PRESENTING ISLAM TO HINDUS
Arabic
Recitation (3:64)
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.
a) (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 asti loke, na cesita naiva ca tasya lingam, na karanam
karanadhipadhipo na casya kascij janita na cadhipah”.
“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)
b) (ii) Similar message is given in Holy Qur’an
in Surah Ikhlas, Chapter 112, Verse 3,
“He
begets not, nor is he begotten”.
c) (i) In Svetasvatara
Upanishad, Chapter 4, Verse 19
It is
mentioned in Svetasvatara Upanishad, Adhyaya(Chapter) 4, Shloka(Verse) 19,
“Na
tasya pratima asti” “There is no likeness of him”.
“nainam
urdhvam na tiryancam na madhye na parijagrabhat na tasya pratima asti yasya
nama mahad yasah” “There is no likeness of him whose name is great
glory”.
(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 S. Radhakrishnan page 737 & in sacred books of the
east Volume 15, the Upanishad part II, page 253)
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 asti” “There is no
image of Him”
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)”.
Therefore
only if you read the Hindu Scripture will you understand the correct concept of
God in Hinduism.
II
B Angels
1. Angels in Islam
Angels are creation
of Allah (SWT) which are normally unseen and has been created from light. They
do not have their own free will and always obey the commandments of Almighty
Allah. Different angels have been appointed by Almighty Allah for different
activity e.g. Arch Angel Gabriel (Jibreel) was appointed to bring the
Revelation of Allah (SWT) to the prophets.
2. Angels in Hinduism
There is no concept
of Angels in Hinduism. However there are certain super beings which perform
acts which cannot be done by a normal human being. These too are worshipped as
deities by some Hindus.
II C
(ii) Books of Hinduism
Introduction:
There are two kinds of sacred
writings in Hinduism Sruti and Smrti. Sruti means that which has been heard
perceived understood or revealed. It is the oldest and the most sacred of the
Hindu’s scriptures. The Sruti is divided into two main parts. The Vedas and the
Upanishads and are considered to be of divine origin.
Smrti is not as sacred as the Sruti,
but it is yet considered to be important and is popular with the Hindus today.
Smrti means memory or remembered. This Hindu literature is easier to understand
because it speaks about the truths of the uniVerse through symbolism and
mythology. The Smrti are not considered to be of divine origin but are human
composition which regulate and guide individuals in their daily conduct and
lists rules governing the actions of the individual, the community and the
society. They are also known as Dharma Shastra Smrtis consists of many writings
including the Puranas and Itihas.
II Muhammad
(pbuh) in the Hindu Scriptures
1. Introduction
There are several
Holy Scriptures of the Hindus among them are the Vedas, Upanishads & the
Puranas.
a) (i)Vedas: It is derived from ‘Vid’, to know,
means knowledge par excellence, sacred wisdom. There are 4 principal divisions
of the Vedas (Although according to their number, they amount to 1131 out of
which about a dozen are available. According to Maha Bhashya of Patanjali there
are 21 branches of Rigveda, 9 types of Atharvaveda, 101 branches of Yajurveda
and 1000 of Samveda)
(ii) The Rigveda, the
Yajurveda and Samveda are considered to be more ancient books and are known as
‘Trai Viddya’ or the ‘Tripple Sciences’. The Rigveda is the oldest and has been
compiled in 3 long and different periods of time. The 4th Veda is
the Atharvaveda which is of a later date.
(iii) There is no unanimous opinion regarding the
date of compilation or revelation of the 4 Vedas. According to Swami Dayanand,
who is the founder of the Arya Samaj, the Vedas were revealed 1310 millions of
years ago and according to other scholars they are not more than 4000 years old.
(iv) Similarly there is
a difference of opinion regarding the places where these books were revealed
and the Rishis to whom these Scriptures were given. Inspite of these
differences the Vedas are the most authentic of the Hindu Scriptures and the
real foundations of the Hindu Dharma.
b) Upanishads:
(i)
The word Upanishads is derived from ‘Upa’ meaning near, ‘ni’ which means down
and ‘shad’ means to sit, therefore Upanishads means sitting down near groups of
pupils sit near the teacher to learn from him the secret doctrines.
According to
Samkara Upanishad is derived from the root word ‘Sad’ which means ‘to loosen’,
‘to reach’ or ‘to destroy’, with ‘Upa’ and ‘ni’ as prefix, therefore Upanishad
means Brahma-knowledge by which ignorance is loosened or destroyed.
(ii) The number of
Upanishads exceeds 200 though the Indian tradition puts it at 108. There are 10
principal Upanishads however some consider them to be more than 10, while other
18.
(iii) The Vedanta meant originally the Upanishads,
though the word is now used for the system of philosophy based on the
Upanishad. Literally, Vedanta means the end of the Veda, Vedasya-antah, the
conclusion as well as the goal of Vedas. The Upanishads are the concluding
portion of the Vedas and chronologically they come at the end of the Vedic
period.
(iv) Some Pandits
consider the Upanishad to be more superior to the Vedas.
c) Puranas
Next in order of authenticity are
the Puranas which are the most widely read scriptures. The Purana contains the history of the
creation of the uniVerse, history of the early Aryan tribes and life stones of
the devines and deities of the Hindus. The Puranas are revealed books like the
Vedas which were revealed simultaneously with the Vedas or somewhere close to
it.
Maharishi Vyasa has divided the
Puranas into 18 voluminous parts. He also arranged the Vedas under various
heads. The Gita and Mahabharata were productions of his masterly pen.
Chief among the Puranas is a book
known as Bhavishya Purana. It is called so because it gives an account of
future event. The Hindus consider it to be the word of God. Maharishi Vyasa was
just the compiler of the book. The real author being God himself.
2.
Muhammad (pbuh)
prophesized in Bhavishya Purana
According to Bhavishya Purana in the
Prati Sarag, Parv III, Khand 3, Aday 3, Shaloka 5 to 8
“A malechha
(belonging to a foreign country and speaking foreign language) spiritual
teacher will appear with his companions. His name will be Mohammad. Raja (Bhoj)
after giving this Maha Dev Arab (of angelic disposition) a both in the ‘Panchgavya’
and the Ganges water (i.e. purging him of all time) offered him the presents of
his sincere devotion and showing him all reverence said, “I make obeisance to
thee, ‘Oye! The pride of mankind, the dweller in Arabia, Ye have collected a
great force to kill the Devil and you yourself have been protected from the
malechha opponents.”
