WAR, PEACE, AND HUMAN TRANSFORMATION: A Qur'an-First Framework for Understanding Conflict Recurrence and Establishing Sustainable Peace

Existing international relations and peacebuilding frameworks frequently fail to prevent conflict recurrence because they prioritize external structural re-engineering—such as institution building, military deterrence, and territorial partition—over internal human transformation. This paper introduces the Qur’an-First Conflict-Peace Recurrence Framework (QF-CPRF), a paradigm that derives its foundational ontology, ethics, and psychological model directly from the primary textual layer of the Qur'an, while remaining empirically testable through secondary historical and tertiary modern metrics. The QF-CPRF posits that conflict recurrence is fundamentally driven by internal human corruption (fasād) and ethical decay (zulm), which manifest as systemic socio-political breakdown. By analyzing thematic textual units across seven key Qur'anic domains—including strict limits on warfare, mandatory responses to peace offers, structural reconciliation with justice (iṣlāḥ), and ethical engagement with non-hostile entities—the framework articulates a five-stage transformative sequence: Recognition, Reflection, Correction, Transformation, and Sustainable Peace. We operationalize this framework by establishing an empirical research design, proposing verifiable hypotheses (H1–H4), outlining a multi-layered monitoring and evaluation matrix, and offering actionable recommendations for policymakers and peace studies scholars.