Islam is a Religion of Love and Peace
The definition of Islam
The root of the word Islam, silm, refers to "making peace, being in a
mutually peaceful environment, greetings, rescue, safety, being secure,
finding peace, reaching salvation and well being or being far from
danger, attaining goodness, comfort and favor, keeping away from
troubles and disasters, submitting the self and obeying, respect, being
far from wrong." The "submitting the self and obeying" here means
"submitting to justice and righteousness in order to reach peace and
safety and being in a peaceful environment by one's free will." In
fact, salaam and salaamat, mean "to reach salvation," and their rubai
form (with four radical letters) aslama means "submitted, became
Muslim, and made peace." "Islam" as either a noun or a verb with these
meanings is mentioned in many verses in the Qur'an.1
From this perspective, Islam is "submission to God, accepting His
authority as well as obeying His orders"; "one's total submission to
God and serving only Him"; "embracing the messages of the Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him) and abiding by them." In this sense, a
Muslim is one who is under the peaceful and safe shade of Islam. God
wants a Muslim to live in a safe and peaceful environment and to make
efforts for the spread and continuity of peace.
Since Islam means living in a peaceful environment that emerges as a
result of submission to God, the Qur'an asks that all humanity should
embrace silm, that is, peace, and reminds us to avoid following Satan.
As stated in the verse, O you who believe! Come in full submission to
God, all of you, (without allowing any discord among you due to worldly
reasons), and do not follow in the footsteps of Satan, for indeed he is
a manifest enemy to you (seeking to seduce you to rebel against God,
with glittering promises) (Qur'an, 2:208), Satan is the enemy of peace.
This verse is followed by a reminder of God's All-Glorious with
irresistible might if believers "stumble and fall back" from following
God's way to realize peace and agreement.
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