The
Prophecy clearly states:
(i) The name of the
Prophet as Muhammad
(ii) He will belong to Arabia. The Sanskrit
word ‘Marusthal’ means a sandy track of land or a desert.
(iii)
Special mention is made of the companions of the Prophet i.e. the Sahabas. No
other Prophet had as many companions as Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
(iv)
He is referred as the pride of mankind (Parbatis nath). The Holy Qur’an
reconfirms this in Surah Al-Qalam, Chapter 68, Verse 4
“And thou
(standest) on an exalted standard of character” and in Surah Al-Ahzab Chapter
33, Verse 21
“Ye have indeed in the messenger of
Allah, a beautiful pattern (of conduct)”
(v) He will kill the
devil i.e. abolish idol worship and all sorts of vices.
(vi) The Prophet
will be given the protection against his enemy.
Some people may
argue that Raja Bhoj mentioned in the prophecy lived in the 11th
century CE 500 years after the advent of Prophet Muhammad and was the
descendant in the 10th generation of Raja Shalivahan. These people
fail to realize that there was not only one Raja of the name Bhoj. The Egyptian
Monarchs were called as Pharaoh and the Roman kings were known as Caesar’s,
similarly the Indian Rajas were given the tittle of Bhoj. There were several
Raja Bhoj who came before the one in 11th Century CE.
The Prophet did not physically take
a bath in Panchgavya and the water of Ganges.
Since the water of Ganges is considered holy, taking bath in the Ganges
is an idem meaning washing away or making immune from all sorts of sins. Here
the prophecy implies that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was sinless i.e.
‘Maasoom’.
3. Muhammad (pbuh) prophesized in Bhavishya Purana
According to
Bhavishya Purana in the Pratisarag, Parv III, Khand 3, Shloka 10 to 27
Maharishi Vyas has prophesized.
“The Malechha have spoiled the well
known land of the Arabs. Arya Dharma is not to be found in the country. Before
also there appeared a misguided friend whom I had killed; he has now again
appeared being sent by a powerful enemy. To show these enemies the right path
and to give them guidance the well-known Mohamad (Muhammad), who has been given
by me the epithet of Brahma, is busy in bringing the ‘Pishachas’ to the right
path. O Raja, you need not go to the land of the foolish Pishachas, you will be
purified through my kindness even where you are at night, he of the angelic
disposition, the shrewd man, in the guise of a Pischacha said to Raja Bhoj, O
Raja! Your Arya Dharma has been made to prevail over all religions, but
according to the commandment of Ishwar Parmatma, I shall enforce the strong
need of the meat eaters. My follower will be a man circumcised, without a tail
(on his head), keeping beard, creating a revolution announcing Adhan (call for
prayer) and will be eating all lawful things. He will eat all sorts of animals
except swine. They will not seek purification from the holy shrubs, but will be
purified through warfare. On account of their fighting the irreligious nations,
they will be known as ‘Musalmans’. I shall be the originator of the religion of
the meat-eating nation”
The Prophecy states
that:
(i) The evil doers have corrupted the Arab land.
(ii) Arya Dharma is not
found in that land.
(iii) The present enemies
will be destroyed just as the previous enemies like Abraha had perished. Qur’an
speaks about these sort of previous enemies in Surah Al-Feel, Chapter No. 105,
Verse No. 1 to 5.
“Seest thou not how thy word dealt
with the companions of the elephant? Did we not make their treacherous plan go
astray? And He sent against them flights of Birds sticking them with stones of
baked day then did He make them like an empty field of stalk and straw, (of
which the corn) has been eaten up”.
(iv) Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has been given the
title Brahma to guide the opponents of truth.
(v) The Indian Raja
need not go to Arab land since his purification will take place in India after
the Musalman will arrive in India.
(vi) The coming Prophet
will atlest the truth of the Aryan faith i.e. Monotheism and will reform the
misguided people.
(vii) The Prophets
followers will be circumcised without a tail on the head being a beard and will
create a great revolution.
(viii)Will announce the
Adhan i.e. ‘call for prayer’.
(ix) He will only eat lawful things and animals but
will not eat pork. Qur’an confirms this is no less than 4 different places.
In Surah
Al-Baqarah, Chapter 2, Verse 173
In Surah Al-Maidah,
Chapter 5, Verse 3
In Surah Al-Anam,
Chapter 6, Verse 145
In Surah Al-Nahl,
Chapter 16, Verse 115
“Forbidden for you
for food are dead meat, blood, flesh of swine, and that on which had been
invoked the name of other than Allah”.
(x) They will not
purify with grass like the Hindus but by means of sword they will fight their
irreligious people.
(xi) They will be called as Musalman.
(xii) They will be a meat
eating nation.
Qur’an confirms the
eating of herbivorous animals in,
Surah Maidah, Chapter 5, Verse No. 1 &
Surah Moominoon, Chapter 23, Verse No. 21
Commentary
According to
Bhavishya Purana, Parv III, Khand 1, Aday 3, Shloka 21-23,
Corruption and persecution are in
seven sacred cities of Kashi etc. India is inhabited by Rakshas, Shabar, Bhil
and other foolish people. In the land of ‘Malechhas’, the followers of the
‘Malechha dharma’ (Islam) are wise and brave people. All good qualities are
found in Musalmans and all sorts of vices have accumulated in the land of the
Aryas. Islam will rule in India and its islands. Having known these facts O
Muni, glorify the name of thy Lord”.
Qur’an conforms
this in,
Surah Taukah, Chapter 9, Verse 33
&
Surah Al-Saf,
Chapter 61, Verse 9,
“It is the who hath
sort His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth, to proclaim it over
all religion, even though the pagan may detect (it)” and a similar message is
given in, Surah Fatah Chapter 48, Verse 28,
Ending with ‘And
enough is Allah as a witness’.
4. Muhammad
(pbuh) prophesized in Bhavishya Purana
In the 20th
Book of Atharvaveda, Hymn 127. Some Suktas (Chapters) are known as Kuntap Sukt.
Kuntap means the consumer of misery and troubles. Thus meaning the message of
peace and safety and if translated in Arabic means Islam.
Kuntap also means hidden glands in
the abdomen. These mantras are called so probably because their true meaning
was hidden and was to be revealed in future. Its hidden meaning is also
connected with the navel or the middle point of this earth. Mecca is called the
‘Ummul Qur’an’ the mother of the towns or the naval of the earth in many
revealed books it was the first house of divine worship where God Almighty gave
spiritual nourishment to the world. The Holy Qur’an says in Surah Ale-Imran,
Chapter 3, Verse 95.
