In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. All praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. We express our gratitude to Him, seeking His assistance and forgiveness. Those whom Allah guides cannot be led astray, and those whom He leads astray cannot be guided. May peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the last of the prophets sent to all of humanity and the jinn. Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, has granted us the opportunity to witness another day of Jum’at. May Allah make this day a source of blessings for us.
Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, says: “O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims” (Quran 2:102).
My dear brothers in Islam, today I want to speak about Islam, the religion of peace. This is particularly important given the misconceptions that many people around the world have about our faith. The term “Islam” itself literally means peace, safety, prosperity, surrender, obedience, and submission. It is a religion designed to bring peace and safety to all of creation. Muslim are required to live in harmony with Allah, themselves, and those around them.
It is essential to love all creatures, regardless of their faith, and to never harbor intentions of causing them harm. A true Muslim does not hate a non-Muslim for their beliefs, nor can one force another to accept Islam, as the Quran clearly states, “There is no compulsion in religion. The right course has become distinct from the wrong” (Quran 2:256).
Our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) taught us, “There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm” (Hadith 32 of Al-Nawawi). This means we must refrain from causing harm to one another or seeking revenge. Allah encourages us to be patient and forgiving. In Quran 42:40, He states: “And the retribution for an evil act is an evil one like it, but whoever pardons and makes reconciliation—his reward is due from Allah. Indeed, He does not like wrongdoers.” Thus, in Islam, retaliation for wrongdoing is discouraged; rather, we are urged to forgive and promote peaceful coexistence.
Our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) reinforced this message through a narration reported by Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, who stated, “By Allah, he is not a believer! By Allah, he is not a believer! By Allah, he is not a believer!” When asked who he was referring to, the Prophet replied, “The one whose neighbor does not feel safe from his harm” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Another narration states that the Prophet said, “He will not enter Paradise whose neighbor is not secure from his wrongful conduct.” A good Muslim should never be a source of threat to their neighbors, regardless of whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims.
In a society governed by Islamic principles, everyone enjoys security and the freedom to practice their own religion. Christians and Jews lived peacefully in Medina under the leadership of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), enjoying the freedom to practice their faith.
From all that has been said, we can conclude that Islam is indeed a religion of peace. We greet each other by extending the hand of peace: “As-Salamu Alaikum”—peace be upon you. This is the same greeting exchanged among the people of Jannah (Paradise). In Sunan Ibn Majah 68, it is narrated that Abu Hurairah said: “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘By the One in whose Hand is my soul! You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not truly believe until you love one another. Shall I not inform you of something that, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread the greetings of salaam among yourselves.'”
Islam does not permit individuals to take a life unjustly. Allah states in Quran 60:8: “Allah does not forbid you from being righteous and acting justly toward those who do not fight you because of your religion and do not expel you from your homes.” Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.
These teachings of Islam urge us to live peacefully with everyone. Islam does not call for violence against those who have not declared war on us or prevented us from fulfilling our duties to Allah. We are encouraged to treat all people with kindness and fairness. It is important to note that Allah commands, “And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden, except by right…” (Quran 17:33). In Islam, only a judge has the authority to issue a death sentence; individuals should not take the law into their own hands in the name of justice. All crimes must be addressed within the court system.
My brothers in Islam, it is vital that we understand our religion deeply and allow it to guide our actions in daily life.
I pray that Allah continues to bless us and make our affairs easy. Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, ask Allah to send blessings upon him and greet him with peace (Quran 33:56).
Imam Alhaji Abdulrazaq Akanji Abdulaziz can be reached @ aseperi@yahoo.co.uk
