DEVELOPMENT through UNILATERAL PEACE in a GLOBALIZED WORLD

DEVELOPMENT through UNILATERAL PEACE in a GLOBALIZED WORLD An Islamic Perspective by: Naghma Siddiqi At National Seminar on Globalization, Multiculturalism and Peace-building in the XXI Century Prospects and Challenges organized by Interfaith Foundation India at New Delhi on 19 -20 April, 2014.

WHAT IS GLOBALIZATION? Globalization is the process of international integration of world views, products, ideas, technology and other aspects of culture including improved transportation, banking, communication, technology. The Result: A ‘global village’ of multicultural, multi-religious and multi-ethnic societies Benefits: freedom and plentiful opportunities for all. Drawback: Differences in multi-cultural, multi-religious and multi-ethnic societies often lead to problems & confrontations that often lead to clashes, conflicts, violence and war. THE QUESTION: How can peace and development take place in a globalized world? “And God calls to Home of Peace, (Darussalam)” – Quran, 10: 25 “Reconciliation (Sulh) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

WHAT IS PEACE? Peace is the master key that paves the way to continuous and sustainable development in individuals, and in turn, in society. The Need: Peace is a pre-requisite for all forms of progress and development. No peace, no development. Definition of Peace: Peace is defined as the ‘absence of war, ’ ‘the good life, ’ ‘presence of justice’ and even ‘plural peaces’. The Problem: There is no clear definition of peace. THE STUDY DEFINES PEACE: As the presence of opportunities. PEOPLE who want to avail of the OPPORTUNITIES have to maintain PEACE UNILATERALLY as peace opens doors to them. STRIVING towards OPPORTUNITIES people DEVELOP and become an instrument of development in society and nations. “And God calls to Home of Peace, (Darussalam)” – Quran, 10: 25 “Reconciliation (Sulh) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

WHAT IS DEVELOPMENT? Development is the process of advancement or gradual unfolding by which anyone or anything grows. Individual Development: The growth of an individual in his lifespan, from conception to death. Human Development: The cumulative development of individuals throughout human history. Sustainable Development: The ability to sustain individual development by unilaterally maintaining peace and striving positively towards one’s goals. This further lead to development in society, groups, nations and internationally. THE STUDY DEFINES DEVELOPMENT: as the sustainable, continuous growth of individuals in society. DEVELOPMENT OF INDIVIDUALS cumulatively leads to continuous, sustainable development in a society and nations. “And God calls to Home of Peace, (Darussalam)” – Quran, 10: 25 “Reconciliation (Sulh) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

TRANSFORMATION TO CULTURE OF PEACE, SALAM & RECONCILIATION, SULH UNESCOs Culture of Peace Program. “Because the new millennium must be an opportunity to transform-all together the culture of war and violence into a culture of peace and non-violence. ” – UNESCO Manifesto 2000 for Culture of Peace and Non-Violence In Islam such a positive change is called tazkia-e-nafs or purification of the self. (Quran 70: 26), linking it to success: ‘He, who undertakes tazkia (purifies his thought), shall indeed be successful. ’– Quran 87: 14 MUZAKKA PERSONALITIES TRANSFORM from the Culture of Violence and Confrontation to the CULTURE OF PEACE AND RECONCILIATION. Culture of Violence & Confrontation Hatred I Ill-will I WE-THEY Ethics I Confrontation I Violent Behavior, Action Culture of Peace & Reconciliation Love I Well-wishing I WE-WE Ethics I Non-confrontation, Reconciliatory Action This leads to peaceful, successful individuals and a pragmatically peaceful and developed society. “And God calls to Home of Peace, (Darussalam)” – Quran, 10: 25 “Reconciliation (Sulh) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

INDIVIDUAL TRANSFORMATION LEADS TO PEACE & DEVELOPMENT Society is defined as a collection of individuals. It is individuals who act to bring in change in society. TRANSFORMING INDIVIDUALS IS THE KEY! INDIVIDUALS: In Society I Administrations I Organizations MAINTAIN UNILATERAL PEACE OBTAIN AND STRIVE TOWARDS OPPORTUNITIES FOLLOW THE PRINCIPLE OF RECONCILIATION, NON-CONFRONTATION INDIVIDUALS, SOCIETY, NATIONS DEVELOP & BECOME PEACEFUL “And God calls to Home of Peace, (Darussalam)” – Quran, 10: 25 “Reconciliation (Sulh) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

INDIVIDUAL SOCIAL PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT In a world full of differences and problems the only way to maintain peace and develop from the Islamic perspective is for INDIVIDUALS to Transform Themselves to the Culture of Peace & Reconciliation: 1. FOLLOWING IDEOLOGY OF UNILATERAL PEACE, SALAM: by understanding life is a test so we have to limit our own freedom. ‘And God calls to the ‘home of peace, (darussalam). ’ – Quran 10: 25 2. FOLLOWING METHODOLOGY OF UNILATERAL RECONCILIATION, SULH: to maintain unilateral peace: adjustment and compromise: “Reconciliation (Sulh) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128 3. DEVELOPING MUZAKKA PERSONALITIES: by following UNILATERAL ETHICS to become POSITIVE through Tazkia: ‘He, who undertakes tazkia (purifies his mind), shall indeed be successful. ’– Quran 87: 14 4. LEADING TO DEVELOPMENT IN SOCIETY: As more positive personalities succeed they develop societies and nations: THE RESULT: Individuals become Peaceful, Develop and become an instrument for broader change in society. “And God calls to Home of Peace, (Darussalam)” – Quran, 10: 25 “Reconciliation (Sulh) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

