Compilations of Thought Provoking Articles
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COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN ISLAM AND HINDUISM -PRESENTING ISLAM TO HINDUS
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I.
Introduction
A.
Introduction of
Hinduism
1.
Definition of a Hindu
2.
Definition of Hinduism
B.
Introduction of Islam
1.
Definition of Islam
2.
Definition of a Muslim
3.
Misconception about
Islam
II.
Pillars of Faith (Imaan)
(i) Pillars of Hinduism
- Pillars of Faith in Hinduism are not defined
(ii) Pillars of Faith
(Imaan) in Islam
A.
Tawheed
1.
2:177
2.
Hadith of six pillars
of Imaan - Sahih Muslim, Vol. 1, Kitabul Imaan, Chapter 2, Hadith 6
3.
Concept of God in
Islam (112:1-4) (3:64)
4.
Concept of God in
Hinduism
a)
Common concept of God in Hinduism
b)
Difference between Islam and Hinduism is ‘S’
c)
Bhagavad Geeta 7:20
d)
Upanishad
Chandogya
Upanishad, Ch. 6, Section 2, Verse 1
Svetasvatara
Upanishad 6:
9
Svetasvatara
Upanishad 4:
19
Svetasvatara
Upanishad 4:
20
e)
Yajurveda
Yajurveda 32: 3
Yajurveda 40: 8
Yajurveda 40: 9
f)
Atharvaveda 20
: 58 : 3
g)
Rigveda
Rigveda 1:
64: 46
Rigveda 2:
1
B.
Angels
1.
Angels in Islam
2.
Angels in Hinduism
C.
Books
(i) Books of Islam
1.
Several revelations
of Allah (13:38)
2.
By name four are mentioned
3.
Qur’an is the
last and final revelation
4.
All previous revelation
meant for particular group of people and for a particular group
of people and for a particular period of time
5.
Qur’an revealed
for whole humankind (14:52) (2:185) (39:41)
(ii) Books of Hinduism
Introduction
1.
Vedas
2.
Upanishads
3.
Puranas
4.
Itihas
5.
Can Hindu scriptures
be considered the word of God
D.
Messengers
Messengers in Islam
1.
Messengers sent to
every nation (35:24) (13:7)
2.
25 prophets mentioned
by name in the Qur’an
3.
Stories of only some
prophets mentioned in the Qur’an (4:164) (40:78)
4.
Several hundreds of
messengers sent to the world according to Hadith
5.
All previous messengers
were only sent for their people and nation and their complete message
was meant for that period of time
6.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
last and final messenger (33:40)
7.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
sent for whole of humankind (21:107) (34:28) Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 1, Book
of Salaah, Chapter 56, Hadith 429
8.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
prophesied in Hindu scriptures
a)
Bhavishya Purana, Parv 3, Khand 3, Adhaya 3, Shloka 5-8
b)
Bhavishya Purana, Parv 3, Khand 3, Adhaya 3, Shloka 10-27
c)
Atharvaveda, Book 20, Hymn 127, Verses 1-113 (kuntap sukla)
d)
Atharvaveda, Book 20, Hymn 21, Verse 6
e)
Atharvaveda, Book 20, Hymn 21, Verse 7
f)
Samveda, Book 2, Hymn 6, Verse 8
9.
Avtaars and Messengers
in Hinduism
10.
Anthropomorphism
11.
Which prophet was
sent to India, can we consider Ram and Krishna to be the messengers of
Allah?
12.
Hadith sayings and
tradition of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
E.
Life after Death - hereafter
(i)
Life after death in Islam
1.
Life after death (2:28)
2.
This life is the test
for the hereafter (67:2)
3.
Full recompense on
the day of judgement (3:185)
4.
Paradise - Al Jannah
5.
Hell - Jahannam
(ii) Life after death in
Hinduism
1.
