Over the course of history, most legal systems have devised rules to govern the use of armed force, stipulating both the legitimate reasons for war and the rules governing the conduct of hostilities. IHL does not specifically address the former of these two areas, regarding the justifications for resorting to armed force. This matter is covered by public international law under the Charter of the United Nations (UN), which prohibits the use of armed force except in self-defense or with authorization from the UN Security Council, as set out in Article 42 of the Charter. The function of IHL is to set rules and restrictions on the behavior of combatants in both international and non-international armed conflicts, with a view to preventing or limiting the effects of armed conflict, minimizing the suffering of victims, and protecting individuals who are either not taking part or have ceased their participation in the hostilities, as well as protecting movable and immovable property not being used in military operations. This branch of law is also known as the law of war or the law of armed conflict, but over recent decades it has become more commonly known as international humanitarian law, emphasizing the humanitarian motives that underpin this newly developed branch of law

There is a religious dimension to the Islamic law of war in the sense that compliance with the Islamic regulations on the use of force is an act of worship that brings a Muslim soldier closer to God. This classical juristic endeavor for humanizing armed conflicts led to contradictory rulings because in deliberating these rulings individual jurists sometimes prioritized humanitarian concerns and at other times prioritized the military necessity of winning the war, even if this was in contravention of humanitarian principles.

Islamic Peace building ‘It may be that God will grant love [and friendship] between you and those whom ye [now] hold as enemies. For God is Oft-Forgiving, Most-Merciful’ (Quran 60:7). • From a religious or spiritual perspective peace building makes explicit the connection between ‘inner’ and ‘outer’ peace Negative peace refers to the absence of violence but can include latent conflicts Positive peace is the restoration of relationships, establishment of justice, and the creation of just social systems that serve the needs of the whole population Peace is the framework within which conflicts unfold non-violently and creatively into positive change Quest for peace and justice is perhaps a core issue and a major shared aspiration in most of the world religions. However, a more realistic analysis will show that even for Secularist thinkers peace has been a major concern, though, their basic assumptions and the motivating force behind it may be totally different. The post-capitalist mindset, with its deep commitment to economic development, individualism, and ethical relativism, gradually developed a belief that war, can not help, in the long run, in achieving the social and economic targets of the industrialized world. Religious Freedom and Pluralism: Sixth important aspect of justice relates to the realm of religion. Religious freedom within the Muslim community and the right to live by their religious teachings, for non-Muslim citizens, is considered vital, by the Qur’an, for the realization of peace.