Peace

At a glance

Peace in the Quran is far more than the temporary absence of war. Rooted in safety, wholeness, and complete freedom from harm, it is first and foremost a magnificent name of Allah, who is entirely free from any flaw, partner, or injustice. Because it flows from Him, peace defines His faith, characterizes Paradise as the everlasting Home of Peace, and serves as the living emblem of the believer.

From the greetings exchanged among the angels and prophets to the tranquil speech of the righteous facing hostility, peace shapes how a Muslim moves through the world. Spreading peace knits hearts together, calms conflict, and builds a society grounded in mutual mercy, humility, and security.

Ultimately, peace is the ultimate reward awaiting the faithful in the Hereafter. As believers enter Paradise, they are honored by the greetings of angels, surrounded by pure speech devoid of falsehood, and granted the supreme gift of peace directly from their Merciful Lord.

Key verses

1. An-Nur 24:61: Believers are instructed to greet their households with peace, a blessed and wholesome greeting decreed by Allah that treats fellow believers as one's own soul.
2. Ya-Sin 36:58: The ultimate honor for the people of Paradise is receiving a direct greeting of peace spoken by their Merciful Lord without intermediary.
3. Ibrahim 14:23: The greeting that welcomes believers into gardens beneath which rivers flow, and which fills their eternal life, is peace.
4. Al-Ahzab 33:44: On the Day the righteous meet their Lord, their welcoming greeting will be peace, accompanied by a generous reward.
5. Maryam 19:15: Divine peace and safety were bestowed upon Yahya on the three most vulnerable stages of human existence: birth, death, and resurrection.

Words to know

السَّلَام `al-salam`

Safety and complete freedom from physical or spiritual flaw and harm, used in the Quran for Allah Himself, good, beautiful praise, protection from evil, and the prescribed greeting.

Appears 140 times in the Quran.

Most common forms: سَلام (42), مُسْلِم (39), أَسْلَمَ (22), إِسْلام (8), سَلَّمَ (6)

Root: س ل م

التَّحِيَّة `al-tahiyyah`

Any welcoming greeting offered upon meeting, wishing life, enduring goodness, or glad tidings, which is broader in scope than the specific greeting of peace.

Root: ح ي ي

The status of peace

From the paper: «مكانة السلام»

Peace holds an elevated status in the Quran across three profound dimensions:

• A divine name of Allah: Allah reveals Himself as al-Salam Al-Hashr 59:23, completely free from every defect, partner, or mortality, and free from any wrongdoing toward His creation. He greets His chosen servants An-Naml 27:59 and the people of Paradise Ya-Sin 36:58.

• **A name of Paradise (Dar al-Salam):** Paradise is designated the Home of Peace Al-An'am 6:127, Yunus 10:25 because it is completely safeguarded against affliction, disease, aging, and grief Al-Hijr 15:45-46, Al-Hijr 15:47, Qaf 50:31-34. In it, believers hear neither vain chatter nor sinful speech, only the pure utterance of peace Maryam 19:62, Al-Waqi'ah 56:25-26, An-Naba 78:35, Al-Ghashiyah 88:11. Its eternal greeting between believers Yunus 10:10, Ibrahim 14:23, Al-Ahzab 33:44, from the people of the Heights Al-A'raf 7:46, and from the Lord Himself Ya-Sin 36:58 is peace.

• The description of Allah's religion: Islam and peace share a single linguistic root. Allah guides those who seek His pleasure to the ways of peace Al-Ma'idah 5:15-16, bringing peace to the conscience, home, and society. Believers are summoned to enter into peace completely Al-Baqarah 2:208, submitting wholly to their Lord Ali 'Imran 3:19 and living safely away from Satan and hostility Al-Ma'idah 5:33.

Divine peace

From the paper: «السلام الإلهي»

Divine peace represents Allah's benevolence, honor, protection, and beautiful praise bestowed upon His chosen servants.

• Upon the prophets and messengers: Allah sends a general greeting of peace upon all His messengers and upon His chosen servants An-Naml 27:59. Specifically, He granted peace and safety to Nuh and the believers when disembarking from the Ark Hud 11:48, preserving his honorable remembrance across generations As-Saffat 37:78-79. He commanded the blazing fire to be coolness and peace for Ibrahim Al-Anbiya 21:69, granting him enduring honor As-Saffat 37:109-111. He bestowed peace upon Musa and Harun As-Saffat 37:120-122, upon Ilyas As-Saffat 37:120, and upon Yahya on the three most vulnerable days: birth, death, and resurrection Maryam 19:15, words echoed by Isa from the cradle Maryam 19:33.

