The Role and contribution of Islam in promoting the Culture of peace in a Globalized World
Friday, July 04, 2008
How can Muslims contribute in Promoting Peace in the 21stcentury?
As defined above, globalization is based on secular materialistic philosophy whose main target is to marginalize religion, especially Islam and Muslims. But as we said earlier, globalism as consciously designed is different from globalism as unconsciously unfolding.
The Tijaniyyah mystic Order describes the Prophet in their system of invocation as "the Opener of what was closed). The positive forces of globalism must be read against the back ground of the Prophet being the opener of what was closed (al-Fatih li ma Ughliq). As a result, neither ignoring the forces of globalism nor adopting it lock stock and barrel will be the solutions. So, given the problems outlined above, in order for Muslims to promote peace, the writer would suggest the following:
1- Embarking on a process of restoration of Muslim self-dignity and self- Integrity. This is because an internally weak and hopeless individual cannot effectively promote peace. The way to do that is to cure our disease of loss of adab by valuing knowledge and the learned, respect hierarchical authority and revitalize and develop ethics of disagreement as were established by our upright ancestors
2- As the Prophet showed us a gentle, calm rational respond to the provocation of an aggressor. The Qur'an says: and when the foolish addresses them (with bad words) the y reply back with words of salam (peace), al-Furqan 25: 63
Such an approach necessitates perfection of the art of debate and dialogue. I emphasis perfection here for a simple reason that in order for one to engage in effective and productive dialogue, one needs to read extensively to be intellectually well-equipped to know the strategies and tactics of those with whom he dialogue, especially if we know that dialogue according to the Prophet never mean compromising one's fundamentals and especially when we also know that the other party does not just dialogue but they dialogue based on a strategy of the world mind game for which they have been highly equipped
Based on the Qur'anic and prophetic method of the necessity of the balance of powers, Muslims can also contribute to peace by seriously getting ready for deterrent engagements of self-defense. The Prophet showed us that demands of the flesh satisfying vices like greed must be curbed. The greedy if not forcefully deterred will continue to prey on the weak. So, constant readiness for defensive war can contribute to the world peace. It was in this vein that the Prophet warned us of wahan (extreme love of this world and fear of death to preserve dignity)
Author: By Dr. Omar Jah Jr