There are different wars and tussles in different parts of the world. Unfortunately, these wars and clashes take the lives of many people each day. These wars, on most of the occasions, are considered to be based on religion and thus religion is thought to be their root. However, it is not the religion that is promulgating the clashes, the actual reason is to be found somewhere else.
As a matter of fact, today’s world is dominated by the political leaders and economic giants. They have controlled the different spheres of life to a large extent. And, they utilize them every now and then for different purposes as well. Religion, unfortunately, is being used by the same political and economic leaders and they are destroying the true face of religion.
Even a cursory look at the contemporary world of ours will depict that politics is nothing except voracity and passionate pursuit of power, authority and fame. All the politician or political groups are in a race to subjugate others. The pursuit of power is in its nature; therefore, it uses any means to gain that power. Competition and rivalry among the different political parties and groups are marked with violence and unethical deeds. Every political group upswings with the demise of others. Every political group flourishes with the extinction of others. Thus, they are in a state of constant war with one another.
Today, peace is impossible through politics. Politics has to be cunning, self-centered, egoistic, and violent in case of ideological differences. Otherwise, it would seize to exist. For its existence it has to generate issues and on certain occasions even disorder and instability. And, it influences religion in the same manner. The politicians make maximum use of the religious sentiments of the people and divert them towards the issues that can favor their self-centered ideas.
Otherwise, religion, in its essence, starts with love and ends in peace. It expects virtue from man and teaches him the same. Affection is the true nature of religion. It abhors war and disharmony, because its fundamental principles are based on well-being of all the human beings.
A person enters the kingdom of religion when he washes away his ego, selfishness, and hatred through the ablution of his spirit. Religion performs virtue; otherwise, it does nothing. Religion is determined to strengthen tranquility.
The present form of religion that we can witness is the political utilization of religion. It is religion framed by politics. It is one of the expressions of political duplicity. It is religion caught in the webs of politics, suffocating and striving to make its last breaths possible and history has witnessed that whenever and wherever politicians have raised the slogans of religion in their ideologies they have always wanted to dodge the people through sanctity and honor of the religious beliefs. This is not religion. This is politics, changing forms and means to discriminate innocent masses.
We can take the example of Afghanistan and can easily observe how religion is being used by different people. Some use it as a basis of their sacred war against the government and as a result kill innocent people; while others, particularly politicians use it to trap the innocent people so as to gain their support and obedience. It is weird to find that all the religious leaders claim that they are on the right path along with their followers while others are on the wrong one, led astray by their leaders. Some so-called religious leaders who are nothing more than businessmen, use it to keep their business running with success. They are the ones who take advantage of today’s consumerist economy and, as a matter of fact, sell different aspects of religion so as to gain economic benefits. It is important to observe that most of their favors, which they claim to be for the people and their betterment, are, in reality, efforts to make handsome amount of money.   
The consequences of all these misuse is that our country is suffering to a great extent. Poverty, extremism, insecurity and lawlessness are victimizing the poor masses, while the authoritative individuals in both politics and religion are living their lives with all the facilities and luxuries.
These all conditions are what Islam does not like. Islam stands for fraternity, love and affection. It does not like and accept misery, especially of the innocent people. True Islam stands against injustice and guides its followers towards brotherhood and peace, not war and destruction.   
If we want to experience religion we have to apply it without any political intentions. Without converting it into something inferior. Religion itself is a self-perpetuating system, and a complete code of life and should be kept away from political contamination. Pure religion is destined to guarantee peace and it will because it commences with love and culminates in peace.