The Prophet of Peace
by Dr Muhammad Al-Ghazali
(Dr. Al-Ghazali is attached with the Islamic Research Institute,Islamic International University Islamabad).
There are certain words and expressions that have been so excessively misused in our time that they have almost lost their real meaning. The cause of this meaninglessness is the growing gulf between words and behaviour. In this era characterised by increasing utilitarianism and egocentricity, people have learnt the art of hiding their aims and intentions behind attractive idioms and appealing expressions. A great many words that carried moral meanings and conveyed noble notions in the past, have been, over a period of time, deprived of their sanctity and significance, For if you say white and mean black, invoke truth but imply falsehood and express honesty while intending corruption, then these words will surely lose all their purport and meaning, Therefore, unless there is maintained complete harmony and congruence between intentions, ideations, expressions and actions words cannot preserve their meanings .
AI1 this causes casualty of the truth and democratisation of the most vital component of human culture, namely language. In this process, some of the most fundamental concepts that are germane to human culture are relativised, and duplicity and diabolism gradually become the order of the day.
Among the avoids that have been excessively misused by the various entities and powers of our times, are: peace, security, co-operation, friendship, progress, development and enlightenment. And perhaps the most misused of these words and oftener is ‘peace’ . Al1 wars and belligerencies, discords and divisions among human kind have been created and sustained by Americans , British, French , Dutch , Russians, Indians, Israelis and others in the noble name of peace.
That is why our attempt to introduce Muhammad (SAW) of Arabia as a prophet of peace called for this clarification at the very outset so as to free this statement from the common- place cliches and semantic emptiness associated with the current conception of ‘peace’
Basis of Peace
The Prophet (saw) established the basis of peace firmly in the inner soul of man. He taught that if the inner life of man is devoid of peace and tranquility, if there is no harmony and confluence between various forces operative in man’s interior self, then his personality will soon give way to an inner division and split and will start losing the symmetrical rhythm of life and the unified vision of the reality that integrates it. The chaos and anarchy that appears on the outer plane of life essentially stems from this split in the inner soul of man. But if there is maintained harmony and peace within man, then this state of soul shall surely manifest itself without man as well. Indeed, according to the Quran, the crisis and chaos rampant in the land is a direct consequence of what people themselves earn of the evil deeds with their own hands. The evil deeds are contingent upon the conscious intention of man according to the Prophet (SAW). Human psyche is the birthplace of all evil intentions. Unless we earnestly endeavour to purge our psychic condition of all evil intentions , we can neither overcome nor deliver ourselves from it’s horrendous consequences that appear in the form of ceaselessness and suffering.
F i r m F o u n d a t i o n
According to the Prophet (saw) a firm foundation can only be laid in the inner self of man when it is oriented to the definitive vision of life animated and enlightened by strong belief in God and love for Him. In this state of mind and head, man is delivered from fear and grief. This deliverance from fear and grief is the quintessence of peace, for it generates a contentment free from mourning over one’s past (grief) and lamentation over one’s future (fear), or? such a state of spiritual elevation, one learns to transcend time and space and to live at peace with the Divine scheme in this cosmic order, Thus one’s love and hate, bikes and dislikes, aims and ambitions become identified with Divine decrees. That is why the Quran so vehemently has given glad tidings to the friends of God in the following emphatic declaration :
“Behold! Verily on the friends of Allah there is no fear nor shall they grieve” (Yunus, 10:62).
It is basically this lofty level of peace which has been promised by God to the believers and promulgated by the Prophet (saw) at both the individual and collective planes of human existence. This deeper dimension of peacefulness is not confined to man’s own private self. It rather extends to the whole concourse of the social organism, the smallest unit of which is the human individual. More-over it also envelops the entire gamut of man’s relations with his environment. For under the tauhidi terms of human existential enterprise, man regards himself as a trustee of his own inner self and a steward over his outer environment rather than becoming their custodian and master.
Peace
Peace is a positive principle of life. It is an un-mistakable message carved across the whole countenance of the virgin nature. Peace is the constant craving of every sane soul and sound mind. As peace of the world of nature depends on avoiding acts that are harmful to its harmony, so the peace of the human world is contingent upon refraining from attitudes that militate against Its ironer harmony and balance.
Before attempting to promote peace as a positive force, it needs to be preserved negatively by eliminating its opposites. When darkness is dispelled, light returns by itself. Then no extra effort is needed to bring back light to replace darkness. For man as well as his world are naturally attuned to harmony and tempered with peace.
Justice
Secondly! the Prophet (saw) establishes peace at the level of the society, on a strong foundation of justice. A peace devoid of fairness, equity and justice is always infirm and short-lived. It merely serves the strong and the sturdy in perpetuating their wrongs against the frail and the feeble Therefore, the criteria of real peace is genuine justice. The sign of real justice is that it over-rules the powerful and prevails upon the dominant. Power thus becomes subordinated to justice and not vice-versa. People become powerful because they are just. They are rendered powerless because justice happens to be on the opposite side of the fence.
Thirdly, the prophet (saw) taught his followers that all choices between various alternatives in their lives, they should always opt for convenience and comfort rather than troubles and travails. And the Prophet (saw) himself always did the same. Further, the Prophet (saw) is reported to have taught following prayer to his community:
“O Allah, grant us comfort and convenience in the fullest measure; grant us the most lasting of all comforts and conveniences; and grant us the ability to show gratitude over enjoying comfort and convenience”.
Thus the Prophet (saw) impressed upon his followers that the most valuable treasure of their life after their faith was peace and all the inner and outer, physical and spiritual means and instruments of peace.
Fourthly, the Prophet (saw) taught his followers to discipline their self and control their anger and fury - the root cause of a great deal of violence and hostility - that endangers the peaceful living of people. The prophet (saw), the living embodiment of Quranic morals himself, was never carried away by anger except in the cause of Allah. He was always prepared to forgo and sacrifice personal rights for the sake of maintaining peace. The monumental and historic treaty of Hudaibiyyah among countless other examples speaks volumes about the Prophet’s unmitigated choice and relentless pursuit of peace.
Psychic Ailments
Lastly, the Prophet (saw) provided in his teachings and instructions an elaborate reformative programme for fighting against certain basic psychic ailments that often erode the peace of the individual and disturb the tranquility of the society. These ailments include selfishness, greed, malice, envy, anger and rancour.
Further, the evidence of history testifies that in those rare moments of his life, when the Prophet (saw) emerged victorious and was able to vanquish his arch enemies, he readily conferred upon them the gift of peace. He did not for a moment contemplate extending to his foes the wrath of retaliation so typical of worldly victors. Also worth recalling here is that fateful day of the Prophet (saw) at Taif before Hijrah. The Prophet (saw) had gone there to invite those unfortunate people who were steeped in the darkness of ignorance and un-belief to enter the fold of faith. These enemies of the truth responded by thundering a rain of stones at their benefactor. And the Prophet (saw) who was the best of the entire mankind, the leader of all the saints and the chief of all the prophets that have appeared since eternity, stood in the valley of Taif bathed in his own blood and bewildered at the behaviour of his own people. In that moment of utter helplessness at the hands of these devils, the Prophet (saw) was given the option between the instant destruction of these enemies of faith or peace. The Prophet (saw) opted , for the latter without a moment’s hesitation.
If human society were to take serious notice of the perennial teachings of Islam as exemplified in the Prophet’s sirah, it carries great promise for promoting peace at all levels of human co-existence and symbiosis.
(Courtesy of Dahwa Highlights Vol. V111, Issue 14).