“The first house (of worship)
appointed for men was that at Bakka (Mecca) full of blessings and of guidance
and for all kinds of beings”.
Another name for
Mecca is ‘Becca’. Thus Kuntap stands for Mecca or Becca.
Several people have
translated these Kuntap Suktas like M. Blomfield, Prof. Ralph Griffith, Pandith
Rajaram, Pandit Khem Karan, etc.
The main points mentioned in the
Kuntap Suktas that is Atharvaved, Book XX, Hymn 127, Verses 1-13 are:
Mantra 1:
He is narashansah
or the praised one (Muhammad).
He is Kaurama the prince of peace or
the emigrant, who is safe, even amongst a host of 60,090 enemies.
Mantra 2:
He is a camel-riding Rishi, whose
chariot touches the heaven.
Mantra 3:
He is Mamah Rishi who is given a
hundred gold coins, ten chaklets (necklaces), three hundred good steeds and ten
thousand cows.
Mantra 4:
Vachyesv rebh, ’Oh!
ye who glorifies’
Mantra 5:
The praying ones
with their prayers hurry on like powerful bulls.
Mantra 6:
O you who praises hold fast the
wisdom which earns cows and good things. Disseminate this among the divine.
Mantra 7:
He is the king of the worlds, the
best of men and guide for the entire mankind.
Mantra 8-9:
He has procured a secure dwelling
for the people, gives protection to every body and has spread peace in the
world.
Mantra 10:
People
thrive happily end prosper under his rule and from the depth of degradation
they rise to the height of glory.
Mantra 11:
He is asked to wake up and warn the
world.
Mantra 12:
He is extremely
bountiful and very generous.
Mantra 13:
(His followers)
have been saved from the hostility and robbery of the enemy and May the Master
not be harmed.
Mantra 14:
We Glorify and
praise the great hero with a song of praise and a prayer. Please accept this
praise so that evil may not befall us.
(i) The Sanskrit word ‘Narashansah’ means ‘the
praised one’ which is the literal translation of the Arabic word Muhammad
(pbuh).
The
Sanskrit word ‘Kaurama’ means ‘one who spreads and promotes peace’ the holy Prophet
was the ‘Prince of Peace’ and he preached equality of human kind and universal
brotherhood. ‘Kaurama’ also means an emigrant. The Prophet migrated from Mecca
to Medina and was thus also an Emigrant. He will be protected from 60,090
enemies which was the population of Mecca.
(ii) The Prophet would
ride a camel, this clearly indicates that, it cannot be an Indian Rishi since
it is forbidden for a Brahman to ride a camel, sacred Books of the east, Volume
25, Laws of Manu page 472 according to Manu Smriti, Chapter 11, Verse 202.
“A Brahman is
prohibited from riding a camel or an ass and to bath naked. He should purify
himself by suppressing his breath”.
(iii)
(a) This Mantra gave the Rishis name as
Mamah. No rishi in India or any other Prophet had this name ‘Mamah’ is derived
from ‘Mah’ which means to esteem highly, on a revere, to exalt, etc. Some
Sanskrit books give the Prophets name as ‘Mahamad’, but this word according to
Sanskrit grammar can also be used in the bad sense. It is incorrect to apply
grammar to an Arabic word. Actually Mamah has the some meaning and somewhat
similar pronunciation as the word Muhammad (pbuh).
(b) He is given 100
gold coins, which refers to the believers and the earlier companions of the
Prophet during his turbulent Meccan life. Later on due to persecution they
migrated from Mecca to Abyssinia later when Prophet migrated to Madina all of
them joined him in Madinah.
(c)The 10 chaplets or
necklaces were the 10 best companions of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) known as
‘Ashra – Mubbashshira’ (10 bestowed with good news). These were fore told in
this world of their salvation in the hereafter i.e. they were given the good
news of entering paradise by Prophets own lips and after naming each one he
said (in Paradise). They were Abu Baker, Umer, Uthman, Ali, Talha, Zubair,
Abdur Rahman Ibni Auf, Sad Bin Abi Waqqar, Sad Bin Zaid and Abu Ubeidah (May
God be well-pleased with them).
(d) The third gift was
300 good steeds. These horses belonged to the Arab breed. The Sanskrit word
‘Arvah’ means swift Arab horse, The 300 steeds refers to the 300 companions of
the Holy Prophet who fought at the battle of Badar and came back victorious
even though the enemies were thrice the number.
(e) The Sankrit word
‘Go’ is derived from ‘Gaw’ which means ‘to go to war’. A cow is also called
‘Go’ and is a symbol of war as well as peace, the 10,000 cows refers to the
10,000 companious of who accompanied the Prophet (Pubh) when he entered Mecca
during Fateh Mecca which was a unique victory in the history of mankind in
which there was no blood shed. The 10,000 companions were pious and
compassionate like a cow and were at the same time strong and fierce and are
described in the Holy Qur’an in Surah Fatah, Chapter 48, Verse 29,
“Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are strong against unbelievers,
(but) compassionate amongst each other”.
(iv)
This mantra calls the Prophet as ‘Rebh’ which means one who praises which when
translated into Arabic is Ahmed which is another name for the Holy Prophet
(pbuh).
(v)
He and his followers are always mindful of their prayers even in the
battlefield. The Holy Qur’an says in Surah Baqarah, Chapter 2, Verse 45,
“Nay, seek
(Allah’s) help with patience, perseverance and prayer”
The Holy Qur’an
says in Surah Nisa, Chapter 4, Verse 102,
“When thou (O
Messenger) act with them, and standest to lead them in prayer, Let one party of
them stand up (in prayer) with thee, taking their arms with them. When they
finish their prostations, let them take their position in the rear. And let the
other party come up which hath not yet prayed and let them pray with thee,
taking all precautions, and bearing arms.”
(vi) The wisdom
mentioned in this mantra refer to the Holy Qur’an. The Holy Qur’an earns good
not only in this world but also in the here after. The Prophet (pbuh) is asked
to propagate amongst his companions. Many of whom memorized the Qur’an.
(vii) All the attributes
in this mantra apply to the Holy Prophet (pbuh)
In Surah Al-Anbiya,
Chapter 21, Verse 107
“We sent thee not,
but as a mercy for all creatures”
In Surah Saba,
Chapter 34, Verse 28
“We have not sent
thee but as a universal (Messenger) to men, giving them glad tidings, and
warning them (against sin), but most men understand not.”
In Surah Al-Qalam,
Chapter 68, Verse 4
“And thou
(standest) on an exalted standard of character.”
In Surah Al-Ahzab,
Chapter 33, Verse 21
“We have indeed in
the Messenger of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct)”.
