Chapter I

Foundations of Peace
Introduction
This chapter introduces students to the Islamic concept on
peace that is universal, comprehensive and holistic (Husin: 2005).

Four interrelated forms of peace:

1. Man’s relationship with God

2. Peace within one’s self
3. Peace between peoples
4. Peace connected with the universe
Objectives
At the end of the chapter, students should be able to:
• Identify peace concepts derived from the teachings of
Islam;
• Establish and manifest desirable behaviors that help
advocate peace among students; and,
• Initiate activities on strengthening one’s faith and
peace movements among students that will promote
greater understanding and harmonious living in the
context of multi-diverse cultures.
Lesson 1
Understanding Peace
Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the student will be able to:
1. Understand the basic conceptions of peace
2. Review philosophical foundation of Islam;
3. Recognize peace concepts from the teachings of
Islam; and
4. Relate concepts to contemporary issues on peace.
Foundations of
Peace

“Where with Allah guides all those

who seek his good pleasure to ways of
peace, and he brings them out of
darkness by his will unto light and
guides them to a straight way (Islamic
Monotheism).” (Qur’an 5:16)
“For them will be the home of peace
(Paradise) with their Lord. And He will be
their Walî (Helper and Protector) because
of what they used to do.” (Qur’an 6:127)
“Allah calls to the home of peace (i.e. Paradise, by accepting
Allah’s religion of Islamic Monotheism and by doing righteous
good deeds and abstaining from polytheism and evil deeds)
and guides whom He wills to a Straight Path. For those who
have done good is the best (reward, i.e. Paradise) and even
more (i.e. having the honour of glancing at the Countenance
of Allah) Neither darkness nor dust nor any humiliating
disgrace shall cover their faces. They are the dwellers of
Paradise; they will abide therein forever.” (Qur’an 10:25-26)
Conception of Peace
 Peace can be a state of harmony or the absence
of hostility.
 Peace can mean a state of quiet or tranquility —
an absence of disturbance or agitation.
 Peace can also describe a relationship between
any people characterized by respect,
understanding, cooperation, justice, and goodwill.
 Peace can describe calmness, serenity, and
silence.
Negative
peace
The absence of conflict and violence.
Does not experience Direct violence (like war,
civil strife, etc.) but suffers from Structural
violence (malnutrition, repression, poverty, lack of
Positive
access to education, etc.)

peace
 To exist when not only is there an absence of war or conflict
but also absence of manifestations of structural violence.
 Equates peace to a sense of social justice where all
individuals are free from both direct and structural
violence.
Peace in Islam
Peace in Islam
The universal mission of Islam is to spread and show
to all humankind the mercy of god on earth. Life, with the
composition of a single soul and body, is a gift of god to
man. Faith and Guidance are also precious gifts of god,
and so are the wonderful forms of life including energy,
weather, mineral, flora, fauna and the other innumerable
creations of god. This is mentioned in Surah Yunus: 47
and Furqan: 46-49.
Peace in Islam

“And for every Ummah (a community or

a nation), there is a Messenger; when
their Messenger comes, the matter will
be judged between them with justice,
and they will not be wronged.” (Qur’an
10:47)
“Then we withdraw it to us a gradual concealed withdrawal. And
it is he who makes the night a covering for you, and the sleep
(as) repose, and makes the day Nushûr (i.e. getting up and
going about here and there for daily work, etc. after one's sleep
at night or like resurrection after one's death). And it is he who
sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His
Mercy (rain), and We send down pure water from the sky, That
We may give life thereby to a dead land, and We give to drink
thereof many of the cattle and men that We had created.”
(Qur’an 25:46-49)
Faith
is bestowed upon Man thru His infinite
mercy, and it is imperative to know and
learn the philosophy that lies behind it.

Three fields of peace:

1. Absence of war
2. Freedom from economic, social and
cultural injustice
3. Freedom from all forms of
discrimination (gender, religion,
ethnicity and others).
Life
free from conflict, injustice and discrimination, is
positively peaceful.

