O humanity! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may ˹get to˺ know one another. Surely the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. Allah is truly All-Knowing, All-Aware. – Quran 49:13
The Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) is a Swedish institute for peace, security and development, under the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
The institute is named after Folke Bernadotte (1895-1948), a Swedish diplomat and count. During World War II, Bernadotte negotiated the evacuation of Scandinavian prisoners in Nazi concentration camps. After World War II, Bernadotte was unanimously elected as the UN Security Council’s first mediator in the Arab-Israeli conflict of 1947-1948. Bernadotte was assassinated in Jerusalem in 1948 by the Zionist terrorist group Lehi.
70% of the world’s conflicts today involve the Muslim world in some way The need for more culturally relevant forms of peacemaking is urgent. It is a sad reality that the Muslim world has been deeply affected by conflict ever since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the signing of the Sykes-Picot Agreement in 1916, which helped to heighten tensions in the Middle East and North Africa, particularly in Iraq, Syria and Palestine. Tension levels were further heightened after World War II with the onset of the Cold War and decolonization. Key points of conflict in the following decades included the partition of the Indian subcontinent (1947); the partition of Kashmir (1948); the creation of the State of Israel (1948) and the Arab-Israeli wars and Palestinian intifadas that followed; the CIA-led overthrow of the democratically elected president of Iran (1953) and later the Iranian Revolution (1979); the Algerian Revolution (1962); and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979).
In recent years, the US-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, the Syrian civil war, the rise of ISIS, and the extreme escalation in Palestine/Israel over the past year have made the prospects for peace even darker.
Modern peacebuilding frameworks have had mixed results around the world. Most are at best agnostic about religion. But in many Muslim-dominated parts of the world, religion plays an essential role in politics.
It is also important to remember that conflicts in Muslim countries are not based on Islam or religion per se. On the contrary, conflicts are most often driven by non-religious forces and factors. But even if Islam or religion is not the fundamental cause of a conflict, Islam can still be an important part of the solution.
This is the reason why the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) published the book Guide to Peacemaking Using Islamic Principles (2024) after four years of work .
FBA works on research and method development to strengthen peacebuilding and statebuilding in countries with conflict or in the aftermath of conflict. The work on the guide involved a number of academics, Islamic scholars, Muslim political leaders, local representatives, as well as international and local peaceworkers.
The book shows how seven inherent principles of the Islamic tradition can be applied to modern peacebuilding:
- Unity – the idea that God is One (tawhid). This is a key and organizing principle in Islam.
- Peace – the name of faith. Islam has peace as its root, and peace (salaam) constitutes the central greeting in human interaction.
- Diversity – of people and opinions (ikhtilaf). This is considered a blessing, rather than a negative trait.
- Justice – both non-negotiable and inherent in bearing witness to God (qist or adl). It is comprehensive and non-discriminatory, corresponding to Western concepts of justice.
- Mercy – The primary attribute of God. It is the central mission of the Prophet (as in rahma).
- Dignity – the fundamental ingredient in the human construct. It constitutes karam, or the dignity of the soul.
- Balance – being in the middle is the standard for the Muslim, since the umma is described as moderate (wasata).
The publication highlights the commonalities and synergies between traditional Islamic values rooted in the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and modern international norms and peacemaking strategies.
According to Islamic belief, peace is a divine mandate, emphasizing community well-being, harmonious relations, and universal values of justice and inclusion – which are consistent with international norms. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was known among both his followers and opponents by the nickname Al-Amin , the trustworthy, with outstanding skills in mediation.
In our part of the world, it is common to see religion as a divisive element, but religiously rooted values can also function constructively in mediation and conflict resolution.
One of the most burning issues addressed in the FBA book is the relationship between Islam and women’s rights. By examining Islamic texts, the book shows how Islamic references support gender equality. It advocates for inclusion and diversity through a humanistic interpretation of the Quran and the traditions of the Prophet, which promotes equality and combats inequality. Various local cultural practices are often confused with Islamic principles, which often contributes to misconceptions.