(viii) & (ix) During
the reconstruction of Kaaba, the Prophet (pbuh) Through his wisdom prevented a
war between the Arab tribe. The Prophet not only gave peace to the Arab land
but also to the whole world. Even during the conquest of Mecca, the Prophet
established peace without shedding a single drop of blood. He gave peace,
shelter to the bitterest enemies and let them go by saying, “There shall be no
reproof against you this day.”
(x) The Arabs were the
most ignorant people 1400 years ago and it was referred to as ‘Youmul
Jahiliya’. The Prophet with his message brought prosperity and raised these
ignorant people and made them the torchbearers.
(xi) This Mantra gives the translation of the Holy
Qur’an Surah Al-Mudaththir, Chapter 74, Verses 1-3
“O thou wrapped up (in a mantle)!
Arise and deliver thy warning!
And thy Lord do thou magnify!” The
Prophet arose and warned the people and glorified the Lord.
(xii)
The
Holy Qur’an says in Surah Ale-Imran, Chapter 3, Verse 159
“It is part of the
Mercy of Allah that thou don’t deal gently with them.
Wert thou severe or
harsh hearted, They would have broken away from about thee.”
It was due to the
Prophets (pbuh) kind-heartedness; mercy and generosity that people flocked
around him otherwise the stubborn Arabs could never have been won.
(xiii) This Mantra is a
prayer of the Rishi for the Prophet (pbuh) a similar prayer is found in the
last Chapter of the Holy Qur’an i.e. Surah Nas, Chapter 114, Verses 1-3.
“Say, I seek refuge with Lord and
Cherisher of mankind, The King (or Ruler) of mankind, the God (or Judge) of
mankind from the mischief of the Whisperer (of Evil), who withdraws (after his
whisper) - (the same) who whispers into the hearts of mankind – Among Jinns and
among Men.”
(xiv) In this last
Mantra, the Rishi of the Veda makes it compulsory for the followers of the Veda
to praise the Holy Prophet (pbuh) land follow him so that they will be saved from
the evil of this world.
5. Battle of the
Allies described in the Vedas.
It is mentioned in Atharvaveda, Book
XX, Hymn 21, Verse 6, “Lord of the truthful! These libatrous drinks these feats
of bravery and the inspiring songs gladdened thee in field of battle. When thou
renders vanquished without fight the ten thousand opponents of the praying one,
the adoring one.”
(i) This Prophecy of
the Veda describes the well-known battle of Ahzab or the battle of the Allies
during the time of Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet was victorious without an
actual conflict which is mentioned in the Qur’an in Surah Ahzab, Chapter 33,
Verse 22, “When the believers saw the confederate forces they said, This is
what Allah and His Messenger had promised us and Allah and His Messenger told
us what was true”.
And it only added to their faith and
their zeal in obedience.
(ii) The Sanskrit word
karo in the Mantra means the ‘praying one’ which when translated into Arabic
means Ahmed, the second name of Prophet Muhammad.
(iii) (Pbuh) The 10,000 opponents mentioned in the
mantra were the enemies of the Prophet and the Muslims were only 3000 in
numbers.
(iv) The last words of
the Mantra ‘aprati ni bashayah’ means the defeat was given to the enemies
without an actual fight.
6. The enemies defeat in the conquest of Mecca
It is mentioned in Atharvaveda, Book 20,
Hymn 21, Verse No. 7
“You have O India, overthrown 20
Kings and 60,099 men with an outstripping Chariat wheel who came to fight the
praised one or far famed (Muhammad) orphan.”
(i) The Population of Mecca at the time of Prophet
advent was nearly 60,000.
(ii) There were several
clans in Mecca each having its own chief. Totally there were about 20 chiefs to
rule the population of Mecca.
(iii) An Abandhu meaning
a helpless man who was far famed and ‘Praised one’ Muhammad (pbuh) overcame his
enemies with the help of God.
A similar prophecy is also found in
Rigveda, Book I, Hymn 53, Verse 9
The Sanskrit word
used is ‘Sushrana’ which means praise worthy or well praised which in Arabic
means Muhammad (pbuh).
7.
Muhammad (pbuh) prophesized
in Samveda
Book II, Hymn 6, Verse 8
“Ahmed acquired from his Lord the
knowledge of eternal law I received light from him just as from the sun”. The
Prophecy confirms.
(i) The name of the
Prophet as Ahmed since Ahmed is an Arabic name; many translators misunderstood
it to be Ahmat and translated the mantra as I alone have acquired the real
wisdom of my father.
(ii) Prophet was given
external law i.e. Shariah
(iii) The Rishi was
enlightened by the Shariah of Prophet Muhammad. The Holy Qur’an says in Surah
Saba, Chapter 34, Verse 28
“We have not sent
thee but as a universal (messenger) to men, giving them glad tidings and
warning them (against sin), but most men understand not.”
II Common Questions Asked By Hindus About Islam
10.
ARE THE VEDAS A
REVELATION OF GOD?
Question:
If Allah has sent
his books and revelations in every period, then which revelation was sent to
India? Can we consider the Vedas and other Hindu scriptures to be word of God?
Answer:
1. Revelation sent in every period.
The Glorious Qur’an
mentions in Surah Rad, Chapter 13, Verse 38
“For each period is
a book (revealed).”
[Al-Qur’an 13:38]
2. Four revelations of God mentioned by name in Qur’an
By name, only four
revelations of God are mentioned in the Qur’an i.e. Torah, Zaboor, Injeel and
the Qur’an
Torah is the revelation, which was
given to Moses (pbuh)
Zaboor is the
revelation, which was given to David (pbuh)
Injeel is the
revelation, which was given to Jesus (pbuh) and
Qur’an is the last
and final revelation which was given to the last and final Messenger Muhammad
(pbuh).
3.
All the previous
revelations sent only for their people
All the revelations
that came before Qur’an were only sent for their own people and were to be
followed only for a particular time period.
4.
The Qur’an sent for
whole humankind
Since the Qur’an is
the last and final revelation, it was not sent only for the Muslims or the
Arabs but it was sent for the whole of humankind. It is mentioned in:
a.
Surah Ibrahim,
Chapter 14, Verse 1
“Alif Lam Ra. A
book which We have revealed unto thee, in order that thou mightiest lead
mankind out of the depths of darkness into light…”
[Al-Qur’an
14:1]
b. A similar message is repeated in Surah Ibrahim,
Chapter 14, Verse 52
“Here is a Message
for mankind: let them take warning therefrom, and let them know that He is (no
other than) One God: let men of understanding take heed”.
