Human Security and Peaceful Coexistence in Islam

This article contributes to the broader debate on interreligious relations and nonviolence in Islam by examining references to the concept of covenant ( ʿahd and mīthāq ) in the Qurʾān and specific covenantal documents attributed to Muhammad, the prophet of Islam. Covenants include solemn agreements, bonds, pledges and treaties, and are central to the Qurʾānic narrative of human existence and coexistence as well as the diplomacy of the Prophet, though they are understudied and underrepresented in discourses about Islam. Content analysis is used to identify the commands, narratives and themes concerning covenants in Islam’s primary, preeminent sources. The article shows that covenants in the Qurʾān and Sunnah establish human security and peaceful coexistence as the normative basis of relations between Muslims and non-Muslims, which influenced early interreligious relations but were neglected over time. While Islamic covenants establish a principle of nonviolence, the use of armed force is permitted, in self-defence, in response to armed aggression and treaty violation that threatens peace and security. These findings have profound implications for our understanding of interreligious relations and the legitimate use of force in Islam.