• Upon the dwellers of Paradise: The divine greeting crowns the bliss of the believers in the garden Yunus 10:105, Ibrahim 14:23, Al-Furqan 25:75, Al-Ahzab 33:44, Qaf 50:34. Most sublime is Allah's direct greeting, "Peace, a word from a Merciful Lord" Ya-Sin 36:58, which fills them with unmatched joy and light. The companions of the right hand are likewise greeted with special safety and peace Al-Waqi'ah 56:90-91.

The peace of the angels

From the paper: «سلام الملائكة»

Angels accompany the faithful with greetings of security throughout their journey:

• To the prophets: Angelic messengers greeted Ibrahim with peace when bringing glad tidings Hud 11:69, Al-Hijr 15:51-52, Adh-Dhariyat 51:24-25, Al-Ankabut 29:31, to which he returned an even firmer, enduring greeting of peace. They also convey divine peace to Yahya Maryam 19:15.

• At the hour of death: When believers pass away in a pure, upright state, angels descend to reassure them against fear and grief, saying, "Peace be upon you; enter Paradise for what you used to do" An-Nahl 16:31-32, Fussilat 41:30-31. They announce peace and glad tidings to the companions of the right hand Al-Waqi'ah 56:90-91, comforting the soul as it departs Ibrahim 14:27.

• In Paradise: Angels continually welcome the righteous. When believers are conducted to the garden, the keepers greet them with peace, praising their purity Az-Zumar 39:73. Furthermore, angels enter upon them through every gate of their eternal dwellings Yunus 10:9-10, Ibrahim 14:23, Al-Ahzab 33:44, declaring: "Peace be upon you for what you patiently endured; how excellent is the final home!" Ar-Ra'd 13:23-24.

Peace as the motto of the believer

From the paper: «السلام شعار المؤمن»

Peace is the distinguishing mark of the believer's life. Opponents of faith avoided this greeting, substituting pre-Islamic phrases or ill wishes Al-Mujadilah 58:8, Al-Mujadilah 58:14. In contrast, offering peace is so sacred that it immediately grants protection of life and property in times of uncertainty An-Nisa 4:94. True faith requires inner surrender and peaceful submission to divine rulings An-Nisa 4:65.

The Prophet is commanded to greet incoming believers with peace, assuring them of divine mercy and forgiveness for past wrongs Al-An'am 6:54, while believers are commanded to send blessings and peace upon the Prophet Al-Ahzab 33:56.

In daily etiquette, peace governs social interactions. A believer must not enter homes unannounced, but must seek familiarity and greet its occupants An-Nur 24:27. Entering a home calls for greeting one another as one would greet one's own soul, a blessed and wholesome greeting ordained by Allah An-Nur 24:61. When greeted, a Muslim is duty-bound to return an even better greeting or at least its equal An-Nisa 4:86. Believers are encouraged to spread peace widely among those they know and those they do not know, and to extend it to the deceased in visiting graves.

Peace with those who differ

From the paper: «السلام مع المخالفين»

Peace governs how a believer navigates disagreement, hostility, and provocative ignorance:

• With religious opponents: Quranic accounts show prophets maintaining gracious composure. Ibrahim concluded his dialogue with his idolatrous father with peaceful departure, saying, "Peace be upon you; I will ask forgiveness for you from my Lord" Maryam 19:47. Musa and Harun carried a message of gentle guidance to Pharaoh, concluding, "And peace will be upon whoever follows the guidance" Ta-Ha 20:47. Allah similarly instructed Prophet Muhammad to turn away from obstinate rejectors and speak peace Az-Zukhruf 43:88-89, seeking conciliation rather than trading insults.

• With the insolent and ignorant: When the Quran speaks of the ignorant (al-jahilun), it primarily points to foolishness and vile conduct rather than simple lack of information Al-Qasas 28:55. Sincere believers respond to absurdity with dignified detachment. When confronted with offensive chatter, the praised servants of the Merciful (Ibad al-Rahman) walk humbly on the earth, and when the foolish address them, they reply with words of peace and rectitude Al-Furqan 25:63, meeting harshness with patience and forbearance.

The impact of spreading peace on society

From the paper: «أثر إفشاء السلام على المجتمع»

Spreading peace (ifsha' al-salam) is an active moral practice with immense social benefits:

• Fosters mutual love: It is the primary key to affection and harmonious brotherhood, which the Prophet described as an essential precursor to faith and entrance into Paradise.
• Instills safety: Greeted with a divine name and a prayer for protection and blessings, community members feel secure in their persons, honor, and wealth.
• Yields strength and unity: Disunity causes failure and robs a community of its strength Al-Anfal 8:46. Exchanging peace unites hearts, strengthening the social fabric against adversity.
• Frustrates enemies of harmony: The deep cohesion and mutual mercy among believers disheartens those who wish to see them fractured and divided.
• Cultivates noble character: Initiating peace reflects inner generosity and genuine humility, removing arrogance and softening hearts toward all people.
• Sustains collective goodness: Sharing peace openly preserves societal virtue; restricting greetings only to acquaintances is a sign of societal decay and the approach of the Last Hour.
• Encourages cooperation in righteousness: Both initiator and responder earn reward, with the initiator being closest to Allah.

