The Prophet, the Peace Maker
By Abdul Malik Mujahid
Chicago, IL

"Oh God! You are the embodiment of peace; Peace flows back and forth through You. So grant us our Lord with the blessings of peace. You are the blessed owner of Majesty and Honor." ( Allahumma Antas Salam, wa minkas Salam wa ilaika yarjeos Salam. Hayyena rabbana bis Salame, Ya zal jalale wal Ikram).

Daily around the world, you will find millions of Muslims who have completed their prayers whispering this supplication. It has been recited since the time of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, by billions and billions. That was the supplication taught to us by the Prophet. It is the first thing Muslims ask God as soon as they are through their daily worship.

For the Prophet, peace was not a strategy he employed, it was the goal of his peace movement. He preached peace and justice leading to the establishment of a peace sanctuary in the city of Madinah where even animals cannot be harmed, hunting unless for food was forbidden and trees cannot be cut.

When preaching, he would ask individuals and tribes for just two things: believe in One God and work with him to establish peace and prosperity in the land.

A commitment to peace was a way of life for our beloved Prophet. The Prophet was described by his wife Aisha as a walking Qur’an, a person who embodied the Message of God, the One Who brings peace to hearts and nations. He was known for reconciling people at war and individuals in conflict. Even when he established the peace sanctuary of Madinah he developed written documents which Muslims call the first surviving written constitution of the world. It gave full religious rights and internal autonomy to its Jews and Christians. He declared in that written constitution that Muslims, Jews and other signatories of that document constitute one ummah ( ummatun wahidatun), one nation in the modern sense of the word.

Even when people came attacking this peace sanctuary and Muslims, upon encouragement from God, defended it, they instituted laws that non-combatants cannot be hurt even if they are supporting the fighters. When a recently converted Muslim chief killed some non-combatants, the Prophet stood up facing the Kaba, saying Oh God! I have nothing to do with it. He repeated his cry three times and ordered that based on the laws of the deceased person's tribes, they be compensated. He even compensated for the dogs that were killed. He hated war but he hated injustice more.

God's choicest peace and blessings be upon the Prophet. We love him and follow him in our daily lives.  Sallallahu Alaihe wa sallam.

It is not just Prophet Muhammad. God actually tells us that He sent all the Prophets with the sole purpose of encouraging people to establish Qist on earth (Qur’an 57:25). Qist is a comprehensive Qur’anic term which encompasses, justice, fairness and respect for the rights of creation as well as the Creator.

Because of this continuity in the mission of the Prophethood, Muslim believe in all the Prophets and the books revealed to them and see Islam as the original path revived by God through all the Prophets which he sent throughout the ages to all people.

Now it is our duty, as believers in God, to create a common agenda for the peace movement for our times so that the prophetic mission of encouraging people to establish justice continues in the future.

God bless the Prophets. God bless the peacemakers in our neighborhoods and in the global village.