How to Find True Peace in Islam?

The Way to Lead a Peaceful Life

(Extracted from the Book “Learn the obligatory sciences”)

Comfort and satisfaction are such treasures that every anxious person wants to attain. The creation has adopted many ways to access and unearth this treasure, but at one point in life or another, those ways prove to be perishable just like the creation. This treasure is not found either. However, its seeker is plunged into the swamp of despair.

Allah Almighty has granted the straight path to reach comfort and satisfaction i.e. the religion, Islam. In Islam, excellent laws and principles, and tremendous instructions are available for the people related to all walks of life regarding the religion, the world, the hereafter, ethics, outer and inner self, and domestic, family, social and economic matters, rather regarding all matters. Only Islam is the favoured religion of Allah Almighty.

Hence, Allah Almighty has truthfully declared in part 6, Surah Maa’idah, verse number 3:

اَلْیَوْمَ اَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِیْنَكُمْ وَ اَتْمَمْتُ عَلَیْكُمْ نِعْمَتِیْ وَ رَضِیْتُ لَكُمُ الْاِسْلَامَ دِیْنًاؕ-

This day, I have perfected your religion for you, and completed My favour upon you, and chosen Islam for you as a religion.

(Click here for further explanation of this verse)

Similarly, Allah Almighty said in part 3, Surah Aal-e-Imran, verse number 19:

اِنَّ الدِّیْنَ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ الْاِسْلَامُ۫-

Indeed, the only ˹acceptable˺ religion before Allah is Islam.

(Click here for further explanation of this verse)

We learn from these verses that only the religion Islam is that single religion in which there is all the goodness of the world and the hereafter, and true peace of heart also lies in embracing this true religion.

A very basic cause of a person’s anxiousness and dissatisfaction is ignorance. That is why the religion of Islam has made it necessary for every Muslim man and woman to attain knowledge, because there is nothing better than knowledge. Knowledge saves the heart from blindness and blesses it with the light of insight and guidance. Through it, a person reaches the stations of pious people and elevated ranks. Pondering over it is equivalent to fasting and preaching it is equivalent to standing in worship at night. Through knowledge alone, Allah Almighty’s worship and obedience are performed. Through it, all the ethical, social and other matters related with life are carried out. By virtue of knowledge alone, beautification occurs in the character of a human, realisation of one’s responsibilities develops and inclination is attained to fulfil one’s obligations. How did the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم make the people living in the society realise the importance of knowledge? Have a look at the following Hadith to get an idea of it: Your going to learn one chapter of knowledge in the morning is better than 100 Rak’aat of Nafl Salah.[1]

In another narration, he said the following: Faith is unclothed. Its clothes are piety, its beautification is modesty and its fruit is knowledge.[2]

He said in another Hadith: اِنَّمَا الْعِلْمُ بِا لتَّعَلُّمِ i.e. knowledge is attained only by learning.[3]

After reading such narrations, a person feels like attaining knowledge but quite often, he cannot decide what is necessary to learn and what is not. Sometimes, what happens is that a person wishes to acquire the knowledge necessary for him but he remains unable to do so because of his engagements or other reasons.

The significance of attaining knowledge has become clear but it is also necessary to know which knowledge is necessary to acquire. So, Islam has told us that whoever wishes to lead a pleasant life, first of all, should acquire the following five sciences: 1) Beliefs and ideologies 2) worships 3) dealings 4) virtues (i.e. good traits) 5) vices (i.e. evil traits). Have a look at a brief introduction to and the importance of these sciences:         

1.  Islamic beliefs:

Keep in mind that the word, ‘Aqeedah’ is derived from ‘Aqd’ which means to tie or knot, whereas in literal terms, a tied or knotted thing is called ‘Aqeedah’.[4]

In the terminology of Shari’ah, ‘Aqeedah’ refers to those religious matters upon which the heart becomes firm without any doubt, suspicion or hesitation, because doubt, suspicion and hesitation in any matter of the religion is Kufr.[5]

2. Worships:

 After attaining the knowledge of beliefs, secondly, attaining the knowledge of worships is necessary. Therefore, it is necessary to have knowledge about worship before performing it, for example, the Faraid and Wajibat of Wudu, Ghusl (the ritual bath) and Salah, if one intends to go for Hajj, then the rulings of Hajj, if Allah Almighty has granted wealth, then the rulings of paying Zakah, rulings of observing the fasts of the month of Ramadan, etc. are necessary and important to learn.

3. Dealings:

 If we also wish that we may remain at peace, our society may become a hub of peace, the examples of our honesty should be given and the Muslim Ummah should find convenience through our dealings, then for that, it is necessary to learn the Islamic principles and act upon them. Just like the religion Islam provides education and guidance on performing worships such as Salah, fasting, Hajj and Zakah, similarly, it also provides complete guidance regarding dealings. Keep in mind that the society we live in, it is necessary to gain each other’s trust in it in order to make progress, because without mutual assistance, it is difficult to take even a single step forward in the world. To strengthen this assistance, it is also necessary to learn the bright teachings of Islam regarding dealings and the day-to-day necessities.

4-5. Virtues and vices:

 As the religion Islam has made it compulsory to acquire religious knowledge regarding the reformation of apparent actions, at the same time, it has also made it compulsory to acquire knowledge about the actions that pertain to the heart. The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said while emphasising the reformation of the heart: There is a piece of flesh in a human’s body, if it becomes correct, then all the actions of the person would become correct and if this piece is spoiled, then corruption occurs in all the actions. And that piece of flesh is the heart.[6]