How to Find True Peace: Islam vs Christianity

How to Find True Peace: Islam vs Christianity

Have you ever felt like your world was totally upside down? Maybe it was something as simple as a bad day, or something as serious as losing a loved one. Sometimes life feels like a roller coaster you’re strapped into. Everything feels like a blur, the noise around you seems louder than normal, and your thoughts are racing. Everyone experiences moments and seasons like this, and everyone longs for peace. 

As Christians, we often take the Lord’s peace for granted. But imagine for a moment never being able to have true peace. This is what all unbelievers, including Muslims, experience every day – a life without deep true peace.     

Is Islam a religion of peace?

More than likely, you’ve been told that Islam means peace in Arabic. But this is incorrect; Islam actually means submission. You may have also heard Islam called “a religion of peace,” but this is far from the truth. To learn more about this, read Settling the Debate: Is Islam a religion of peace? While the founder of Islam’s message may have started as peaceful when he was weak and not known, it didn't stay that way for long. 

When Islam was founded in Mecca in 610 AD, Muslims believed Allah revealed the peaceful verses of the Quran to a man named Muhammad. But in 622, when Muhammad moved to Medina, the verses became violent. Because the violent Quranic verses came later, they overruled the initial peaceful verses. Many scholars teach this is abrogation, which helped the main teaching of Islam shift to violence. After 622 AD, Islam was marked by war, slavery, oppression, and the murder of people who refused Islam. For more on this, read The ideology of death in Islam. Take, for instance, Quran 9:29, which shows that peace for non-Muslims is not possible until all follow Islam:    

“Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, nor comply with what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, nor embrace the religion of truth from among those who were given the Scripture, until they pay the tax, willingly submitting, fully humbled.” 

This violent verse replaced peaceful verses like Quran 2:256: 

“Let there be no compulsion in religion, for the truth stands out clearly from falsehood. So whoever renounces false gods and believes in Allah has certainly grasped the firmest, unfailing hand-hold. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.”

Islam is not peace. In fact, Islam requires Muslims to break the peace with outsiders. The Quran does command Muslims to make peace with their brothers, but this applies only to Muslims: 

“The believers are but one brotherhood, so make peace between your brothers. And be mindful of Allah so you may be shown mercy.” (Sura 49:10). 

This is why many Muslims often greet each other by saying: “Peace be on you.” (As-Salaamu Alaikum). 

How can people find peace? Islam’s response  

Islam teaches that Allah is “As-Salam” or the source of peace (Quran 59:23). As we saw from Quran 9:29, a person can only be at peace with Allah if they accept Islam. If you do not believe when invited to believe, Allah has contempt for you (Quran 40:10). For Muslims, on the other hand, the Quran tells them that simply remembering Allah (dhikr) can bring them peace:   

“Those who believe and whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of Allah. Surely in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find comfort.” (Sura 13:28).

Muslims are also encouraged to revere Allah and be mindful of him (taqwa is the Islamic term for this), yet they cannot be in his presence or have a personal relationship with him (Sura 6:103, Sura 112:4). How can Muslims find true peace from a god who does not even allow them to call him father? (Sura 4:171)

Allah does not give personal peace. Instead, peace is something Muslims are taught they have to earn. Here are a few ways Muslims are told they can find peace:

• Reading the Quran 

• Practicing the Five Pillars of Islam

• Saying extra prayers to Allah (called “dua”)

• Imitating Muhammad’s behavior (following the Hadith)

• Blessing Muhammad by saying “Peace be Upon Him” (PBUH)

Muslims are told that if they do more good deeds than bad deeds, Allah will grant them paradise (Dar As-Salam or “House of Peace” ). But how can Muslims be sure their good deeds outweigh their bad ones? There is no answer for this!  You can read more about Islam’s works-based salvation in this blog, Can you earn salvation by doing good deeds in Islam? Consider these Quran verses, which show that Allah only gives conditional peace:  

“They will have the Home of Peace with their Lord, Who will be their Guardian because of what they used to do.” (Quran 6:127). 

“The reward of an evil deed is its equivalent. But whoever pardons and seeks reconciliation, then their reward is with Allah. He certainly does not like the wrongdoers.”

(Quran 42:40). 

“As for those who believe and do good, the Most Compassionate will certainly bless them with genuine love.” (Quran 19:96). 

These Quran verses are very different from what we find in the Bible, such as “we love, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19) and “forgive one another just as Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

Every day, Muslims across the world are chasing after the empty promises of peace that Islam offers. But they never arrive at peace and never come closer to finding it. 

What does the Bible teach about peace? 

Not only do Christians find peace in Christ (John 16:31-33), but He Himself is the “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). The Scriptures repeatedly tell us that the Lord is the “God of Peace” (1 Thessalonians 5:23, Hebrews 13:20). 

The Bible tells us that man’s sin against God, broke the peace between God and man. But because of the Lord’s love for man, Jesus Christ willingly became man to pay for our sin with His blood. Jesus' death reconciled our relationship with God, restoring our peace with Him (Ephesians 2:14-16, Colossians 1:20). This is exactly what Romans 5:1 teaches:

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1

Unlike Islam’s view, peace is not something people can earn or ever deserve (Romans 4:5); it is a gift from God. Remember the words of Jesus in John 14: 27:

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”

But Christians do not only have peace through Christ, but our souls find personal peace in God. A personal relationship with God enables Christians to be in the Lord’s presence, draw near to Him and abide in Him (2 Peter 1:2). Knowing the Lord more and more strengthens a Christian’s faith, which deepens their peace. Consider Isaiah 26:3:

“The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace,  Because he trusts in You.” 

A great example of peace through faith in the Lord is John 16:31-33. In this passage, Jesus assures His disciples that they can find peace in Him because He overcame the troubles of the world. 

Philippians 4:6-7 teaches us that one of the greatest ways we can experience the Lord’s peace is through prayerfully laying down our worries. This verse also tells us that the Lord’s peace is so good we can’t even understand it, and it is so powerful that it guards our hearts and minds.

Because of the peace we have through Christ and in Christ, it makes sense that peace is also a fruit that comes from a Christian’s life (Galatians 5:22-23). The Bible commands Christians to be at peace and be peacemakers: 

“If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” Romans 12:18 

 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9

How to talk about true peace with your Muslim friend

Whether you are trying to understand biblical peace for yourself or discussing it with others, the Bible is always the best place to start. Psalm 91 paints a beautiful picture of the Lord’s peace.

When talking to your Muslim friends about peace, remember that remember that, from a Biblical perspective, they are missing the deep and lasting peace only Christ offers. Always be patient and gentle. Lead the conversation by asking good questions, then share about the abundant love of the Prince of Peace. Here are a few ways you can start:

• What does it mean to have peace? How does it affect your attitude and behavior towards others? 

• Is peace a gift, or is it something you have to earn? 

• When do you feel most at peace? 

• Does prayer or reading the Quran affirm to you daily that you have peace and reconciliation with God?

• What does it mean to be a peacemaker?

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you that we have peace with you, can experience your peace for ourselves, and share your peace with others. Please open the hearts of Muslims to your son so they can experience the true, lasting, and eternal peace that only you can offer. Amen.