Page 15 - Non-violence and peace-building

Non-violence and Peace-building in Islam

no further barrier now to the Prophet’s triumphant
entry into Makkah.
The deliberate imposition of a humiliating retreat
from Makkah had paved the way for a great victory.

People nowadays tend to resort to violence on the
slightest provocation from their opponents. When the
losses of meaningless war are pointed out to them, they
seek to justify themselves by saying that they were not
the aggressors and that their opponents had forced
them to take to fighting. “We didn’t fight!” they retort.
“It was those people who did it! They conspired against
us to make us fight.”
Such people do not know that “not to fight” is not
simply that if no one fights you, you do not fight with
anyone. Rather, “not to fight” means that if someone
comes to fight you, still you should not fight with him.
Non-violence does not mean remaining peaceful so
long as no one is acting violently towards you. Rather, it
means to refrain from violence even in face of violence.
If someone seeks to provoke you, you should not allow
yourself to get provoked. If someone conspires against
you, you should render the conspiracy ineffective
through wisdom and silent, positive action.

To fight one’s enemies is no way to succeed in life.
Only by avoiding conflict can one consolidate one’s
strength. Then alone will one be able to overcome
one’s foes. To fight at the slightest provocation and
ignore the need to quietly build up one’s own strength
is to condemn oneself to destruction. Such conduct
can never lead to success in this world of God. The

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