The Religion of Peace

The Religion of Peace

The Final Message from God

The religion of peace, Islam, is the last message revealed from God to his prophet Muhammad (PBUH) after the two religions, Christianity, which was revealed to Jesus, and Judaism, which was revealed to Moses. The whole of the three religions was revealed with just one message: Peace and submission to God. If you read or learn the Quran, you will find that the three religions are mentioned there as previous messages, and Muhammad is the messenger who was sent to complete the two messages.

The Source of Peace and Perfection

Importance of Learning the Quran

Every Muslim needs to learn the Quran, and he needs to learn about his religion, needs to know that Islam is the religion of Peace, Mercy, and Compassion. When Muslims learn or read the Quran and go beyond the meaning of the words, they will understand what Islam is and the great message it has. When you learn the Quran, you will know one of Allah’s names, which is Al-Salam, which means The Source of Peace (and Perfection) / The Peace.

Allah’s Mercy Illustrated in Hadith

Learners of the Quran will know that Allah is the Most Beneficent, and Most Merciful. In the meaning of the Hadith; Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: When some captives were brought to the prophet Muhammed (PBUH) and there was a woman among them who was running, then she saw a child among the captives, she took him, hold him to her belly, and suckle him. Then the prophet (PBUH) said to us, “Do you believe that this woman may throw her child in the fire?” We answered, By Allah, no, she can’t throw him into the fire. Prophet (PBUH) said: Allah is more merciful than this woman to her child. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Bad Effects of Media

Media’s Role in Stereotyping

Everyone who wants to know anything about Islam should go to the source of its information, which is the Quran and Sunnah. Read the Quran and Sunnah if you really want to know about Islam. Do not depend on the Media. The media is the main source of every disaster that happens in this whole world. If the media wants to show someone, a sect, a religion, a group, or something as good, people have to surrender and agree. If the media shows someone, sect, religion, group, or something as bad, people have to accept it as true. The media put the stereotypes, and people have to believe in those kinds of stereotypes.

Misrepresentation and Its Consequences

And yes, that is what is happening now with Islam, and that is what they are doing in the media, from racist speeches to provocations against Islam and Muslims. They make a stereotype and put Muslims in it, and they are calling people to believe in that. They are calling Muslims terrorists because of some individuals’ actions, actually minorities.

Overlooking Context and Real Causes

They just highlight the violent actions that some minorities do, while in fact, they do not even speak a word about what the majority of non-Muslims do toward Muslims around the world. They just do not remember what has happened in Iraq, Baghdad, and Afghanistan. Their media does not show them what is happening now in Burma, Syria, and Africa!! They do not know!

Terrorism and Political Motivations

Are Muslims the real terrorists? If they really want to know the reasons behind these Muslim’s actions, actually minorities’, they’ll find that these violent actions are just reactions resulting from some injustice they’ve faced, or for political reasons. They will find that they are some reason for that. In his debate, in the Oxford Union debate on Islam, Mehdi Hassan said that Professor Robert Pope who is a suicide bombing expert at the University of Chicago and one who has studied 315 suicide bombing incidents up to date, had concluded that the relation between suicide terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism is little. The reason behind the whole Terrorist attacks are common even in Islam or any religious world; all of the attacks are done to force modern Democracies to drawback military forces on the lands that the attackers consider their own land, and they rarely find religions the aim of these attacks, although the terrorists or the attackers use religions as tools that justify their violent actions.

God of Islam is the God of Mercy

Misconceptions About Islam

When you read the Quran, you will know that Islam is the religion of peace and passion. Those who say that Islam is just a religion of violence and killing and the whole Muslims are terrorists set debates with Muslims to prove their point of view; they just use selective misinterpretations and misquotations to prove their falsifications.

The True Nature of God in Islam

In his presentation, Mehdi Hassan said that our God is the God of Mercy and compassion. How can we and he, as he has said, follow a religion that introduces our God to us as the God of war, some kind of Greek God of wrath, as a God of hate and injustice?

Islam’s Global Presence

Islam is a 1,400-year-old global religion, followed by 1.6 billion people in every corner of the world, representing a quarter of humanity from all backgrounds, cultures, and races. They shed light on the .001% of Muslim populations, but what about the other 99.99% of them?

Quranic Teachings on Life and Mercy

In Khan’s translation of the Quran from surat Al-Maeda, verse 32, Allah says: “Because of that we have decreed upon the offspring of Israel, whoever kills a soul without a reason of killing or to spread mischief inland, it’s as he has killed the whole people, and whoever makes it the life it’s as if he gives life to the whole people.

And Allah says that His mercy includes everything.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What is meant by Islam being the religion of peace?

Islam is referred to as the religion of peace because it is the final message from God to humanity through the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), emphasising mercy, peace, and obedience to God. Its main message builds on the earlier teachings of Judaism and Christianity by promoting harmony and peaceful coexistence.

Q2: Why is learning the Quran important in Islam?

Learning the Quran is essential for any Muslim who wishes to understand the real message of Islam, which is one of compassion, mercy, and peace. The Quran reveals Allah’s name, Al-Salam, which translates to “The Source of Peace,” and guides believers towards moral and spiritual perfection.

Q3: How does Islamic teaching illustrate Allah’s mercy?

Using hadiths such as the one related by Umar bin Al-Khattab, in which the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) explains that Allah’s mercy surpasses even a mother’s protection of her child, Islamic teachings emphasise Allah’s boundless compassion.

Q4: What role does media play in shaping perceptions about Islam?

The media’s constant reinforcement of stereotypes and focus on the violent actions of a small minority distorts Islam’s true peaceful nature. This leads to a lot of misunderstandings and the unjust categorisation of Muslims as terrorists.

Q5: Are terrorism and Islam closely connected?

No, Islam and terrorism are not inherently related. There is little evidence linking suicide terrorism to Islamic fundamentalism, according to research, including that cited by academics like Professor Robert Pope. Terrorist attacks are usually not religious orders but political reactions.

Q6: What are common misconceptions about God in Islam?

The idea that the Islamic God is a violent or irate deity is a common misconception. Islam teaches that Allah is the God of justice, mercy, and compassion who loves peace, as emphasised by Islamic scholars and Quranic verses.

Q7: How widespread is Islam globally today?

Islam is a 1,400-year-old religion with 1.6 billion followers worldwide, or about 25% of the world’s population. Its core peaceful principles bring people from all racial and cultural backgrounds together.

Q8: What does the Quran say about the sanctity of life?

The Quran’s Surat Al-Maeda (5:32) states that saving one life is the same as saving all of humanity, and killing an innocent soul is the same as killing all of humanity. This verse highlights Allah’s mercy and the importance of life in Islam.

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