Islam has denounced and condemned vehemently the following acts and strictly prohibited their practice in the path of promoting peace and security in the society, and eradicating or curtailing wrath, hatred, rancor, greed, and resentment which are the root causes of conflicts and violence.

Examples of Acts Prohibited in Islam

 Polytheist and Idolatry

Polytheist and idolatry inevitably cause conflict as clans, tribes and peoples compete and vie for recognition, status, dominance and tribute for their idols and associated ideologies and mythologies. If all people worshipped Allah the one and only God then the greatest root of violence would be eradicated. Allah the Most Majestic said: (And ask those of Our messengers whom we sent before you, ’Did we make other deities to be worshipped besides Allah?) (43:45)

Allah the Most Glorious said: (And We did not send a messenger before you, except that We revealed to him that there is no god worthy of worship except Me, so worship Me.) (21:25)

Allah the Most Almighty and Majestic said: (And verily, We have sent among every community a Messenger (proclaiming): “Worship Allah (alone), and avoid taghoot (Satan, idols, tyrants).) (16:36)

Allah, the Exalted, said: (Those who believe fight in the way of Allah, and those who disbelieve fight in the way of taghoot (Satan, idols, tyrants). So fight against the followers of Satan: Indeed the plot of Satan is feeble.)

Sorcery and magic of all types

This prohibition is based on the numerous evidences like the saying of Allah:

(But neither of these two (angels (Haroot and Maroot) taught anyone (sorcery) till they had said (warning them): Indeed, we are a trial, so do not disbelieve.)

And in the hadith of Allah’s Messenger (pbuh): Avoid the seven destructive sins. People inquired: O Prophet of Allah! .What are these destructive sins?. He said: They are: associating others in the worship of Allah; sorcery and magic of all types; killing an innocent soul without any legitimate reason; dealing with interest and usury; eating up and abusing the orphan’s funds; fleeing from the battlefield; falsely accusing innocent female believers with fornication, adultery, or moral corruption. (Bukhari & Muslim)

 Aggression and oppression

Allah (pbuh) said: (The blame is only against those who oppress men with wrongdoing and insolently transgress beyond bounds through the land, defying right and justice; for such people there will be a grievous penalty.) Unkind treatment towards parents, children and kindred.

Islam teaches benevolence towards all kindred. This is based on the verse revealed in the Glorious Qur.an,

(Then, is it to be expected of you, if you were put in authority, that you will do mischief, in the land, and break your ties with kith and kin? Such are the men whom Allah has cursed for He has made them deaf and has blinded their sight.) (47:22-3)

 Adultery, fornication, slander etc

It is a known fact that many conflicts, fighting and murder take place due to .love triangles. wherein people fight over their legal or illegal sexual partners. Islam has cut all the pathways to illegal the sexual relations to preserve the chastity and purity of the people of the society, and to prevent conflict, illegitimate children and abortion.

Allah the Exalted and Almighty said:

(Nor come nigh to adultery: for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil way, opening the road (too many other evils).)

Intoxicants and Gambling

As it is well known, intoxicated individuals are more likely to commit violent crimes than sober individuals. Gambling is also the cause of much conflict. Allah the Almighty states:

(O you who believe! Intoxicants, gambling, and divination by arrows, are an abomination of Satan’s

handiwork: avoid all such (abominations) that you may prosper. Satan’s plan is but to excite enmity and hatred between you, with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of God, and from prayer: will you not then abstain?)

 Stealing, robbery, unlawful acquisition of property and wealth

Such acts are bound to create hatred and resentment, and provoke conflicts in the society, leading to insecurity and chaos.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: Whoever takes a right of a Muslim, Allah, the Almighty, would cause him to dwell in the Fire of Hell on the Day of Judgment and restrict him from entering Paradise.

 Misuse of the wealth and the assets of an orphan

Orphans are weak and incapable of managing their funds. An orphan.s guardian is responsible to manage wisely the finance and the affairs of his guarded orphan to the best of his abilities. Allah warns saying:

(Those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans, eat up a fire into their own bodies: they will soon be enduring a blazing fire.) (4:10)

 Abuse of authority

A Muslim ruler or any person in a position of authority must be just and honest with his people and must not do wrong to them or betray them in any way. As Allah said: (Think not that Allah is heedless of the deeds of those who do wrong. He only gives them respite against a Day when the eyes will stare in horror.) (14:42-43)

Torture

The companion Hesham ibn Hakim ibn Hizam  once passed by a group of people in the Levant who were punished by being kept in the sun. He said: What.s wrong with these people? They said: They are imprisoned because they did not pay the jizya. Hesham (said: “I witness that I have heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saying: “Allah tortures those who torture people in this lifetime.”

False testimonies are major sins. In fact, if a person intentionally insists on false testimonies on a regular basis,

he would be considered out of the realm of Islam. Allah the Almighty, states: (Those who do not witness falsehood, and, if they pass by futility, pass by it with honourable (avoidance).) (25:72)

Islam enjoins upon Muslims to be truthful. Islam commands to fulfil promises and warns against breaking promises and dishonouring contracts. Islam stresses on fulfilling all trusts to the right people and warns against denying even an insignificant amount entrusted to a person as a trust.