Unpacking the Quran's Peace and War Verses

Strategic and National Security Implications for the US

by Mustapha Kulungu, Ph.D.

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Synopsis

This book offers a clear and reliable guide to the Quranic verses that shape modern debates about Islam, peace, and conflict. Moving beyond common misunderstandings, it explains how these passages were originally revealed, why extremists misquote them, and how a correct contextual reading reveals a strong emphasis on justice, restraint, and ethical limits in warfare.

For national security and counterterrorism practitioners, the book provides practical insight into how militant groups construct their ideological narratives. It also outlines a Three-Pronged Holistic Approach that combines accurate religious interpretation, strategic psychological operations, and community-based soft power strategies to counter extremist propaganda.

Concise, balanced, and accessible to both specialists and general readers, this book equips policymakers, analysts, military leaders, educators, and religious communities with the tools needed to respond effectively to the misuse of Islamic scripture in modern conflicts.

About the Author

Dr. Mustapha Kulungu is the Principal Researcher at the ILM Foundation Institute in Los Angeles, California. He holds a Ph.D. from Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, California; an MBA from California Coast University; and an MA from American Military University, with a specialization in national security and counterterrorism.

His work has been published by Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses (CTTA), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. He also frequently publishes with Eurasia News and Analysis, the Indiana University Digital Library Program, the Digital Library of the Commons, the Open Access Library Journal (OALIBJ), ArticleBiz, and other outlets. Dr. Kulungu is the author of National Security in Ancient Times and Religious Texts: Analysis of Various Perspectives.