Concept of Rebirths in Hinduism
- Reincarnation or Transmigration of the
souls
a) Bhagavad Geeta, Chapter 2, Verse
22
b) Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, Part
4, Chapter 4, Verse 3
2.
Karma - the law of cause and effect
3.
Dharma - righteous duties
4.
Moksha - liberation from the cycle
of rebirths
5.
Rebirths not mentioned in the Vedas
6.
Punarjanam is not cycle of rebirth
but life after death
7.
Life after death in the Vedas
a)
Rigveda, Book 10, Hymn 16, Verse 4
b)
Rigveda, Book 10, Hymn 16, Verse 5
8.
Paradise - Swarga
in the Vedas
a)
Atharvaveda, Book 4, Hymn 34, Verse 6
b)
Atharvaveda, Book 4, Hymn 34, Verse 2
c)
Atharvaveda, Book 2, Hymn 34, Verse 5
d) Atharvaveda, Book 6, Hymn
122, Verse 3
e)
Rigveda, Book 10, Hymn 95, Verse 18
9.
Hell - Nark in the Vedas - Rigveda,
Book 4, Hymn 5, Verse 4
F.
Destiny
1.
Concept of Destiny
- Qadr in Islam
2.
Logical concept for
differences in different individuals (67:2)
3.
Present conditions
in Islam is a test (2:214) (29:2) (21:35) (2:155) (8:28)
III.
Pillars of Islam
1.
Islamic Creed
a)
Sahih Bukhari,
Vol. 1, Book of Imaan, Chapter 1, Hadith 8
b)
To testify that ‘Ash-hadu-al-lailaha illallah wa anna
Muhammadar Rasulullah’
2.
Salaah
a)
Not merely prayers
but programming (5:90) (2:188)
b)
Prayers restrains
you from unjust and shameful deeds (29:45)
c)
Five times Salaah
for healthy souls
d)
Idol worship
is prohibited in Hinduism
e)
Common Hindus
use idols for worshipping for concentration
f)
Muslims do not worship Kaaba while offering Salaah
3.
Zakat
a)
Meaning purification
and growth
b)
Description 2.5%
charity of the saving above nisab every lunar year (9:60)
c)
If every human being gives Zakat, not a single human being
will die of hunger
d)
Wealth does not
circulate only among the wealthy and rich
e)
Charity in Hinduism
4.
Saum - Fasting
a)
Description - Abstain from food and drink from dawn to sunset
for one lunar month in Ramazan
b)
(2:183) Learn self-restraint. If you control your hunger
you can control almost of all your desires
c)
Discourages smoking, alcoholism and other addictions
d)
Medical benefits, increases absorption of intestine
e)
Decreases cholesterol level
f)
Fasting in Hinduism
5.
Hajj - pilgrimage
a)
Description - Pilgrimage atleast once in life time if you
can afford it
b)
Universal brotherhood - 2.5 million people from all over
the world gather, wear 2 pieces unsewn preferably white cloth - can’t
differentiate
c)
Pilgrimage in Hinduism
IV.
Commandments of Allah
1.
Five pillars do not
constitute the complete religion of Islam
2.
Islam is not merely
a religion but complete way of life it caters to the body as well as
the soul
3.
(51:56)
(1)
Abstaining from prohibited
food is submitting your will to Allah (SWT) e.g. Alcohol (5:90) - Alcohol
prohibited in Veda (Rigveda 8:2:12) (Rigveda 8:21:14)
(2)
Prohibition of gambling
in Qur’an (5:90) - Prohibition of gambling in Veda (Rigveda 10:34:3-13)
(3)
Prohibition of Interest
in the Qur’an (3:130) (4:161) (30:39) (2:275) (2:276) (2:278) -
Prohibition of Interest in the Veda (Rigveda 3:35:14)
(4)
Dressing modestly
(24:31) + six criteria’s in hijab - Dressing modestly in Hinduism
(Rigveda 10:33:19) Men forbidden to wear female dress (Rigveda 10:85:30)
V.
