Peaceful Coexistence in Islam
In the non-Muslim world there is this question as to whether Muslims and non-Muslims can coexist peacefully together? They base this question from the fact that they get to see and know that in the Muslim world, non-Muslims are treated very badly. The answer to the above question from the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet is that they can, they should and they must. But this is not a rhetorical statement. I need to back up this claim, on what basis I say this.
To emphatically say ‘yes’ to the above question is based on the Islamic values. I will list some of them that can be fully documented from the primary sources of Islam. The first value is the value of Peace. It is not just rhetoric, that Islam means peace...it is much deeper than that. Islam itself means and demands to have peace with Allah, the Creator, resulting in inner peace within oneself; with all the creations of Allah- whether it is humans (Muslims or non Muslims) or animals or plants and even ecology, through submitting oneself to the Will of Allah and following His guidance sincerely and as fully as one can.
The second value is the firm belief in Allah (God) who is the creator of everything in the Heavens and Earth. This is not a mere dogma; because when we say that God is one then the whole humanity is also one, coming from the same source. The Prophet of Islam put it so beautifully: People (not just Muslims) are the dependence of Allah and the most beloved among them in the sight of Allah are those who are more beneficent to these dependence of Allah.
The third value is the acceptance and honouring of all the Prophets and Messengers of Allah whose core message was exactly the same to attain peace on all levels with the one su...
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...and goodness.
Finally there is the value of mercy. The Prophet was sent as a mercy to the whole of the worlds (mercy to humans, animals, plants and even environment).
We have to understand the context in which Muslims were allowed to fight. It is said that Jesus Christ (pbuh)preached only peace but Muhammad (pbuh) killed many peoples. This is the perfect example of a half-truth. In fact Jesus Christ (pbuh), as recorded in the Gospels said, all those who do not want that I (Jesus) should not rule over them, then bring them hither and slay them before me. And in fact Prophet Muhammad, as noted in the Quran, detested fighting. But for the sake of Allah he did it.
“Fighting has been enjoined upon you while it is hateful to you. But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And God knows, while you know not.”
Many conflicts have arisen over the years about the topic of religions. Some of these disputes have come because of the conflicts between the Muslim, Christian and Jewish peoples. Since these religions are based on the God of Abraham, are monotheistic, and all believe God created the universe, many disagreements and fights have come from the idea that one religion is more superior than the others. So the question has come: Can the Muslim, Christian and Jewish peoples peacefully coexist together in a diverse society? Although the Islam, Judaism, and Christian religions are all Abrahamic based and very similar, they cannot really coexist together in a diverse society because of their ideas of praying, lifestyle beliefs and saviors/holy books.
Value is someone’s moral standard of right and wrong, and is based off of one’s motivations or aspirations of life. Common values include loyalty, patriotism, and trust.
But Islam is centered on justice and the destruction of unbelievers. Allah is merciful -- but not to infidels. The early history of Christianity is one of persecution and martyrdom; Jesus himself submitting to crucifixion. In contrast, Islam was not born in submission and earnest entreaty, but in warfare against the enemies of Allah.
... unique dignity of each person, the truth that God is the Lord of Life not us, and the example and teaching of Jesus on mercy and forgiveness.
“I do know that for the sympathy of one living being, I would make peace with all. I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine and rage the likes of which you would not believe. If I cannot satisfy the one, I will indulge the other.”
