Islamic precepts is that they
are always of universal applications. This confirms the fact that the Holy
Prophet of Islam was raised as a mercy for all mankind. Almighty God says in
the Holy Quran:
And We have not sent you but as a mercy
for all mankind.
(21: 108).And We have not sent you but as a bearer of glad tidings to all mankind and as a Warner, but most men do not know. (34: 29).
Challenges to World Peace Today
Let us now identify some of the
causes of the disturbance of peace in the world today and the remedies provided
by Islam. Perhaps it would be better to start with nationalism and racism
before I explain other relevant subjects like exploitation, greed, hypocrisy,
class struggle, international relations and treaties.
Nationalism and Racialism: The political unit
in the modern world is the nation state. The problem is to know how such a
state is to be defined and what is the character of its relationship with other
states? Whatever it is, nationalism has become a complex and compelling faith
for which men have died and conquered. It has become more of a curse than a
blessing.
Qur'an on the Unity of mankind
Islam recognises neither nationalism nor racism and views justice and
righteousness as the foundation of world order. Islam regards the whole human
race to be one family. Division into tribes, nations and races is meant only to
give people better knowledge of one another in order that they might benefit
from one another’s national characteristics and good qualities.
Nations of superiority born of
racial arrogance or national conceit are both false and foolish. In this regard
the Holy Quran states:
O you men! Surely We have created you of
a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know
each other; Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most
righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing, Aware. (49: 14).
O you who believe, let not a people
ridicule (another) people; perhaps they may be better than them; nor let women
ridicule (other) women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult
one another and do not call each other by (offensive) nicknames. Wretched is
the name of disobedience after (one has gained) faith. And whoever does not
repent - then it is those who are the wrongdoers. (49: 12).
Any people or nation which acts
contrary to these sublime teachings by proclaiming and imposing the superiority
of its culture on others does so at the risk of war.
From Exploitation to Equity, Justice and Welfare
The evil which accompanies the
economic exploitation of a weaker nation by a stronger one is greed. Islam,
therefore, is against such exploitations of natural sharing which are not based
on equitable and mutual sharing of the resources. Such conduct is certain to
end eventually in disturbing the peace. God the Almighty and All-Wise says in
the Holy Quran:
And do not stretch your eyes after that
with which We have provided different classes of them, (of) the splendour of this world's life,
that We may thereby try them; and the sustenance (given)
by your Lord is better and more enduring. (20: 132).
And covet not that whereby Allah has
made some of you excel others. (4: 33).
Undoubtedly a basic cause of wars
is avarice. There cannot be any durable peace in the world as long as the
stronger nations want to exploit the weaker ones or grab the possessions of
others. For example, the League of Nations which was established after the First
World War failed miserably because instead of focusing on ending all wars, its
members wanted to grab the possessions of others. Thus the purpose of the First
World War, which was to end all wars, did not work out.
One of the greatest social problems
of this age which has been disturbing peace is class struggle, the primary
cause of which is poverty or indulgence. Islam foresaw and tackled this problem
by laying great emphasis on the welfare of the community as a whole. Islam was
the first religion to manifest the idea of a Welfare State. Islam very wisely
devised a system by which wealth could not accumulate in the hands of a few. It
tried to maintain a balance between the poor and rich by asking the rich to
part with some of their wealth for the upliftment of the poor through the
institution of obligatory alms, or tax called “Zakaat”.
I have already mentioned how Islam
seeks to abolish the spirit of aggressive nationalism and racism by stressing
the fact of the fundamental unity of mankind by denouncing race and colour
discrimination and by associating excellence and superiority with the rendering
of the greatest service to mankind. When nations or tribes fought one another
the result was usually the massacre of the able-bodied, the slavery of the
innocent and the plunder of the vanquished.
The sacredness of treaties or the
liberties of other nations were no concern of the conqueror. Islam, however,
recognised right from the beginning the importance of promoting peace, freedom
of conscience and the promotion of human welfare. Islam prescribed an
association of strong states for the achievement of these objectives. It
emphasised that these states should not, under cover of treaties, try to
exploit weaker nations, or make wars of conquests. The Holy Quran says:
And fulfil the covenant of Allah when
you have taken it, (O believers), and do not break oaths after their
confirmation while you have made Allah a witness over you. Indeed, Allah knows
what you do. And be not like her who unravels her yarn, disintegrating it into
pieces after she has spun it strongly. You make your oaths to be means of
deceit between you because (one) nation is more numerous than (another) nation.
Allah only tries you by this; and He will most certainly make clear to you on
the resurrection day that about which you differed. (16: 92-93).
And do not approach the property of an
orphan, except in the way that is best, until he reaches maturity. And
fulfil (every) engagement, for (every) engagement will be enquired into (on the
Day of Reckoning). (17: 35).
---Friday
Sermon of 22 April 2016~ (14 Rajab 1437
Hijri) delivered by Hazrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al-Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (atba)
of Mauritius.