Hindu Reformers
1.
Sri Ramakrishna
2.
Swami Vivekananda
3.
Swami Dayanand Saraswati
4.
Raja Ram Mohan Roy
5.
Mahatma Gandhi
VI.
Conclusion
1.
No reforms required
in Islam (5:3)
COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN ISLAM AND HINDUISM
PRESENTING ISLAM TO
HINDUS
Arabic Recitation
(3:64)
I.
Introduction
A.
Introduction
of Hinduism
1.
Definition of a Hindu
The word Hindu has geographical
significance and was used originally for those people who lived beyond
the river Sindhu or the region watered by the river Indus. Some historians
say that it was first used by the Persians who came to India through
the north western passes of the Himalayas. The word Hindu is no where
mentioned in Indian literature or scriptures before the advent of Muslims
to India, according to the Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics. According
to Jawaharlal Nehru in the book Discovery of India on page 74-75, he
writes that the earliest reference to the word Hindu can be traced
to a tantrik of the 8th Century CE, where it means a people
and not a follower of a particular religion. The use of the word Hindu
in connection with a particular religion is of late occurrence.
In short Hindu is a geographical
definition used for the people living beyond the river Indus or those
living in India
2.
Definition of Hinduism
a)
Hinduism has been derived from the
word Hindu. Hinduism was a name given in English language in the Nineteenth
Century by the English people to the multiplicity of the beliefs and
faith of the people of the Indus land. According to New Encyclopedia
Britannica 20:581. The British writers in 1830 gave the word Hinduism
to be used as the common name for all the beliefs of the people of India
excluding the Muslims and converted Christians.
b)
The term Hinduism is misleading
because though it suggests the unified system of beliefs and ideas, it
is certainly not the case. Hinduism is too broad a phenomenon to be confined
to a usual definitions of religions. It does not owe its origin, formation
or finalization to any historical person or a prophet since there is
no uniformly accepted belief sacraments, rituals and practices in Hinduism,
there are no criteria for establishing rules in Hinduism. In short a
person who calls himself a Hindu becomes a true practicing Hindu irrespective
who he worships and what ever may be his beliefs and practice.
c)
According to the Hindu scholars
Hinduism is a misnomer and it should be referred a Sanatana Dharma, meaning
eternal religion or Vedic Dharma meaning religion of the Veda. According
to Swami Vivekananda the followers of this religion is referred as Vedantist.
B.
Introduction
of Islam
1.
Definition of Islam
Islam is an Arabic word which comes
from the word ‘Salaam’ which means ‘Peace’.
It also means submitting your will to Allah - the Almighty God. In
short Islam means peace acquired by submitting your will to Allah (SWT).
2.
Definition of a Muslim
A Muslim is a person
who submits his will to Allah - the Almighty God.
3.
Misconception about Islam
Many people have a
misconception that Islam is a new religion which came into existence
1400 years ago and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the founder of the religion
of Islam. Infact Islam is there since time immemorial, since man set
foot on the earth. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is not the founder of the
religion of Islam but he is the last and final messenger of Islam.
II. Pillars of Faith (Imaan) - Pillars
of Hinduism
Pillars of Faith in Hinduism are not defined. As
mentioned earlier that Hinduism does not have a set of unified or codified
beliefs. Neither does it have any fixed pillars or principles which
are obligatory for its followers to practice. A Hindu has a freedom
to practice whatever he pleases, there is no such thing as compulsory
or prohibited for him thus no act committed by a person can make him
a non-Hindu. Neither omission of any act can make him a non-Hindu.
However there are certain beliefs which are common to most of the Hindus.
Even though it may not be agreed upon 100% by all the Hindus, we shall
discuss some of them while discussing the pillars of Islam.
CONCEPT OF GOD
IN HINDUISM
The most popular amongst the Aryan religion is Hinduism
1.