[Al-Qur’an 14:52]
c. Qur’an mentions
in Surah Baqarah, Chapter 2, Verse 185
“Ramadan is the
(month) in which was sent down the Qur’an, as a guide to mankind, also clear
(Signs) for guidance and judgement (between right and wrong).” [Al-Qur’an 2:185]
c.
d. A similar
message is repeated in Surah Zumur, Chapter 39, Verse 41
“Verily We have
revealed the Book to thee in Truth, for (instructing) mankind.” [Al-Qur’an 39:41]
5.
Which revelation
sent to India?
The question that
arises is “which revelation of God was sent to India and whether we can
consider the Vedas and the other Hindu Scriptures to be the revelations of
God?” There is no text in the Qur’an or Sahih Hadith mentioning the name of the
revelation that was sent to India. Since the name of the Vedas or other Hindu
scriptures are no where to be found in Qur’an and Sahih Hadith, one cannot say
for sure that they were the revelations of God. They may be the revelation of
God or may not be the revelation of God.
6.
Even if the Veda
was the word of God today you have to follow the Qur’an
Even if the Vedas
and the other scriptures were the revelations from God, they were only meant
for people of that time and were to be followed only for that particular period
of time. Today all human beings through out the world including India should
only follow the last and final Revelation of God, i.e. the Qur’an. Moreover
since all the previous revelations were not meant to be followed for eternity,
Almighty God did not preserve them in their original form. There is not a
single religious scripture of any of the major religions, which claims to be
the word of God and has maintained its pure original text and is free from
alteration, adulteration and interpolation. Since the Glorious Qur’an is to be
followed for eternity, Allah (SWT) has taken upon Himself to maintain its
original purity and guard it from corruption. Allah says in Glorious Qur’an.
Surah Hijr, Chapter
15, Verse 9
“We have without
doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from
corruption).”
[Al-Qur’an 15:9]
9. ARE RAM AND KRISHNA PROPHETS OF GOD?
Question:
If according to Islam, messengers or
prophets were sent to each and every ntion of the world, then which prophet was
sent to India? Can we consider Ram and Krishna to be messengers of God?
Answer:
1. Prophets
sent to every nation
a) The Glorious
Qur’an mentions in Surah Fatir, Chapter 35, Verse 24
“…And there never
was a people, without a warner having lived among them (in the
past)”.[Al-Qur’an 35:24]
b) A similar
message is repeated in Surah, Chapter 13, Verse 7
“…and to every
people a guide”.[Al-Qur’an 13:7]
2. Stories only of some prophets narrated in the Qur’an
a) Allah
(SWT) says in Surah Nisa, Chapter 4, Verse 164
“Of some messengers We have already told
thee the story; of others we have not.”
[Al-Qur’an
4:164]
b) A similar message
is repeated in Surah Ghafir, Chapter 40, Verse 78
“We did aforetime send messengers
before thee: of them there are some whose story We have related to thee, and
some whose story We have not related to thee...”
[Al-Qur’an 40:78]
3. 25 Prophets of God are mentioned by name in the
Qur’an
By name, only 25 Prophets of God are
mentioned in the Qur’an e.g. Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad (pbuh)
4. More than 1,24,000 prophets of God
According to Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh), there were more than 1,24,000 prophets sent to this world.
5. All previous prophets sent only for their people
All the prophets that came before Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) were only sent for their own people and were to be followed
only for a particular period of time.
Surah Ali Imran,
Chapter 3, Verse 49
“And (appoint him)
a messenger to the Children of Israel,…”
[Al-Qur’an
3:49]
6. Muhammad (pbuh), the last messenger of God
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the last
and final messenger of Almighty God. It is mentioned in
Surah Ahzab,
Chapter 33, Verse 40
“Muhammad is not the father of any
of your men, but (he is) the Messenger of Allah, and the seal of the Prophets:
and Allah has full knowledge of all things.”
[Al-Qur’an
33:40]
7. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), sent for whole Humankind
Since Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the
last and final messenger, he was not sent only for the Muslims or the Arabs,
but he was sent for the whole of humankind.
a. It is mentioned in
Surah Anbiya,
Chapter 21, Verse 107
“We sent thee not,
but as a mercy for all creatures.”
[Al-Qur’an 21:107]
b. A similar message
is repeated in
Surah Saba, Chapter
34, Verse 28
“We have not sent thee but as a
universal (Messenger) to men, giving them glad tidings, and warning them
(against sin), but most men understand not.”
[Al-Qur’an
34:28]
c. It is mentioned in
Sahih Bukhari,
Volume 1, Book of Salaah, Chapter 56, Hadith no. 429
Narrated Jabir bin
Abdullah: Allah’s Messenger said,
“Every Prophet used to be sent to
his nation only but I have been sent to all mankind.”
8. Which prophet was sent to India?
Regarding the question of which
prophet was sent to India, and can we consider Ram or Krishna to be prophets of
God, there is no text in the Qur’an or Sahih Hadith mentioning the name of the
prophet that was sent to India. Since the names of Ram and Krishna are nowhere
to be found in the Qur’an and Sahih Hadith, one cannot say for sure whether
they were prophets of God or not. Some Muslims, especially certain Muslim
politicians who try to appease the Hindus, say Ram Alai-his-salaam, i.e. Ram,
may peace be on him. This is totally wrong, since there is no authentic proof
from the Qur’an and Sahih Hadith that he was a prophet of God. However, a
person may say that perhaps they may have been the prophets of God.
9. Even if Ram and Krishna were prophets,
today we have to follow the last Prophet of God i.e. Muhammad (pbuh)
Even if Ram and Krishna were
prophets of God, they were only meant for people of that time and were to be
followed only for that particular period of time. Today, all the human beings
throughout the world, including India should only follow the last and final
prophet and Messenger of God-prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
D 9.
Avtaars and Messengers in Hinduism
There is no concept of Messengers of
God in Hinduism. However they have a concept of Avtaar. Avtaar is the Sanskrit
term where ‘Av’ means down and ‘tr’ means passover. Thus Avtar means to descend
down or to come down. The meaning of Avtaar in the oxford Dictionary is, “(In
Hindu Mythology) the descent of a diety of a released soul to earth in bodily
form”. In simple words, Avtaar means God Almighty coming down to earth in
bodily form.
In Hinduism, It is believed that God
Almighty comes down to the earth in some bodily form to protect the religion or
to set an example or set the rules for the human beings.
There is no reference of Avtaars
anywhere in the Vedas. The most sacred of the Hindu Scriptures i.e. Sruti.
