Cultural Heritage and Contemporary Change Series IIA. Islam, Volume 15 Islam and Its Quest for Peace: Jihad, Justice and Education by Mustafa Köylü The Council for Research in Values and Philosophy Copyright © 2003 by The Council for Research in Values and Philosophy Gibbons Hall B-20 620 Michigan Avenue, NE Washington, D.C. 20064 All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Köylü, Mustafa Islam and its quest for peace : jihad, justice and education / by Mustafa Köylü. – 1st ed. p.cm. – (Cultural heritage and contemporary change. Series IIA Islam; vol. 15) Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Peace—Religious aspects—Islam. 2. War—Religious aspects—Islam. 3. Peace—Study and teaching. I. Title. II. Series: Cultural heritage and contemporary change. Series IIA, Islam; vol. 15. BP190.5.P34K69 2003 2003005555 297.2’7—dc21 CIP ISBN 1-56518-180-8 (pbk.) Table of Contents Foreword v Mustafa Köylü Preface vii George F. McLean Introduction 1. Rationale for Peace and Justice Education 1 War and Humanity The Economic Cost of Militarization The Effects of Militarization on Development, Employment and Social Welfare The Features of New Weapons and Wars in the Modern World 2. Socio-Economic Justice around the World 12 3. Conclusion 18 Part I: War and Peace The Islamic Concepts of War and Peace 21 Contemporary Muslim’ View on War and Peace 25 A Critical Approach to the Question of War and Peace in Islam 58 Conclusion 68 Part II: Social and Economic Justice Islamic Understanding of Socio-Economic Justice 72 Islamic Foundations of Socio-Economic Justice 73 Islamic Means for Attaining Social and Economic Justice 78 A Critical Approach to the Question of Socio-Economic Justice in Islam 107 Conclusion 117 Part III: Education for Peace and Justice The Definition of Peace and Justice Education 119 The Purpose and Learning Goals of Peace Education 123 The History of Peace Education 124 The Possibility of Education for Peace and Justice 134 Teaching Methods for Peace Education 137 A Course Plan for Peace Education for Departments of Religious Studies in Islamic Countries 145 Conclusion 150 Conclusion and Recommendations Conflict and Justice: An Urgent Priority 153 Jihad and Its Interpreters 154 Socio-Economic Justice: An Islamic Imperative 158 Peace and Justice Education: An Imperative 161 Notes 165 Bibliography 201 Notes 221 Foreword Though people everywhere expected the 21st Century to open a millennium of peace, justice and basic human rights, the events of September 11th were experienced as a world-wide phenomena understanding that hope for world peace. This disastrous event brought people face to face with terrorism in the name of religion in its most extreme and violent manner. After this disastrous event Afghanistan was subject to military incursion during which any innocent people lost their lives. And while the world was assimilating these results, another world threatening departure occurred vis a vis Iraq plunging the world again into the tragedy of war. In view of this course of history we must ask whether it is possible for humanity to avoid conflicts and wars? Is this history of wars and conflicts due to a scarcity of natural resources, a lack of literacy, or forgetfulness of the teaching of religions which aim at establishing peace among peoples by ordering human life according to God’s will? Though we have very high achievements in science, it has not been the same in the areas of peace, justice and human rights; and though the Qur’an constantly reminds Muslims to share what they possess, today millions live in conditions unsuited to their human dignity. While Muslims have created great civilizations in the past, and the Qur’an speaks of them as a model for other people (Qur’an, 3:110), today their educational, scientific and economic development is in great crisis. Among the many reasons for this, the main one is their misunderstanding or misuse of Islamic teachings. A more effective use of resources and greater attention to education, as commanded by the Qur’an, would develop their countries both spiritually and materially. According to the Islamic understanding, Allah guarantees sufficient food for all living beings in the world (see Qur’an 11:6, 6:151; 7:54; 13:16-17;21:30-33;66:2-3). Some scholars prove this in various ways and conclude that if there is a problem of food, this is not because resources are insufficient, but because of their misuse or abuse. Though the first verse of the Qur’an is about reading and writing, and the Prophet of Islam urges Muslims to seek knowledge in any circumstance and place, this important duty is neglected. More importantly, Islam is the religion of peace and teaches that "Whoever kills a human being, except as a punishment for murder or other villainy in the land, shall be looked upon as though he had killed all mankind; and whoever saves a human life shall be regarded as though he had saved all mankind" (Qur’an 5:32). Yet Islam is perceived mostly as a religion of violence and war and some Muslims may share responsibility for this. However, the Quranic verses, when read in their totality and interpreted in their historical context, not only forbid any kind of violence, conflicts and wars, but also command Moslems to establish good relationships with non-Muslims. The basic teaching regarding world peace is: "Help ye one another in righteousness and piety. But help ye not one another in sin and rancor."