Most mediation manuals in English are based almost exclusively on Western approaches and understandings of reality. Guide to Peacemaking Using Islamic Principles is the first manual specifically focusing on Islamic principles, aimed at international peaceworkers. The guide draws on the fundamental principles of Maqasid al-Sharia – the goals of Islamic norms, the Quran, the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad and his last sermon.
A significant challenge in conflicts is when the parties either do not understand – or do not want to understand – each other’s worldview. In such cases, it is important to find common ground and mutual support for rule-based societies.
Islam is a world religion of over 2 billion people worldwide. Islam was founded on the Arabian Peninsula in the 7th century by the Prophet Mohammed. Unlike other religions, where the holy scriptures are human interpretations of God’s word and meaning, Muslims believe that the Quran was revealed directly to Mohammed by God in Arabic. This makes the Quran a fundamental point of reference for all Muslims, including in peacemaking and peacebuilding efforts.
Basic principles of Islamic peacemaking are identified in the Quran, hadith, and the Last Sermon, as well as the lives of the Prophet Mohammed and his companions of both sexes. Seven overarching Islamic principles of peacemaking are emphasized that have near-universal application. Particular emphasis is placed on the efforts of the Prophet Mohammed to resolve conflicts, such as his negotiations of the Medina Pact.
Maqasid al-sharia can be described as the intentions (higher goals, values, or purposes) behind Islamic norms, rather than specific, locally situated sharia laws, which are derived through legal interpretation.
The Islamic concept of bay’ah (oath of allegiance) is a way of expressing the will and approval of the people, also in relation to state formation, leadership and the building of governance structures in Muslim societies.
Mediation and reconciliation work is of course not a Western invention. Sulh (reconciliation) is deeply rooted in Islamic tradition. The Prophet Muhammad serves as a leading example in Islamic history of successful mediation and reconciliation in conflicts involving both Muslims and non-Muslims.
The Prophet insisted on absolute principles of immunity and generosity towards envoys, even if they were enemies, and his companions emphasized this. For example, Abu Bakr instructed Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan that “if the messengers of the enemy come to you, then treat them with hospitality.”
Sulh is an important legal instrument in Islam for resolving conflicts between individuals and groups in a culturally relevant manner. Islamic references can function as a useful tool for promoting dialogue, non-violence, peacemaking and conflict resolution. This is justified by the fact that Islam emphasizes values such as discipline, self-sacrifice, willingness to take both personal and social responsibility, as well as the belief in the diversity of humanity in unity (a God-given pluralism).
Islamic conflict resolution structures are rooted in the principles of:
- Justice (adl)
- Kindness (ihsan)
- Wisdom (hikmah)
- Wasata (moderation)
- Sulh (reconciliation)
- Hewar (dialogue)
- Shura (consultation and the will of the people)
- Hudna (truce)
The goal is unity and justice, where peace is understood as a collective responsibility and a prerequisite for good societies.
The seven principles that make up Islam’s ecosystem for peacemaking are an integral part of Islamic thought. At the center of this tradition are the maqasid al-sharia , or the fundamental intentions and purposes of Islamic law.
Over the centuries, Islamic thinkers and scholars from all schools of Islamic jurisprudence have identified six purposes in maqasid al-sharia for structuring and governing social life. These can also be applied to peacebuilding:
- From the principle of preserving lineage follows the rights of the family (Tahir ibn al Ashur).
- From the principle of preserving the mind follows the right to knowledge and access to information.
- From the principle of protection of honor follow human dignity and human rights (Yusuf al-Qardawi).
- From the principle of protection of the soul follows the right to freedom and choice for man.
- From the principle of protection of religion follows the right to freedom of belief (al-Ashur).
- From the principle of protection of resources and property follows the right to human development, including access to education.
Room for pragmatic solutions
It may be obligatory in Islam to accept temporary solutions if they prevent harm, provide a workable peace, and open the possibility of realizing justice and thereby promote the unity of Islam in the long term. Compromise is not negative in Islam, especially when it is linked to principles such as justice or the greater good ( maslahah ). An example of this is the Prophet’s compromises during the Treaty of Hudaibiya, which was made to ensure peace and security in the long term.
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