Community Building, Part VIII

Having a shared identity that works towards a collective cause is vital for a healthy community, and in doing so, a community must share specific qualities to be successful. This series of papers offers a glimpse into the importance of community-building and Prophet Muhammad’s efforts to implement it. Character traits such as truthfulness, trustworthiness, justice, and unity were illustrated. The previous article touched upon two topics: 1) our love for God’s creation as that which extends to non-human beings, such as animals, plants, and natural resources, and 2) and the importance of marriage and family life in the formation of a stable Islamic community. This article expands on the concept of peace in Islam—as the term Islam is derived from the Arabic root word silm (peace)—and the importance of submission to God as a means to achieving peace for ourselves and the entire society.