Common concept of God in Hinduism:
If you ask a common Hindu that how many Gods he believe
in, some may say three some may say thirty three, some may say a thousand
while some may say thirty three crore i.e. 330 millions. But if you
ask this question to a Hindu learned man who is well Versed with the
Hindu scriptures, he will reply that the Hindu should actually believe
and worship only one God.
2.
Difference between Islam and Hinduism
is ‘s’
(Everything is ‘God’s’ -
everything is ‘God’):
The major difference between the Hindu and the Muslim
is that the common Hindu believes in philosophy of Pantheism i.e. everything
is God, the tree is God, the sun is God, the moon is God, the snake
is God, the monkey is God, the human being is God.
The Muslims believe that everything
is God’s. God with and apostrophe ‘s’. Everything
belongs to God, the tree belongs to God, the sun belongs to God, the
moon belongs to God, monkey belongs to God, the human being belongs
to God.
Thus the major difference between
the Hindus and the Muslims is the apostrophe ‘s’. The Hindu
says everything is God. The Muslim says everything is God’s,
God with an apostrophe ‘s’. If we can solve the difference
of the apostrophe ‘s’, the Hindus and the Muslims will
be united.
The Holy Qur’an says, “Come
to common terms as between us and you”, which is the first term? “That
we worship none but Allah”, so lets come to common terms by analyzing
the scripture of the Hindus and the Muslim.
3.
Bhagwad Geeta 7:20
The most popular amongst all the Hindu scriptures
is the Bhagwad Geeta. Bhagwad Geeta mentions in Chapter 7, Verse 20, “Those
whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires worship demigods” that
is “Those who are materialistic, they worship demigods” i.e.
besides the true God.
4.
Upanishad
Upanishad are also one of the sacred
scriptures of the Hindus.
(i)
Chandogya Upanishad, Chapter 6, Section 2, Verse 1
It is mentioned in the Chandogya
Upanishad, Prapathaka(Chapter) 6, Khanda(Section)2, Shloka(Verse) “Ekam
evaditiyam”, “He is one only without a second”.
The principal Upanishad by S. Radhakrishnan,
page 447 and 448(sacred books of the east Volume 1 the Upanishads,
part I, page 93)
a)
(ii) Similar to what is mentioned
in the Holy Qur’an in Surah Ikhlas, Chapter 112, Verse 1, “Say
he is Allah one and only”.
b)
(i) Svetasvatara Upanishad, Chapter 6,
Verse 9
It is mentioned in the Svetasvatara
Upanishad, Adhyaya(Chapter) 6, Shloka(Verse) 9, “Na
casya kascij janita na cadhipah” “Of him there
is neither parents nor lord”.
“na tasya kascit patir
“Of him there is no master
in the world, no ruler, nor is there any mark of him. He is the cause,
the lord of the lords of the sense organs; of him there is neither
progenitor nor lord”.
(The principal Upanishad
by S. Radhakrishnan page 745 and in sacred books of the east Volume
15, the Upanishads, part II, page 263)
(ii) Similar
message is given in Holy Qur’an in Surah Ikhlas, Chapter 112,
Verse 3,
“He begets not,
nor is he begotten”.
(i) In Svetasvatara Upanishad, Chapter 4, Verse 19
It is mentioned in
Svetasvatara Upanishad, Adhyaya(Chapter) 4, Shloka(Verse) 19,
“Na
tasya pratima
“nainam
urdhvam na tiryancam na madhye na parijagrabhat na tasya pratima
(The principal Upanishad
by S. Radhakrishnan page 736 & 737 and in sacred books of the east
Volume 15, the Upanishad, part II, page 253)
c)
(ii) Similar message is given in
the Holy Qur’an in Surah Ikhlas, Chapter 112, Verse 4,
“And there is
none like unto him”.
c) (iii)
Surah Shura, Chapter 42, Verse 11 and also in Surah Shura, Chapter
42, Verse 11,
“There is nothing
whatever like unto him”.
