In his address to the German Bundestag, President Sergio Mattarella stated that “aggressive war is a crime,” noting that “over 90% of the victims in contemporary conflicts are civilians.”
These words highlight the value of human life and the need to protect those who are not engaged in hostilities.
This principle is also deeply rooted in the Islamic tradition.
The Qur’an states: “Whoever kills an innocent person, it is as if he has killed all mankind; and whoever saves a life, it is as if he has saved all mankind.” (Qur’an 5:32)
The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, reinforced this ethical foundation through several teachings. One authentic hadith states: “The Messenger of Allah forbade the killing of women and children.” (Sahih Muslim, 1731)
Islamic scholars clarify that this prohibition includes all non-combatants: the elderly, monks and religious figures, workers, farmers, and anyone not participating in the conflict. The moral rule is universal and unequivocal: no innocent person may be harmed, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or religion.
These considerations become even more significant when compared with global military-spending figures. According to SIPRI, world defence expenditure reached about US$ 2.718 trillion in 2024, the highest level ever recorded.
Over recent decades, annual military spending has ranged between US$ 1.7 and 2.4 trillion, accumulating into tens of trillions within a single generation.
If even a portion of these resources had been redirected toward human development, today’s world would be safer, more educated and less burdened by poverty.
Redirecting just 500 billion dollars per year into social-development programmes would generate 5 trillion dollars in ten years — enough to fund schools, hospitals, essential services and peace initiatives.
For the EML, President Mattarella’s message is a concrete call to transcend the logic of militarisation and embrace an approach grounded in human dignity, education, dialogue and international cooperation.