1. INDIVIDUALS ON CULTURE OF PEACE, SALAM The Arabic term for peace is salam: inner peace and security. FREEDOM OF CHOICE FOR TEST: Life is a test (Quran 18: 29). Success is for those who know, ‘my freedom ends where others’ nose begins. ’ ACCEPT FLOWERS AMIDST THORNS: As men are free they can use their freedom properly or misuse it. Thus man lives in a ‘jungle of problems’: ‘We have created man into a life of toil and trial’ – Quran 90; 4 DUTY-FIRST, NOT RIGHTS-FIRST: Realizing God Almighty makes man accountable to Him, and thus duty-conscious, not rights conscious: UNILATERAL ETHICS: In Quran divine guidance is likened to the path of salam. (5: 16). Culture of Salam develops unilateral ethics in people. THE CULTURE OF SALAM makes one realize one’s Creator, become dutyconscious, accept problems as a natural part of life and, thus, respond to them in a positive manner. Considering freedom as a test, those who want to develop limit it on their own to develop and help form a pragmatically peaceful society. “And God calls to Home of Peace, (Darussalam)” – Quran, 10: 25 “Reconciliation (Sulh) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

2. SOCIETAL RELATIONS BASED ON RECONCILIATION, SULH ‘For Reconciliation is best. ’ (Quran 4: 128) DIFFERENCE MANAGEMENT, NOT ELIMINATION: When all have freedom those who develop ‘manage problems rather than try to eliminate them. ’ MAINTAINING UNILATERAL PEACE: In the face of provocation: ‘Repel evil with good. And you will find that one who was your enemy will become your dearest friend. ’ – Quran 23: 96 OPPORTUNITIES IN SPITE OF PROBLEMS: In spite of problems we always have pragmatic freedom and opportunities if we maintain unilateral peace. ‘With every hardship there is ease; surely with every hardship there is ease. ’ – Quran 94: 7 POSITIVE STRIVING THROUGH NON-CONFRONTATION: To succeed one should strive positively through non-confrontation like planets: ‘each floats in its own orbit. ’ Quran – 36: 40. THE CULTURE OF SULH makes one manage problems, find avail of the opportunities and strive towards them through non-confrontation. Those who form relations on positive lines are able to develop and become an instrument of broader change in society. “And God calls to Home of Peace, (Darussalam)” – Quran, 10: 25 “Reconciliation (Sulh) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

3. MUZAKKA PERSONALITIES SUCCEED ‘He who undertakes tazkia shall indeed be successful. ’ (Quran 87: 4) MUZAKKA PERSONALITIES SUCCEED: When all have freedom those who develop ‘manage problems rather than try to eliminate them. ’ CHALLENGES LEAD TO DEVELOPMENT: Problems have a positive role: ‘All developments in history are due to the challenge-response mechanism. ’ – Arnold Toynbee, A Study of History LIVING GOD-ORIENTED LIVES UNLEASHES ONE’S POTENTIAL: Living Godoriented lives, instead of self-oriented lives unleashes one’s potential: ‘Be devoted servants of God. ’ – Quran INDIVIDUALS DEVELOP SOCIETY DEVELOPS: When individuals, the building blocks of society (The Institute of Individual and World Peace) develop they become an instrument of broader development in society. MUZAKKA PERSONALITIES DEVELOP SOCIETY: When individuals transform to the culture of peace and reconciliation they are able to succeed and lay the foundation for a peaceful, duty-conscious society. This results in peace and development in communities, nations and internationally. “And God calls to Home of Peace, (Darussalam)” – Quran, 10: 25 “Reconciliation (Sulh) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

4. INDIVIDUAL SOCIAL PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT When INDIVIDUALS in SOCIETY, NATIONS, ORGANIZATIONS Maintain Unilateral Peace-First, They find ample Opportunities: ‘With problems there always opportunities. ’ – Quran 94: 7 CONSIDER THE SCENARIO STEP 1 Remove focus from PROBLEMS STEP 2 Maintain UNILATERAL PEACE-FIRST Obtain Normalcy STEP 3 Focus on available OPPORTUNITIES Step 4 Strive towards Opportunities through NON-CONFRONTATION PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT SOCIAL, NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT “And God calls to Home of Peace, (Darussalam)” – Quran, 10: 25 “Reconciliation (Sulh) is the best option. ” – Quran, 4: 128

Thank You Naghma Siddiqi Centre for Peace and Spirituality International Hamdard University