Centrality of Peace in Islam and Prophetic Tradition

Islam, as the word itself suggests, has connotations of peace and submission. Muhammad (the Prophet of Islam), in his description of Muslims, says, "A Muslim is one whose fellow brothers are safe from the harm of his tongue and hands." The core values of Islam constitute the foundation of non-violent action in the tradition. One of the main principles of non-violence in Islam is stated in the well-known saying of the Prophet, "La Dharar wa la Dhirar" which can be translated as "not to harm and not to be harmed." In his personal life, the Prophet was a living example of peace and non-violence. Neither physical nor verbal violence was ever attributed to him. In his teachings, violence against all creatures is prohibited. Although he did defend himself when he and his followers were attacked, peace was preferred as soon as it was possible, even at the risk of his own life.