Religion of Peace

Mark Durie, a research scholar of linguistics and Islam at Melbourne School of Theology, informs us in an article for the Independent Journal, “Islam was first called ‘the religion of peace’ as late as 1930, in the title of a book published in India. . . . The phrase was slow to take off, but by the 1970s it was appearing more and more frequently in the writings of Muslims for western audiences.”

Whether or not one agrees that the slogan first appeared in the twentieth century, it is beyond dispute that the Quran never says, “Islam is the religion of peace,” nor do the traditions of Muhammad. This common misconception may stem from another, the oft-repeated assertion that Islam means “peace.” It does not. The Arabic word Islam means “surrender,” though it is related to the word for peace, salaam. Durie sheds light on the nature of the relationship and the origin of the word Islam: “The word Islam is based upon a military metaphor. Derived from aslama, ‘surrender,’ its primary meaning is to make oneself safe (salama) through surrender. In its original meaning, a Muslim was someone who surrendered in warfare.”

To contend that the word Islam signifies peace in the absence of violence is incorrect. Islam signifies a peace after violence, or under the threat of it.

According to Islamic tradition that is how Muhammad himself used the word. His warning to neighboring tribes is famous: Aslim taslam, “If you surrender, you will have peace.” It was a play on words, as aslim also connotes becoming Muslim: “If you convert, you will have safety through surrender.” So the word Islam refers to the peace that comes from surrender. Peaceful Muslim communities today present that imagery as a spiritual peace with Allah, but records of Muhammad’s life indicate that the notion of submission was also used in military contexts.

Source: Answering Jihad: A better way forward by Nabeel Qureshi