War and peace in the Islamic sacred sources

In this paper, I will examine the Qur'anic discourse on peace and co-existence with the other. I will also discuss the classical juridical and exegetical pronouncements on peace and war and will assess the possibility of an Islamic theology of peace in modern times. I contend that the Qur'anic view of peace and tolerance is interwoven with its view of a universal moral discourse that unites all human beings. Indeed, a number of verses command Muslims to build bridges of understanding and cooperation with fellow human beings so as to create a just social order. The paper will also examine how later Muslim exegetes interpreted Qur'anic notions of pluralism and how Muslim jurists enunciated theories of peace and warfare within the context of the hegemonic interests of the expanding empire.