However it is found in the Smrti i.e. the Puranas and the Itihasas.
It is mentioned in the most popular
and widely read book of Hinduism.
Bhagavad Geeta,
Chapter 4, Verse 7-8
“Whenever and wherever there is a
decline in religious practice, O descendent of Bharata, and a predominant rise
of irreligion at that time I descend Myself”.
“To deliver the Pious and to
annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of
religion, I myself appear, millenium after millennium”.
Thus according to Bhagavad Geeta,
God takes Avtaar to deliver the pious and annihilate miscreants and to
reestablish the principles or religion.
According to the Puranas there are
hundreds of Avtaars, but the Vishnu the sustainer has 10 Avtaars.
1. Matsya-avatar, in
the form of a fish
2. Kurm-avatar, in the
form of a tortoise
3. Varah-avatar, in
the form of a boar or a pig
4. Narasimha-avatar,
in the form of a monster, half man half lion
5. Vamana-avatar, in
the form of a Brahmin dwarf named Vamana
6. Parashuaram-avatar,
in the form of Parashurama
7. Rama-avatar, in the
form of Rama, the hero of Ramayana
8. Krishna-avatar, in
the form of Krishna, the hero of Gita
9. Buddha-avatar, in the
form of Gautam Buddha
10. Kalki-avatar, in
the form of Kalki
(Rigveda Samhiti, Volume XII, page
4309 by Swami Satyaprakash Saraswati and Satyakam Vidhyalank)
All these
Scriptures are telling its reader that though the things are made so clear yet
they divert away from the truth.
4.
ANTHROPOMORPHISM
a. God need not take
human form to understand human being.
Most of the other religions some
time or the other believes in the philosophy of anthropomorphism i.e. God take
human form. They have a very good logic for it Almighty God is so pure and Holy
the he is unaware of the hardships, shortcomings, difficulties feelings etc. of
the human being. He does not know how does a person feel when he is hurt or
when he is in trouble etc. Therefore in order to set the rules for the human
beings. He came down to the earth in the form of a human being. On the face of
it, it seems to be a very good logic.
b. Creator prepares an
instruction manual.
Suppose I manufacture a tape
recorder. Do I have to become a tape recorder to know what is good or what is
bad for the tape recorder. I writer an instruction manual. In order to listen
to the audiocassette, insert the cassette and press the play button. In order
to stop, press the stop button. If you want to fast-forward press the FF. button.
Do not drop it from a height it will get damaged. Do not immerse it in water it
will get spoilt. I write an instruction manual. The dos and don’ts for the
machine.
c. Holy Qur’an is the
instruction manual for the human being.
In the similar fashion our lord and
creator Allah (SWT) need not come in the form of a human being to know what is
good or bad for the human being. He only has to reveal the instruction manual
the last and final instruction manual of the human beings is the Holy Qur’an.
The dos and don’ts for the human
beings is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an.
d. Allah chooses
messengers:
Allah (SWT) need not come down
personally for writing the instruction manual. He chooses a man amongst men to
deliver the message and communication with him at a higher level through the
revelation. Such chosen men are called as messengers and prophets of God.
I
E LIFE AFTER DEATH-HEREAFTER
1. Its mentioned in
the Qur’an Surah Baqarah, Chapter 2, Verse 28
“How can ye reject
the faith in Allah? Seeing that ye were without life, And He gave you life;
Then will He cause you to die, And will again bring you to life; And again to
Him Will ye return”.
In Islam a human
being comes into this world only once and after he dies, he is again
resurrected on the day of judgement and depending upon the deeds he has done he
will either dwell in heaven i.e. Paradise or in hell.
2. This life is the
test for the here after
Its mentioned in
the Qur’an
Surah Al Mulk, Chapter 67, Verse 2
“He who created
Death and Life, that He May try which of you is best in deed; and He is the
exalted in Might, oft forgiving.
This life that we lead in this world
is a test for the here after. If we follow the commandment of the creator
Almighty Allah and we pass the test, We shall enter Paradise i.e. Eternal Bliss.
If you do not follow the commandments of our creator and fail the test then we
shall be put into Hell.
3. Full Recompense on
the Day of Judgement
Its mentioned in
the Qur’an Surah Ali Imran, Chapter 3, Verse 185
“Every soul shall have a taste of
death And only on the Day of Judgement shall you be paid your full recompense.
Only he who is saved far from the fire and admitted to the Garden will have
attained the object (of life). For the life of this world is but goods and
chattels of deception”.
4. Paradise –
Al-Jannah
Al-Jannah i.e. Paradise is a place
of Perpetual bliss, in Arabic it literally means the Garden. The Qur’an
describes the Jannah in great detail, such as Paradise, underneath which rivers
run. It contains rivers of milk unchanging in flavor and rivers of honey
purified. In it is fruit of every kind. No fatigue shall be fell neither shall
they hear idle talk. There shall be no cause of sin except Peace and Peace.
5. Hell – Jahannam
Hell is a place of torment where the
people undergo suffering most often described as fire, a fire whose fuel is men
and stones.
6. Purnjanam is not
cycle of Rebirth but life after death.
The common word used for the
Doctrine of Rebirth is ‘Punarjanam’. In Sanskrit Punar or Puna means ‘next
time’ or ‘again’ and Janam means ‘life’. Therefore Punarjanam means next life
or the life here after. It does not means coming to life again and again. Most of the reference for Punarjanam in the
other Hindu Scriptures besides the Vedas if read keeping life hereafter in mind
including the quotation of Bhagavad Gita and Upanishad it give us a concept of
next life or life again but not life again and again. This concept of Rebirth again and again was
developed later on after the vedic period to rationalize the indifferences
found in different individuals at birth and different surrounding in which
people live. Since the creator Almighty can not be unjust.
Islam has a rational answer to this
which we shall discuss later Insha Allah.
7. Life after death in
the Vedas
There is reference
to life after death in the Vedas. It’s mentioned in
a. Rigveda Book No.
10, Hymn No. 16, Verse No. 4
“The unborn portion; burn that,
AGNI, with thy heat; let thy flame, thy splendour, consume it; with those
glorious members which thou has given him, JATAVEDAS, bear him to the world (of
the virtuous)”
The Sanskrit word
Sukritam u Lokam means the world of the virtuous or region of the pious,
referring to the hereafter. The next Verse i.e.
b. Rigveda, Book 10
Hymn 16, Verse 5 says.
“…Putting on (celestial) life, let
the remains (of bodily life) depart let him, JATAVEDAS be associated with a
body.”