Peace
is in accordance with understanding Islam. Islam has its
own system that is comprehensive in thought and a struggle
against wrong and evil.
Islam provides four major interrelated issues as follows:
1. Peace within the context of connection with God, The Creator, who made peace very clear and relevant to the ‘fitra’ of man, bearing witness on the existence of God, when He created him.
2. Tranquility is being peaceful and free from contention between one’s self and his desire.
3. Peace among fellow human beings and being free from conflict and discrimination and lives with justice.
4. Peace within a society that lives in accordance with Allah’s purpose and nature of creation (fitra).
Islam
is an Arabic word derived from the root words (silm or
salam) which means surrendering one’s self through
unflinching peace with Allah (s.w.t)
Mohammad, was a good model (uswatun hasanah) to be
followed.
- He was an advocate of peace all throughout his life.
- When he established brotherhood (ukhowwah) among the
Muslims, between the Muhajireen (immigrants from Makkah) and the
Ansar (helpers from Madinah), and subsequently, built a mosque
(masjid) as a place of worship, as well as a center for Muslim activities.
 Lesson 2
Allah as God of Peace
Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the student will be able to:
1. State specific teachings of Islam, with Allah as the God
of Peace.
2. Discuss peace concepts derived from the Qur’an
verses on Allah as God of Peace.
3. Cite and share experiences with other students on
their belief of Allah as God of Peace.
Allah The
Almighty is the
God of Peace
 Allah is named as AL-SALAM in the Qur’an. As a Muslim

prays:

“Oh! Allah! you are the peace! from you comes the

peace and to you returns the Peace! Grant us to live, our

Lord, in peace; and make us enter the paradise, Your abode

the abode of peace. Blessed are you, our lord. you are
Allah says in the Glorious Qur’an:

“He is Allah than whom there is La ilaha illa

Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but
He) the King, the Holy, the One Free from all
defects, the Giver of security, the Watcher over
His creatures, the All-Mighty, the Compeller,
the Supreme. Glory be to Allah! (High is He)
above all that they associate as partners with
Him.” (Qur’an 59:23)
 Lesson 3
The Qur’an as a Message of Peace
Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the student will be able to:
1. Recognize the significance of the Glorious Qur’an.
2. Describe and identify peace verses in the Glorious
Qur’an.
3. Memorize short verses of the Glorious Qur’an.
The Glorious
Qur’an is a
Message of Peace
“Verily, this Qur’an guides to that which is most
just and right and gives glad tidings to the
believers (in the Oneness of Allah and His
Messenger, Muhammad (S.A.W.), etc.). who
work deeds of righteousness, that they shall
have a great reward (Paradise).” (Qur’an
17:9)
“I (Muhammad) have been commanded only to
worship the Lord of this city (Makkah), Him Who has
sanctified it and His is everything. And I am
commanded to be from among the Muslims (those
who submit to Allah in Islam). And to recite the
Qur’an, so whosoever receives guidance, receives it
for the good of his own self, and whosoever goes
astray, say (to him): "I am only one of the warners."
(Qur’an 27:91-92)
In another verse, Allah says:

“We have indeed revealed this (message) in

the Night of Power! And what will explain to
you what the Night of Power is? The Night of
Power is better than a thousand months.
Therein come down the angels and the Spirit of
Allah’s permission, on every errand. There is
Peace until the rise of morn’.” (Qur’an 97:1
5)
 Lesson 4
The Prophet as Messenger of Peace
Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the student will be able to:
1. Recognize Prophet Mohammad as the Messenger of
Peace.
2. Understand works of the Prophet that reflect peace
among humankind.
3. Relate stories in the Hadith regarding the Prophet’s
mission on earth.
The Prophet as
Messenger of
Peace
Muhammad (peace be upon him) is a
Messenger of Peace. He said in his Hadith:

Narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with

him) said: the messenger of Allah (peace be upon
him) said: “You will not enter paradise unless you
believe in Allah. And you don’t believe in Allah unless
you love one another. Do you want me to teach you
something by which if you do you will love one
another? Spread peace among you.” Reported by
Muslim.
Allah Almighty says in the Glorious Qur’an:

“But no, by your Lord, they can have no (real)

faith until they make you (O Muhammad!)
judge in all disputes among them, and find in
their souls no resistance against your decisions
and accept them in peace with the fullest
conviction.” (Qur’an 4:65)
In another verses Allah says in the Qur’an:

