Troubled Times

We seem to be living in times of tremendous negativity, great stress, devastating anxiety, overwhelming fears and ever-growing uncertainty.

Social, economic, political and environmental conditions of the whole world are deteriorating. Injustice, crimes, violence, evil and injustice abound everywhere. Many feel pessimistic and disheartened. Wars are waged in the interest of multi-national corporations and conglomerates in different parts of the world at the expense of the poor and downtrodden, and in the process thousands of innocent men, women and children are dying, millions of refugees are going through most tragic difficulties. There are in many parts of the world legitimate anxieties about our civil rights and liberties, while anti-Islamic propaganda and Islamophobia is running rampant.

Need for Inner Peace

What the whole humanity needs; now more than ever, is inner peace.
Islam is the religion of peace. One of the attributes of Allah is as-Salaam / Source of Peace, the very name of our faith al-Islam means ‘peace’ and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), used to say to and write in his letters to the chiefs of the tribes in his time, aslim taslam / accept Islam and find peace.
Islam places great emphasis on peace and particularly beginning with the concept of ‘inner peace’. In the Qur’an, among the terms used to refer to this sought after inner peace are …

· sakinah = inner calm and tranquility

Most often used in context of social relations [30], and often in times of trial and tribulation …

- [Q48:4] Treaty of Hudaybiyyah

- [Q9:40] Migration to Madinah

- [Q48:26] Muslims refused entry to Makkah for pilgrimage

- [Q9:26] Difficulty at Battle of Hunayn

· sharhus-sadr = understanding, openness of heart, restfulness, capacity to undertake challenges [Q6:125][Q94:1] (see prayer of Prophet Moses [Q20:25]

· tuma’ninah = comfort of the heart, blissful satisfaction and contentment