PEACE: This word comes from the Lord because, in the Qur’an’s view, it expresses his own essence. Qur’an 59:23 discloses that peace is one of the names of Allah himself: “He is God, other than whom there is no god, the King, the Holy, the Peace, the Defender, the Guardian, the Mighty, the Omnipotent, the Supreme.”
The Arabic word salaam (سلام) (“peace”) originates from the same root as the word Islam. The word silm (سِلم) also means the religion of Islam in Arabic, and the phrase “he entered as-silm (peace)” means “he entered Islam.” One Islamic interpretation is that individual personal peace is attained by submitting one’s will to the Will of Allah.
The ideal society according to the Quran is Dar as-Salam, literally, “the house of peace” of which it intones: “And Allah invites to the ‘abode of peace’ and guides whom He pleases into the right path.”
‘O mankind! We created you from a single [pair] of a male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may come to know one another. Verily the most honoured among you in the sight of God is the most righteous of you. (49:13). ‘And had your Lord so willed, He could have surely made all human beings into one single community (Ummah), but (He willed it otherwise, and so) they continue to hold divergent views’ (11:118).
Peace, is also defined in opposition to conflict or war. Establishment of peace (a situation of non-conflict) between groups, an agreement or truce or settlement between groups to halt and prevent further conflict or violence.
Peace Negative: peace refers to the absence of violence but can include latent conflicts.
Positive peace: is the restoration of relationships, establishment of justice, and the creation of just social systems that serve the needs of the whole population.
Peace: is the framework within which conflicts unfold non-violently and creatively into positive change.
Uniting through creating bonds
Unity is key, but it involves effort from every individual, just how Allah (SWT) mentions in the Qur’an,
“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favour of Allah upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favour, brothers.” [3:103]
Our Prophet (saw) was a true inspiration in living the above verse. Being in a leadership position, he faced immense criticism to the point that he was pelted with stones, drenched in dirt and dust, and even his life was put in danger many times. Yet, our Prophet (saw) showed nothing but kindness and respect back to his enemies. He used kindness to change the world and create legacies that continue to live with us today. It was his kindness that made one of his worst enemies, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra), to be one of his closest friends, a khalifa and one of the ten promised paradise.
Such is the power of kindness, in which unity can be achieved and love can be spread far and wide.
Importance of Unity in Islam
There is so much we can gain just by uniting in good. Our Prophet (saw) was a man of unity. He ensured that he spread love and kindness wherever he went, and just through these actions, he attracted millions of people to join the religion of Islam.
power of unity is so vast, that just by coming together, we can change lives. We can uplift those who are feeling down and we can create a sense of belonging to those vulnerable and those who feel alone. Here are some ways in how we can attain unity to better ourselves and improve our interactions with others.
To be Continued
