Islam teaches peace as its goal, and the greeting of every Muslim is 'peace be upon you'. It also permits defensive fighting under strict rules, as most religions and nations do. Violence done in its name by extremists is condemned by the great majority of Muslim scholars.
The fuller answer
The word Islam shares its root with salam, peace. The Quran teaches that killing one person unjustly is like killing all of humanity, and saving one life is like saving all of humanity. It tells Muslims to incline to peace when the other side does, and to repay evil with good.
Muslims also point out that history shows both peace and war, as with every civilisation. What a religion teaches should be judged by its texts and its mainstream scholars, not by the behaviour of groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda, whom Muslim scholars worldwide have denounced and whose victims are mostly Muslims. A fair reader of the Quran will find rules of war that protect civilians, and a strong call to justice, mercy and forgiveness.
Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors.
And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend.
O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.
This answer follows the mainstream Sunni understanding and is general learning, not a fatwa. Where Muslims differ, the answer says so. Have a question of your own? Write to us.