This Verse too refers to a second
life i.e. life after death.
8. Paradise-Swarga in
the Vedas.
Swarg i.e. Paradise
is described in several places in the Vedas including
Atharvaveda, Book
4, Hymn 34, Verse 6 (Devichand)
a. “May all these
streams of butter, with their banks of honey, flowing with distilled water, and
milk and curds and water reach thee in domestic life enhancing thy pleasure.
May thou acquire completely these things strengthening the soul in diverse
ways.”
It’s mentioned in
a. Atharvaveda, Book
4, Hymn 34, Verse 6 (Ved pra.)
“Having pools of clarified butter,
stocks of sweet honey, and having exhilarating drinks for water, full of milk
and curds, may all these streams flew to us in the world of happiness swelling
sweetly. May our lakes full of Lotuses be situated near us”.
b. Its mentioned in
Atharvaveda, Book
4, Hymn 34, Verse 2
“Bereft of physical
bodies, pure, cleansed with the wind, brilliant, they go to a brilliant world.
The fire does not cause burning in their male organ. In the world if happiness
they get plenty of women”.
c. Its mentioned in
Atharvaveda, Book
2, Hymn 34, Verse 5
May the realized ones, first of all,
take the vital breath under their control from the limbs in which it has been
circulating. Go to heaven, stay firm with all the parts of your body Attain the
world of light and emancipation, following the path of the enlightened ones,
(your predecessors).
d. It is mentioned in
Atharvaveda, Book 6, Hymn 122, Verse
3.
“O both of you,
start to accomplish it; make determined effort to accomplish it. Those having
unflinching faith attain this abode of happiness. Whatever ripe offerings you
have made in fire of sacrifice may both, the husband and wife, stand united to
guard them with care”.
8 e. It is mentioned in
Rigveda, Book 10,
Hymn 95, Verse 18
“O Aila, the loud-sounding clouds,
these divines say to you, since you are indeed subject to death, let your
progeny propitiate your revered cosmic forces with oblations, then alone you
shall rejoice (with me) in heaven”
9. Hell-Nark in the
vedas
Nark or Hell is
also described in the Vedas and the Sanskrit word used is ‘Narakasthanam’.
It is mentioned in
Rigveda, Book 4,
Hymn 5, Verse 4
“May the bounteous
fire-divine, consume them with his fiercely glowing sharp jaws like flames, who
disregard the commandments and steadfast laws of most venerable and sagacious
lord”.
F.
DESTINY
1. Concept of Destiny
– Qadr in Islam
Qadr is the concept
of Destiny. Certain aspects of human life is predestined by our creator
Almighty Allah for e.g. where and when will a person be born. The Surround and
condition in which he will be born, how long will he live and where will he
die.
2. Logical concept for
differences in different Individuals.
In Hinduism the differences in two
individual at birth e.g. one child is healthy while the other is handicapped,
one child is born in a rich family and the other in a poor family is based on
past karma i.e. actions of the previous life. There is no scientific or logical
proof of the cycle of Rebirths. The Islamic concept for these differences in
different Individual is given in Surah Mulk, Chapter 67, Verse 2
“He who created Death and life, that
He may try which of you is best in deed; And He is the Exalted In Might;
oft-forgiving”.
This life that we live is the test
for the hereafter.
3. Present Conditions
in Islam is a test
There are several Verses in the
Qur’an which clearly specify that Our Creator Almighty Allah tests us in
several different ways
a. It is mentioned in
the Qur’an.
Surah Baqarah,
Chapter 2, Verse 214
“Or do ye think that ye shall enter
the Garden (of Bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away
before you?
They encountered
suffering and adversity, And were so shaken in Spirit that even the messenger
and those of faith who were with him cried. “When (will come) the help of
Allah” Ah! Verily, the help of Allah is (always) near!”
b. It is mentioned in
the Qur’an
Surah Ankabut,
Chapter 29, Verse 2
“Do men think that they will be left a lone on
saying, “we believe”, And that they will not be tested?”
c. It is mentioned in
the Qur’an
Surah Anbiya,
Chapter 21, Verse 35
“Every Soul shall
have a taste of death. And we test you by evil and by good by way of trial to
us must ye return.”
d. It is mentioned in
the Qur’an
Surah Baqarah, Chapter 2, Verse 155
“Be sure we shall test you with
something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of
your tail), but give Glad tidings to those who patiently persevere.”
e. It is mentioned in
the Qur’an
Surah Anfal,
Chapter 8, Verse 28
“And know ye that
your possession and your progeny are but a trial; And it is Allah with whom
lies your highest reward”.
II Life after Death in Hinduism
1. Concept of Rebirths
in Hinduism-Reincarnation or Transmigration of the souls.
Hinduism believe in the cycle of
birth, death and Rebirth, which is called as samsara. Samsara or the doctrine of Rebirth is also
called as the theory of Reincarnation or the transmigration of the Soul and is
considered to be the basic tenet of Hinduism.
According to doctrine of Rebirth the difference found between one
individual and the other even at birth like one child is healthy the other is
handicapped or blind is due to their part karma i.e. actions done in the past
birth. Similarly all actions may not bear fruit in this life, thus there has to
be another life.
a. Its mentioned in
Bhagavad Geeta in Chapter 2, Verse 22
“As a person puts on new garments,
giving up old ones the Soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up
the old and useless.”
b. The doctrine of
Rebirth in also described in Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, Part 4 Chapter 4, Verse 3
“As a caterpillar which has wriggled
to the top of a blade of grass draws itself over to a new blade, so does the
Soul, after it has put aside its body draw itself over to a new existence.
2. Karma – the law of
Cause and Effect
Karma means act, action or activity
and refers not only to action undertaken by the body but also to those
undertaken by the mind Karma is actually action and reaction or the law of
cause and effect. It is explained by the saying,
“As we sow so shall
we reap”
A Farmer cannot sow
wheat and expect Rice. Similarly every good thought word or deed begets a
similar reaction which affects our next life and every unkind thought harsh
word and evil deed comes back to harm us in this life or in the next life.
3. Dharma – righteous
duties
Dharma means what is right or
Righteous duties. This includes what is right for the individual, family, the
class or cast and also for the universe itself in order to achieve good Karma
life should be lived according to Dharma, otherwise its will result in bad
Karma. Dharma besides affecting the present life can also affect the future.
4. Moksha – liberation
from the cycle of Rebirth
Moksha means liberation from the
cycle of Rebirth i.e. Samsara. The ultimate aim of every Hindu is that one-day
the cycle of Rebirth will be over and he will not have to reborn again. This
can only happen if there is no Karma to cause an individual to reborn i.e. it
looses its good and bad Karma.
