I asked the above question in my blast and a friend answered. I hope she will let me share her answer through this blogsite.
Meanwhile, I'll try to asnwer my own question...peace, the elusive quality that everyone strive for but few ever obtain. The various definitions found in the web is thus:
My friend mentioned about peace of mind, others may think about peace of the heart when they think of peace...For me, I recalled the first time I thought about peace - in a workshop during my university days where the lecturer was talking about Islam. Islam comes from the word "salam" which is Arabic for peace. But something about the definition struck me: Islam doesn't just mean peace but there is another component - submission to God. It is then, he said, that Islam defines that peace is obtain through the submisison of our will to God's will.
http://winnipegsun.com/News/Columnists/Siddiqui_Shahina/2006/08/04/1718407.html
The article written by Ms. Siddiqui refines this idea. She wrote, "Islam is derived from two root words -- "salaam" meaning peace and "ism" meaning submission. This very definition formulates the significance of following the Islamic way of life and of submitting to this religion in totality, since it promises this will bring about peace. Peace, then, is not a mere concept or an automatic result of identifying oneself as a Muslim. It is a goal, a reward and a state of being that is achieved when one surrenders to the Islamic way of life freely, with understanding and sincere commitment.
Islam's approach to peace is holistic; it takes every aspect that sustains human life as a stakeholder in promoting peace. Thus all living things on this earth and our entire physical and spiritual environment are to be in harmony if we are to live in peace.
At a personal level, peace is achieved through worship of the Creator. At a domestic level, peace is realized by fulfilling rights of family members. At the societal level, peace is established through good deeds and service to humanity. At the national level, peace is gained through the robust pursuit of justice and at the global level, peace is actualized by the elimination of persecution and oppression. At the universal level, peace comes by preserving the harmony and sanctity of nature.
Islam warns that all human beings are to be treated equally and their dignity preserved because to do otherwise is to sow seeds of discontent and tilt the balance of justice. Poverty, starvation, homelessness and wasteful consumption of world resources by a few are all contributing to the disharmony in our world today. To chant peace as a mantra without actively seeking to correct this imbalance will not achieve peace.
Islam emphasizes that a world that is unjust or that tolerates persecution and oppression will not bear the fruits of peace. In fact the Qur'an (Muslim revealed text) considers oppression worse and more cruel than killing. Death may be the end of one's suffering, but persecution and oppression lead to a continuum of pain and suffering. We continue to witness how the oppressed can themselves turn into oppressors. Prophet Muhammad advised us that it is our duty to help the oppressor and the oppressed and the way to help the oppressor, he explained, is to restrain him from inflicting oppression.
This in a nutshell is the formula by which humanity can achieve peace. To stop this cycle of violence and to bring peace to this world, we must strive to end persecution and consistently champion justice for all people.
Then and then alone will we be able to achieve peace at the global level. "
I agree with her...therefore, while most of us are not players in the national and global, we have to play our parts in the personal, domestic, societal, and universal level. If we wish to attain peace, then we have to be active in ensuring justive is served at all levels and not just for people, but also all of nature.
May we all attain peace at some point in our lives.
Sid
This blog reminded me of the BBC Prog I caught in the car bk from sending Umar to schl. The prog opened with the Azan, so beautiful and welcoming everyone to 'Success' yet the commentator desrcibed it as 'a rallying cry for anti-Americanism' and associated the Azan with intolerance and war-mongering. I did not feel angry, instead I felt so sad. Much like one would feel sad hearing a very good friend being bad-mouthed by others and you had no way to defend the friend. I nearly cried in the car but I was driving so I held back my tears.
How did it get like this? Islam = peace, Muhammad = man of peace and rahmatan lil'alamin, exemplar par excellence, yet, his ummah is depticted as beign anti-peace, the call to prayer = anti-peace. That is not who we are and what our belief is abt, what our leader is abt. Yet all people will know abt us is that we are intolerant, war-mongering, dangerous, zealots, etc.
If only, there could be more real Muslims to stem the tide of all this bad publicity. It seems there are not enough Muslims portraying the true picture. A smear campaign will run out of steam if there is nothing adding fire to the pot.
It would be difficult to convince our Muslim brothers and sisters in many parts of the world that it is useless to respond to their misfortunes by preaching hatred of others and useless fighting against oppression with endless bloodshed. So many Muslims are beign pushed against the wall, how do we tell them that maybe passive resistance may work better this time round since violence has failed.
I am just saddened that this is the future my kids will grow up in. How will they be able to learn the beauty of Islam?
Peace
Shariffa
