The primary orientation of Islam is towards peace, not war. Islam considers war as an exception, not the rule in Islam. This principled orientation stands in sharp contrast to the many stereotyped opinions in the West portraying Islam as the most warlike of all religions, particularly following the attacks on the World Trade Centre in September of 2001. The methodology used in this research is analytical. Its frame of reference is to go to the Qur'an and Sunnah looking for legal injunctions. It also capitalizes on the historical experiences of the Islamic states across history; the purpose being to study the behavior of the Islamic state during times of peace and war. The researcher's major thrust is the discussion of the concept of war in Islam. The paper tries to refute the Islamic classical doctrine of war developed during the Abbasid period as time and space bound, and that its claim to universality is flawed. When war becomes inevitable, like for instance in the case of repulsing aggression, Islam is endowed with moderation and wisdom. Precise restrictions are imposed concerning the manner of carrying out military operations, how to treat enemy military personnel, and noncombatants. The second important focus of the paper is the Islamic doctrine of peace. If Islam abhors war, the Shari'ah considers the cultivation of amicable relations with non- Islamic states as duty of the Muslim states. To actualize that end, the Shari'ah designates four major mechanisms for the maintenance of peace and order among nations. These instruments are: negotiations, treaty-making, exchange of emissaries' missions, and trade and economic transactions. The research concludes by emphasizing the particular nature of Islamic war: that it is just in its causes, defensive in its initiative, decent in its proceeding, and pacific in its end. Islam rejects offensive war and scrupulously encourages its antithesis, namely peace.