Peace acquired by submitting your will to almighty God, this is the meaning of the word Islam, and attaining that peace requires living a permissible lifestyle by obeying the creator and his final revelation. The ‘Quran’ which provides guidance enabling people to understand and judge right from wrong is the solution reveled by the creator to help lead humankind from darkness to light.
Human beings living with God consciousness (Taqwa) and piety will direct themselves towards righteousness while helping them abstain from wrongful deeds thereby enabling the achievement of inner peace. For the human ‘Soul’ to reach a peaceful state, God commands the five daily prayers (Salaah), which conditions humans towards righteousness. The creation of peaceful societies will result from people being programmed towards peace through prayer in collective forms of worship as well as through other religious obligations that promote brotherhood and equality such as the annual pilgrimage for Hajj.
Islam also provides instructions on how to practically achieve the creation of peaceful societies. The third pillar of Islam being Zakat (Charity) commands Muslims with a saving of more than 85 grams of gold every Lunar year to pay 2.5% of that excess wealth to the poor and needy, thus ensuring poverty alleviation within the community, lower crime and better harmony.
Sharia laws are personal laws that purify and make life easy for Muslims, because they provide solutions to life. Human have been created weak, hence a complete code of conduct that helps govern one’s life provides answers on how to live. In the context of laws governing Muslim communities the logic applied is to have stern laws that deter crime from taking place, which consequently helps prevent undesirable activity so that justice can prevail within the society. The guidance provided in Islam as a solution to humanity, first requires people to acquire peace through prayer as well as find solutions to worldly problems from the recommended code of conduct in the form of the Sharia. Furthermore, paying the annual Zakat obligation to alleviate community poverty as well as having laws that communicate non-tolerance for criminal activity ensures that justice and peace prevails for the community as a whole.
You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah. If only the People of the Scripture had believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient.
Surah Al-Imran – Verse 110 — Saheeh International
Ye are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah. If only the People of the Book had faith, it were best for them: among them are some who have faith, but most of them are perverted transgressors.
Surah Al-Imran – Verse 110 — Abdullah Yusuf Ali