“And We have sent you (O Muhammad) not

but as a mercy for the 'Alamîn (mankind,
jinn’s and all that exists).” (Qur’an
21:107)
“Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah
(Muhammad) you have a good example to
follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting
with) Allah and the Last Day and
remembers Allah much.” (Qur’an 33:21)
“(1) By the Star when it goes down (2) your companion is neither astray nor
being misled (3) Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) desire (4) it is no less than
inspiration sent down to him (5) He was taught by One Mighty in Power (6)
Endued with Wisdom: for he appeared (in stately form (7) While he was in the
highest part of the horizon (8) Then he approached and come closer (9) And was
a distance of about two bow-lengths or (even) nearer; (10) So did (Allah) convey
the inspirations to His servant (conveyed) what He meant to convey. (11) The
(Prophet’s) (mind and) heart in no way falsified that which he saw. (12) Will ye
then dispute with him concerning what he saw? (13) For indeed he saw Him at a
second descent. (14) Near the Lote-tree of the utmost boundary. (15) Near it is
the Garden of Abode”. (Qur’an 53:1-15)
“You (O Muhammad) are not, by the Grace of your Lord, a
madman.” (Qur’an 68:2)

“And verily, you (O Muhammad) are on an

exalted standard of character.” (Qur’an 68:4)
“Allah and His angels send blessings on
the Prophet! O ye who believe, send
your blessing on him and salute him
with peace (and with all respect).”
(Qur’an 33:56)
 The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) established brotherhood among Muslims of
different groups, just as he built the mosque in order to be a center of
the Muslim Community. He instituted a pact of brotherhood between the
Ansar and Muhajirun, with the view to uniting the community of the
believers still further.

The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) then sought to establish friendly relations

between the Muslims and Jews of Madinah, particularly those of Banu
Quraizah and Banu Qainuqaa. He made a covenant of mutual
obligations, forming them into a single community, but allowing for
differences between the two religions.
 Here are some of the covenant’s provisions:
The peace of the believers is indivisible. No separate
peace shall be made when believers are fighting in the
cause of Allah. Conditions must be fair and equitable to
all.
The oppressed must be helped.
A man is not to be held accountable for his ally’s
misdeeds.
 Lesson 5
A Muslim as Advocate of Peace
Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the student will be able to:
1. Define the term Muslim.
2. Identify the attributes of a Muslim.
3. Describe the role of the Muslims in advocating peace.
4. Relate this role to the governments’ advocacy on
peace.
5. Identify the effects of peace on one’s self, family and
community.
A Muslim as
Advocate of Peace
 Every Muslim is enjoined to pray five times a day at specific
times. These prayers are expressions of complete submission to the
Will of Allah, worshipping none but Him, and imploring no aid but His.

They are means of communicating with Allah without any

intermediary. In the performance of these prayers, the final salutation
is: “Assala’mu alaykum wa rahmatulla’hi wa baraka’tuh!” which is an
expression of one’s prayer for peace, mercy and blessings for others.
In the Glorious Qur’an, Allah Almighty says:

“O ye who believe! Enter not houses other than your

own until you have asked permission and saluted (or
greeted with peace) those in them. That is best for you,
in order that you may heed (what is seemly).” (Qur’an
24:27)
 A Muslim, as the term connotes, is peaceful.

 He must live in peace with his fellowmen.

 A Muslim must live for peace.

 A Muslim strives to find peace within his conscience. He

must cultivate a healthy spiritual life in order to achieve
that kind of life.
 A Muslim can achieve peace within himself if he submits
to Allah’s will and lives in humility.
Prophet Muhammad(p.b.u.h) emphasized to his
followers: He said in Hadith:

“And We have sent you (O Muhammad) not but

as a mercy for the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinn’s and
all that exists).” (Qur’an 21:107)
Allah Almighty says in the Glorious Qur’an to
the effect:

“And the servants of Allah, Most Gracious, are those who

walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant
address them, they say: “Peace!” (Qur’an 25:63)
SHUKRAN!
Prepared by: Princess Hanadee M. Aba
1st Year – BS Accountancy