Takeaways

1. Spread the Greeting to Everyone

   Make it a habit to greet fellow believers whether you know them personally or not. Reaching out with peace breaks social barriers and revives an essential practice that protects community cohesion.

2. Elevate Your Home with the Divine Greeting

   Whenever you enter your house, greet your family with peace An-Nur 24:61. Even when entering an empty space, offer the greeting to invite divine tranquility, blessings, and spiritual safety into your dwelling.

3. Respond to Provocation with Composure

   When faced with rude or foolish behavior, emulate the servants of the Merciful Al-Furqan 25:63. Do not match vulgarity with insults; reply with calm, dignified words of peace and disengage gracefully.

4. Return Every Kindness with Greater Warmth

   When someone offers you a greeting or gesture of goodwill, respond with something even better or at least match it fully An-Nisa 4:86. Cultivating generous manners reflects the beauty of your faith.

5. Align Your Heart with Submission to Allah

   True peace begins internally by yielding willingly to Allah's guidance An-Nisa 4:65. When you submit your desires to His commands, you step into the ways of peace and find genuine security.

Reflect

• When entering your home or meeting acquaintances, do you offer the greeting of peace with mindful presence, or as a rushed habit?
• How do you naturally respond when someone treats you with ignorance or disrespect, and how can you adopt the peaceful response of the servants of the Merciful?
• In what areas of your daily life are you holding onto resentment instead of seeking the safety and wholeness that peace brings?
• How can you make your personal speech a source of comfort and peace for those around you, mirroring the pure speech of Paradise?

Go deeper

Linguistic meaning

The verbal noun of Sallama, rooted in soundness, well-being, and complete freedom from every outward and inward evil or defect.

Technical meaning

A divine name of Allah that signifies His absolute perfection and conveys the greeting and prayer for safety from all evil and harm.

How it differs from related terms

التحية greeting

Tahiyyah is broader than Salam; it encompasses any general phrase of welcoming, wishing long life, or invoking blessing, whereas Salam is a specific, sacred formula carrying the prayer for safety, peace, and protection.

Every verse in the paper

All 74 verses the research paper discusses, grouped under its own headings.

Peace in Quranic usage «السّلام في الاستعمال القرآني»

8:43, 24:27, 24:61, 7:46, 59:23, 43:89, 37:79, 11:48

The status of peace «مكانة السلام»

Peace as one of the beautiful names of Allah «أولًا: السلام اسم من أسماء الله الحسنى»

59:23, 27:59, 36:58

Dar al-Salam as one of the names of Paradise «ثانيًا: من أسماء الجنة دار السلام»

6:127, 10:25, 15:45-46, 50:31-34, 15:47, 10:10, 14:23, 33:44, 25:75, 19:62, 56:25-26, 78:35, 88:11, 36:58, 7:46

Peace as a characteristic of Allah's law and religion «ثالثًا: السلام صفة شرع الله ودينه»

5:15-16, 2:208, 5:33, 3:19

Divine peace «السلام الإلهي»

Allah's peace upon his prophets and messengers «أولًا: سلام الله على أنبيائه ورسله»

27:59, 11:48, 37:78-79, 37:109-111, 21:69, 37:120-122, 19:15, 19:33

Allah's peace upon the people of Paradise «ثانيًا: سلام الله على أهل الجنة»

10:105, 14:23, 33:44, 50:34, 25:75

The peace of the angels «سلام الملائكة»

The angels' peace upon the prophets «أولًا: سلام الملائكة على الأنبياء»

11:69, 15:51-52, 51:24-25, 29:31, 19:15

Peace at the time of death «ثانيًا: السلام ساعة الموت»

16:31-32, 56:90-91, 41:30-31, 14:27

Peace in Paradise «ثالثًا: السلام في الجنة»

10:9-10, 36:58, 14:23, 33:44, 13:23-24, 39:73

Peace as the motto of the believer «السلام شعار المؤمن»

58:8, 58:14, 4:94, 4:65, 6:54, 33:56, 24:27, 24:61, 4:86

Peace with those who differ «السلام مع المخالفين»

Peace with those who differ in religion «أولًا: السلام مع المخالفين في الدين»

19:47, 20:47, 43:88-89

Peace with the ignorant «ثانيًا: السلام مع الجاهلين»

28:55, 25:63

The impact of spreading peace on society «أثر إفشاء السلام على المجتمع»

8:46

About this source

Volume

9

Research paper

«السلام» (Peace)

Read the full paper (Arabic)

Encyclopedia of Thematic Tafsir of the Noble Quran, published by the Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

This study guide summarizes the Arabic research paper. For full scholarly detail, refer to the original. This preview has not been reviewed yet.

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