Islam places great emphasis on inner peace. Believers receive these gifts from Allah Almighty. In the most difficult situations, Allah mentions that He bestowed inner peace on the believers. People have taken a variety of different paths in trying to achieve inner peace, some through accumulating material possessions and wealth, others through drugs; others through meditation; some through their husbands and wives, others through their careers and some through their children’s achievements. Allah says:
:فَإِنِ اعْتَزَلُوكُمْ فَلَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ وَأَلْقَوْا إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَمَ فَمَا جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سَبِيلًا
“So if they remove themselves from you and do not fight you and offer you peace, then Allah has not made for you a cause for fighting against them.” (Surah An-Nisa 4:90)
True inner peace is a sense of stability and contentment which carries us through all the trials and difficulties of life. A Muslim is under the peaceful and safe shade of Islam. God wants a Muslim to live in a safe and peaceful environment and to make efforts for the spread and continuity of peace. Allah says:
اللَّهَ إِنَّ ۗاللَّهِ مْرِأَ مِنْ يَحْفَظُونَهُ خَلْفِهِ وَمِنْ يَدَيْهِ بَيْنِ مِنْ مُعَقِّبَاتٌ لَهُ” “…بِأَنْفُسِهِم مَا يُغَيِّرُوا حَتَّىٰ بِقَوْمٍ مَا يُغَيِّرُ لَا
“There are guardians over everyone, both before him and behind him, who guard him by Allah’s command. Verily Allah does not change a people’s condition unless they change their inner selves…” (Surah Ar-Rad, 13:11)
In Islam, the individual is considered as a person that gains value within the society, as someone responsible to the community in a social context. According to Islam, the life of a human being is a trust from God, irrespective of his or her ancestry, colour, or language, and hence should be protected meticulously. And only those who have followed the path of peace in this world will be allowed an entrance into God’s Paradise.
Here are some ways to keep the true Peaceful Face of Islam:
- Inner peace is freedom of thought and religion is paramount
- Inner peace serve and maintain relations with others
- Inner peace make effort and leave the rest to Allah
- Inner peace teaches that God is the Most Justice
- Inner peace is to pray no matter how hard it gets
- Inner peace is nothing in this world lasts forever
- Inner peace recite the “dearest phrases to Allah”
- Inner peace brings about a complete calmness
- Inner peace is content with Allah’s Decree
- Inner peace is reading the Quran regularly
- Inner peace avoid worldly comparisons
- Inner peace is the Cornerstone
- Inner peace brings the reality of this life
- Inner peace seeks the Pleasure of Allah
- Inner peace is thankful to Allah Almighty
- Inner peace is asking for help from Allah
- Inner peace understand the majesty of Allah
- Inner peace gives a person a clear perspective
- Inner peace understanding the reality of this life
- Inner peace emphasizes both evidence and faith
- Inner peace is understanding the Majesty of Allah
- Inner peace make effort and leave the rest to Allah
- Inner peace has the right to life is an absolute value
- Inner peace competes with each other in doing good
- Inner peace expresses gratitude to Allah for His blessings
Islam means living in a peaceful environment that emerges as a result of submission to God, the Qur’an asks that all humanity should embrace slim, that is, peace, and reminds us to avoid following Satan. The Holy Quran suggests compassion and kindness be a recipe to turn one’s enemies into bosom friends. So, every human deserves respect by nature; approaching them with leniency, tolerance, and humility is certainly virtuous. Allah says:
وَإِن جَنَحُوا لِلسَّلْمِ فَاجْنَحْ لَهَا وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
“If the enemy inclines to peace, then incline to it also and rely upon Allah. Verily, it is He who is the Hearing, the Knowing.” (Surah Al-Anfal 8:61)
It is no exaggeration to say that Islam and violence are contradictory to each other. The concept of Islamic violence is so obviously unfounded that, prima facie it stands rejected. The fact that violence is not sustainable in the present world is enough to convince one that violence, as a principle, is quite alien to the scheme of things in Islam. Islam claims to be an eternal religion and such a religion cannot afford a principle in its scheme which will not be sustainable in later periods of human history. Allah says:
فَاصْفَحْ عَنْهُمْ وَقُلْ سَلَامٌ فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ
“So turn aside from them and say words of peace, but soon they are going to know.” (Surah Az-Zukhruf 43:89)
Good deeds are actions that are beneficial for people and society, as well as actions that are taken to establish peace and serenity. This concept not only includes offering worship and spending on a good cause but also smiling, and behaving warmly to others. Thus, essentially, virtuous deeds are acts that purify humankind of aggression and bring them to peace. Hence, staying away from hatred and having a tolerant attitude is essential for humanity. In Islam, the right to life is an absolute value.
Allah Almighty says in The Holy Quran:
- “And peace on the apostles!” (Surah As-Saffat, 181)
- “Only the saying, “peace! peace.” (Surah Al-Waqia, 26)
- “Enter ye here in peace and security.” (Surah Al-Hijr, 46)
- “O peaceful soul, come and enter my paradise. ” (Quran 89:28)
- “The reward of goodness is nothing but goodness. ” (Quran 55:61)
- “Enter ye therein in peace and security; this is a Day of Eternal Life!” (Surah Qaf, 34)
- “There can they call for every kind of fruit in peace and security.” (Surah Ad-Dukhan, 55)
- “For them will be a home of peace in the presence of their Lord: He will be their friend because they practised (righteousness).” (Surah Al-Anam, 127)
- “And if the people of the towns believed and had Taqwa, certainly We should have opened for them blessings from the heavens and the earth.” (Quran, 7:96)
- “It is not allowable [i.e., possible] for the sun to reach the moon, nor does the night overtake the day, but each, in an orbit, is swimming.” (Quran: 36:40)
- “God Almighty advises His Messenger to be forgiving and to consult people by asking for their ideas. “(Quran, 3:159; 42:38)
- “If there were settled, on earth, angels walking about in peace, We should certainly have sent them down from the heavens an angel for an apostle.” (Surah Al-Isra, 95)
Islam stands for peace, harmony, and understanding. It does not preach hatred or condone acts of violence. Unfortunately, the message of Islam has been distorted by the enemies of Islam. By the blessing of God, the Prophet succeeded in establishing unity among people by acting with compassion and mercy. If he had treated the people around him severely and rudely, Allah says:
وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا
“The servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say words of peace.” (Surah Al-Furqan 25:63)
Allah says that we should be the first and take initiative to do good to others. Therefore, those who have received the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) message can never be severe, arrogant, antagonistic, or hostile. Since exchanging ideas increases feelings of unity and cooperation while reducing tension between people. As a result, a desire for change that transforms hatred into peace and serenity appears in society. Even if one has the right to retaliate in response to an evil action, forgiveness is more appropriate for those who are more pious.