In a book he wrote about Islam, Khan says “Islam is a religion which teaches non-violence. According to the Qur 'an, God does not love fasad, violence. What is meant here by fasad is clearly expressed in verse 205 of the second chapter. Basically, fasad is that action which results in disruption of the social system, causing huge losses in terms of lives and property.” (Source 10) There is no better quote to explain how Islam is a peaceful religion. In the Qu’ran, it states specifically that God does not love violence. Those who follow a non-violent life as an Islam are truly following the word of God. The radicals that choose to follow their own interpretations of the Qu’ran are the ones creating a poor reputation and fear of
"A value determines what a person thinks he ought to do, which may or may not be the same as he wants to do, or what is in his interest to, or what in fact he actually does. Values in this sense give rise to general standards and ideal by which we judge our own and others conduct; they also give rise to specific obligations” (CCETSW,
Firstly, I will begin by identifying my core values. These values can be put into two separate groups. Firstly, there are instrumental values: courageousness, intellectualism, and helpfulness. When considering the myriad of ideals, many others were eliminated
Robinson, B.A. (2002, October 14). Islam: Is it a religion of violence or of peace.
Monotheistic religions have helped shaped the world. Religion is a topic that has many definitions and is seen in many different ways. Some people believe in one G-d (God) which is known as monotheism while at the same time some people believe in many G-ds or no G-ds or G-d. Religion is something that has had a major effect on the world. Three of the major religions are all monotheistic. In this paper, I will talk about 3 aspects of three major monotheistic religions Judaism, Christianity and, Islam.
The author also explained that shortly after the Hijra, another verse was revealed to him, giving permission for one to fight if they feel they have been wronged. Furthermore, war against unbelievers, or Jihad, is encouraged. One who fights for his purpose will have a far greater reward than one who chooses not to. Those who are killed in battle will have paradise to look forward to, “They have struck a bargain with God.”(Cook, 1983: 54). This policy is very convenient and effective for Muhammad to spread his religion. It is very motivating to believe you have God on your side during a war.
There are many different meanings when we type out the word “Values” in the internet. From “importance, worth or usefulness of something” to a “person’s principles or standards of behavior” and “one’s judgement of what is important in life.” (Google) All these meaning have a word in common, important. My meaning to values is what I consider important in my life, simple as that. There are over 100 values in which are all very significant in our daily lives. It is hard to choose just a few values when in reality we all want all of them even if we don’t admit we need it. If I had to choose values, it would be family, happiness, loyalty, honesty, and lastly responsibility.
My research has led me to the conclusion that conflict between Muslim groups and the Western societies is purely political, but tinged with misinterpretations of the Quran by Islamic radicals. The false justifications these groups make about the Quran explicitly directing Muslims to attack anyone of a different religion is motivated by a few key instigators political ambitions and want for power. It is because of these few groups of radicals and their own misinterpretation of the Quran that lead Westerners to view Muslims with distrust and suspicion. There is a strong need to practice religious tolerance and identify that the problem lies within a few groups of disgruntled individuals. Islam is a religion that preaches peace among those that follow its guidance and tolerance for peoples of other religions.
Religion is an important factor in many lives in today’s society. A particular western religion that is taken very seriously by many is known as Islam. Essentially, Islam means “submission”, or in other words a person is to abide by God and peace will follow. In order to comprehend the Islamic religion, it is consequential to view the major themes associated with this religion. By going through the central themes of Islam it could help others comprehend what is involved with this specific religion.
Values can be defined as “a belief about what ought to be, what ought not to be, what is right, or what is wrong” (Chelladurai, 2006). I believe that values ground people and provide the framework for all decisions they make. I have four core values that I use to carry me through life every day and they are faith, family, honesty and passion. Faith is my number one value because I choose to walk by faith every day. To me that means staying strong in my relationship with God and making sure that all decisions I make are pleasing in his eyes. My second value is family. This is not limited to just my immediate or blood-related family. In every decision I make, I ask myself before or after whether it will or whether it did have a negative or positive impact on my family. With my immediate family I ask myself, “Would I be okay with telling Mom this?” I considered my volleyball teammates as family, so every decision I made in college I would consider the impact that it could have on my team as a whole. My third value is honesty. I always want to be honest with myself, honest with those around me and I expect the same from others. I believe that with honesty it is easier to build trust, loyalty and respect all around. The final core value in my life is passion. Without passion for the things one does, they will be just that “things.” I wa...