Is Islam a Religion of Peace?

Islam is not a religion of peace. It is a religion of the world, and the world is not (and will never be) a peaceful place. In acknowledging this, Islam — in the words of Nietzsche — ‘presupposes man’, which means, it has realistic expectations of mankind.

A better question would be: has Islam contributed to peace? And the answer to this is: absolutely. Islam may not proscribe peace, but it does place limits on violence, which, in many ways, was unprecedented among medieval tribes:

Fight in God’s cause against those who fight you, but do not overstep the limits: God does not love those who overstep the limits. Kill them wherever you encounter them, and drive them out from where they drove you out, for persecution is more serious than killing. Do not fight them at the Sacred Mosque unless they fight you there. If they do fight you, kill them — this is what such disbelievers deserve — but if they stop, then God is most forgiving and merciful. Fight them until there is no more persecution, and worship is devoted to God. If they cease hostilities, there can be no [further] hostility, except towards aggressors. A sacred month for a sacred month: violation of sanctity [calls for] fair retribution. So if anyone commits aggression against you, attack him as he attacked you, but be mindful of God, and know that He is with those who are mindful of Him. Spend in God’s cause: do…