(Qur’an 5:2). How then can a peaceful world, in which everyone’s basic human needs are met, be created? Though there will always be some who want to exploit resources which belong to others, only by raising the consciousness of people to a higher level can the lives of the poor and oppressed be improved. In this context, the present work aims at a correct understanding of the concepts of jihad, which generally is misunderstood by Western people, of socio-economic justice in Islam, and of an educational framework for peace education. May this first academic effort in the field of peace education for Muslim countries be followed by many more. Preface George F. McLean As we proceed beyond the divided world of the Cold War into the new millennium, the initial prospect of a period of unity and peace has turned suddenly somber and threatening. Massive armies assemble and lurch forward, not against might attacking foes but pre-emptively against possibilities, beliefs, and their interpretations. In these circumstances it is no longer possible to file Islam under the exotic heading of “Orientalism” or to engage it only as an energy source. Instead its self-understanding becomes a matter of urgent concern for the entire global community. Could its religion of peace become an ideology of war—if so, under what circumstances? Could its vision of social justice become a violent response to global injustice—again, under what circumstances? Could its great project of education, which for centuries has provided education through the village and urban madrassas, turn high religious inspiration into potent anger—yet again, under what circumstances? This volume confronts these three pressing issues soberly, constructively and hence with hope. On the issue of peace, it exams carefully the meaning of Jihad and analysis in detail the range of interpretations from the interior spiritual combat with the self to the geo-political struggle against the threats of a global world. On the issue of social justice, it brings forward the inspiration of one of the world’s great religions for concern for the poor and for resolving the gross inequities which give birth to revolutions and social instability. On the issue of education, it presents what it is probably the first analysis and curriculum for a program of peace studies in an Islamic context. In sum, this is a book for these times. Rather than proposing military violence to suppress anger, perpetuate cultural attacks and implement economic oppression, it mines the great spiritual and moral resources of Islam and shows how these can be mobilized and applied in a program of peace. Introduction Peace and justice are among the most important, crucial, and urgent issues. This concerns not just one nation, or one religion or ideology, but all the peoples of the world for the destiny and future of humanity depends on these two concepts: peace and justice. If human beings can achieve the ideals inherent in these concepts and apply them, there is hope for the future; otherwise, not only the future of poor people and nations will come to an end, but also that of rich people and nations. Muslim countries and their peoples, numbering over one billion in the world today, are not excluded from this unavoidable conclusion. This study examines Islamic approaches to war and peace, to socio-economic justice in the light of contemporary world conditions. Both of these are shown to entail the urgency of education for peace and justice in Muslim countries, for which a course plan is developed for use in departments of religious studies in Muslim counties. Rationale for Peace and Justice Education War and Humanity War, which has been the best organized and most destructive form of violence in which human beings have engaged, has been an inseparable factor for human life through its history. Both the Bible and the Qur’an record its continuance.1 Why have human beings fought throughout history? What are the reasons for such wars? Why has the number of wars and conflicts increased in the 20th century? Will this situation continue forever? A first answer derived from a historical study of relationships between the West and the East, or between Christians and Muslims, might be that religion is a main reason for war.