5. Rebirth not
mentioned in the Vedas
The Doctrine of rebirth is not
mentioned anywhere in the Vedas. There is no concept of transmigration of the
Souls.
GOD IS UNJUST AS SOME ARE BORN
HEALTHY WHILE OTHERS ARE BORN WITH DEFECTS
Question:
If God is just then
why are some people born healthy while some are born with defects and are deaf
and dumb, some are born in rich families while other in poor families?
Answer:
1. This life is a test
for the Hereafter
According to Qur’an
in
Surah Mulk, Chapter
67, Verse 2
2. Allah tests
different human being in different ways
Every year the question paper in an
examination keeps on changing. It does not remain the same. Similarly Allah
tests different human beings in different ways. He gives health to some people
while others are born with defects or are handicap. To some people He gives
wealth while others are poor.
3. Judgement will be
based upon the difficulty of the test
Depending upon what facilities and
qualities Allah has provided to each human being Allah (SWT) will judge him
accordingly If the test is difficult then Allah will be lenient while judging.
If the test is simple then Allah will be lenient while judging e.g. A poor
person does not have to give Zakah. He gets full marks where Zakat is concerned
on the other hand a rich person is supposed to give Zakat. Many rich people
give much less than what they actually are supposed to give, thus getting less
marks where Zakat is concerned.
4. Allah makes human
being with congenital defects, some are deaf and dumb while other are handicap.
The infant is not responsible for the defect. In such cases may be Allah is
testing the parents, whether they yet have faith in Allah after this calamity.
Allah says in the
Qur’an in
Surah Anfal,
Chapter 8, Verse 28
IDOL USED FOR
CONCENTRATION
Question:
The Hindu Pandits and Scholars agree
that the Vedas and other Hindu religions scriptures prohibit idol worship but
initially because the mind may not be matured an idol is required for
concentration while worshipping. After the mind reaches higher consciousness,
the idol is not required for concentration.
Muslims have reached the higher level of
consciousness
Answer:
1. If Idol is required
for concentration only in the initial stages and not later on when the mind
reaches higher consciousness then I would like to say that the Muslims have
already reached the state of higher consciousness because when we worship Allah
(SWT) we do not require any idol or statue.
2. Child asks why does
it thunder?
When I was discussing with a Swami
in I.R.F. He said that when our child asks us, why does the sky thunder? We
reply that ‘aaee ma chhakki pees rahi hai’, the grandmother is grinding flour
in the heaven, because he is too young to understand, similarly in the initial
stages people require idol for concentration.
In Islam we don’t believe in talking
a lie even if it’s a while lie. I will never give such wrong answer to my child
because later on where he goes to school and learns that the thundering sound
after lightening is due to the expansion of rapid heated air, he will either
think that the teacher is lying or later on when he understand the fact he will
conclude that the father is a liar. If you feel that the child may not
understand certain difficult they you should simplify the answer but never give
a wrong fictitious reply. If you, yourself do not know the answer, you should
have the guts to be truthful and say ‘I don’t know’. Many children will not be
satisfied with such a simple but yet truthful and if this answer is given to my
son, he will say ‘Abba why you don’t know answer, that it will compel you to do
your homework and thus educate yourself as well as your child’.
3. Those in standard
one require idol for concentration 2+2=4 will remain same in standard one and ten)
Some pandits while trying to
convince me regarding idol worship said that in standard one the student is
initially taught to worship God by concentrating with the help of an idol but
later on when he graduates he no longer requires the idol to concentrate while
worshipping the God.
A very important fact to be noted is
that only if the fundamentals of any particular subject is strong, then only
will he be able to excel in future for e.g. Teacher of mathematics in standard
I teaches the students that 2+2=4 irrespective whether the student parses
school or does graduation, or does a Ph.D. in mathematics the basics of 2+2=4,
will yet remain the same, it will not change to 5 or 6. In higher standards the
students, besides addition may learn about Algebra, trigonometry, logarithm
etc. but the fundamental of addition will yet remain the same. If the teacher
in standard I itself teaches the fundamentals wrong, how can expect the student
to excel in future?
It is the fundamental principle of
the Vedas regarding the concept of God that he has got no image so how can the
scholars even after knowing this fact keep silent at the wrong practice being
done by people.
Will you tell your son who is in
standard I that 2+2=4 is not equal to 4 but 5 or 6 and only confirm the truth
after he passes school. Infact if he makes a mistake you will correct him, and
say it is 4 and not wait till he graduates if you don’t correct him initial you
will his future.
Muslims do not worship the Kaaba
Question:
Many non-Muslims allege when Islam
is against idol worship why do the Muslims worship and bow down to the Kaaba in
their prayer.
Answer:
1. Kaaba is the Qibla i.e. the
direction:
Muslims do not
worship the Kaaba in the Salaah. Kaaba is the Qibla that is the direction we
face towards and we worship & bow down to no one but Allah towards in the
Salaah, Islam always believes in unity for e.g. If Muslims want to offer Salaah
some may say lets face north, some may say lets east for the sake of unity
Muslims are asked to face only in one direction i.e. towards the Kaaba. If they
live in the west they face the east, if they live in the east they face the
west, if they live in the north they face the south, if they live in the south
they face the north.
2. Kaaba in center
of earth
The Muslims were
the first people to draw the map of the world and they drew it with the south
on top and north down and the Kaaba was in the center. Later on the westerners
drew the map upside down with north on top and south down but yet Alhamdullilah
the Kaaba is in the center of the world map.
3. Tawaaf around
Kaaba for indicating one God:
When the Muslims go
to Masjid-e-Haram in Mecca we do tawaf round the Kaaba i.e. circumambulate
round the Kaaba to indicate that as every circle has one center, similarly
there is only one Allah (SWT) worthy of Worship.
Hadith of Hazrat Umar:
According to Sahih
Bukhari Vol. II Book of Hajj, Ch. 56, V. No. 675, Hazrat Umar (may Allah be
pleased with him) said “I know that you are a stone, can neither benefit nor
harm. Had I not seen the Prophet (pbuh) touching & kissing) you, I would
never have touched (& Kissed) you”.
This statements of
Hazrat Umar (RA) the second caliph of Islam is sufficient proof that we Muslims
do not worship the Kaaba.
People stood on Kaaba and gave the
Adhan.
At the time of the Prophet people
even stood on the Kaaba and gave the Adhan which idol worshipper will ever
stand on the idol he worships.
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