d)
(i) In Svetasvatara Upanishad, Chapter
4, Verse 20
It is mentioned in
Svetasvatara Upanishad, Adhyaya(Chapter) 4, Shloka(Verse) 20,
“na
samdrse tishati rupam asya, na caksusa pasyati kas canainam” “his
form cannot be seen, no one sees him with the eye”
“nasamdrse
tishati rupam asya, na caksusa pasyati kas canainam. Hrda hrdistham
manasa ya enam, evam vidur amrtas te bhavanti”
“His form is
not to be seen; no one sees him with the eye. Those who through heart
and mind know him as abiding in the heart become immortal”.
(The principal Upanishad
by
e)
(ii) Similar message is given in
the Holy Qur’an in Surah Anam, Chapter 6, Verse 103,
“No vision can
grasp him. But his grasp is over all vision: he is above all comprehension,
yet is acquainted with all things”.
5. Yajurveda
Vedas are the most sacred
amongst all the Hindu scriptures, there are principally 4 Vedas, Rigved,
Yajurved, Samved and Atharvaved.
a) Yajurveda, Chapter 32, Verse
3
It is mentioned in Yajurved,
Chapter 32, Verse 3
“na tasya pratima
It
further says as “He is unborn, He deserves our worship”
“There is no
image of him whose glory verily is great. He sustains within himself
all luminous objects like the sun etc. may he not harm me, this is
my prayer. As he is unborn, he deserves our worship”.
(The
Yajurveda by Devi Chand M.A. page 377)
b) Yajurveda, Chapter 40, Verse
8
It
is mentioned in Yajurved, Chapter 40, Verse 8, “He is body less
and pure”
“He hath attained
unto the bright, bodiless, woundless, sinewless, the pure which evil
hath not pierced. Far-sighted wise, encompassing, he self existent
hath prescribed aims as propriety demands unto the everlasting years”
(Yajurveda
Samhita by Ralph I.H. Griffith page 538)
c) Yajurveda, Chapter 40, Verse
9
It is mentioned in Yajurved,
Chapter 40, Verse 9
“Andhatma pravishanti ye asambhuti mupaste”
“They enter darkness,
those who worship natural things” For e.g. air, water, fire etc.
It further continues
and says, “They sink deeper in darkness those who worship Sambhuti
i.e. created things”, For example table, chair, idol etc.
“Deep into shade
of blinding gloom fall asambhuti’s worshippers. They sink to
darkness deeper yet who on sambhuti are intent”
(Yajurveda Samhita
by Ralph T.H. Griffith page 538)
6. Atharvaveda
a) (i) Atharvaveda, Book 20, Hymn
(Chapter) 58, Verse 3
It
is mentioned in Atharvaveda, Book 20, Hymn (Chapter) 58, Verse 3
“Dev
maha osi” “God is verily great”
“Verily,
surya, thou art great; truly, aditya, thou art great. As thou art great
indeed thy greatness is admired:
yea, verily, great art thou, O God”
(Atharvaveda
Samhiti Volume 2, William Dwight Whitney page 910)
a) (ii) Surah Rad, Chapter 13, Verse 9
A
similar message is given in Qur’an Surah Rad, Chapter 13, Verse
9,
“He
is the Great, the most High.”
7.
Rigveda
The
most oldest and sacred amongst all the Vedas is Rigveda.
a) Rigveda,
Book No.1, Hymn No. 164, Verse 46
It
is mentioned in Rigveda Book no.1, Hymn no.164 Verse 46
“Sages (learned
Priest) call one God by many names”
“They have
styled (Him, God or the sun) indra (the resplendent), mitra (the surveyor),
varuna (the venerable), agni (the adorable), and he is the celestial,
well-winged garutmat (the great), for learned priests call one by many
names as they speak of the adorable as yama (ordainer) and matarisvan
(cosmic breath)”.
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