Islam and Hinduism

Shams Zaman wrote: To Sanjiv   Dear Brother Sanjiv I am indeed encouraged by your views and am extremely thankful to you. Indeed by this way I would certainly become more wise on Hinduism. And moreover I would also like to add certain of my views and questions. First of all let me clear some of the misconceptions which not only exist among non-muslims but muslims as well. First of all there is no room for any sects in Islam. As said in Quran:  "And be not like those who became divided and disagreed after clear orders had come to them, and these are the one who will have a grievous chastisement." (3 : 105) "Surely they who divided their religion into parts and became sects, you have no concern with them; their affair is only with Allah, then He will inform them of what they did." (6 : 159) So all those who says them as Sunni or Shias or whatever else they are grossaly mistaken and a true believer (Muslim) has nothing to with them. So the teachings are absolutely clear but people are not adharing to it. Therefore I would certainly ask a few questions: (1) Can we say that: actually Hinduism does not believe in caste system and only people do? or is it the way that Hinduism does establish a caste system but most Hindus doesn't believe in it? (2) Is Satti (setting up a widow in fire) a religious ritual or is it only that few people carryout this practice and it has nothing to do with Hinduism teachings? (4) Anyone who convert to Hinduism is given full rights and equal status as of the top caste or he is treated as untouchable or the lowest caste Hindu?   (3) Is is true that one who worship one God is a Hindu and one who worship more than 3 million is also a Hindu? Well if all the answers to these questions are that actually Hinduism doesnot teaches anything like this I would take my words back that Hinduism has no respect for human life. But if all the answers to these questions are that actually Hinduism preaches this but some Hindus doesn't believe in it I would stand by my words. I hope you would certainly like to remove some of the misconceptions in my mind. And if I had hurt your religious sentiments in my previous mail I would apologise for it.  Your brother   Shams Zaman.

Dear Shamz Zaman

Hope this helps. Sorry bout the lateness got tangled up in uni work.

The caste system was not prevelant but was around in ancient India and even to a lesser extent today especially amongst the wealthy elite and those Brahmins who believed they had a right of say in politics and society to establish their own power. This is not a Hindu teaching or be preached. Simalarities can be drawn on old colonial practices. Those in the upper class looked  down on ordinary peasants and treated people even in their own country as second class citizens.

The story about Satti if you like is just a myth a bit like how the Earth was covered in a vast flood in the old testament. This is certainly not practised or preached in Hinduism.

Whether you're a convert or not everyone and everything (whether living or non-living) is to respected and treated the same as the way you would like to treated and respected. So a new convert is not a untouchable rather a beginner or learner.

Whether a Hindu worships no god, one god or many Gods he is still considered Hindu or bounded by the laws of nature.

I hope this answers your questions. I believe this website is sufficient to answer most of your questions. I have attached a weblog below if you like to engage in discussions. Thanks for your patience.

http://www.hindunet.com/forum

http://www.himalayanacademy.com

Suleyman wrote: Fuhad wrote: Salam To: All 1- Hinduism offers no eternal Hell whereas in Islam non-believer will abide     in Hell for eternity. 2-  Islam claims it only has the Ultimate Truth and Slavtion is achieved only     through it unique adherence while Hinduism acknowledges that         everyone  and anyone has the truth and  anyone can achieve Salvation. With reference to the above two points, it seems Hindusim is a more tolerant, pluralistic faith as a whole. However Islam seems to be violent, lacks pluralism. It will better to restrict the discussion within the context of comparative religious studies. Arguments against Hindusim based on riots in Gujrat or their right wing issues will not help us understand both these religions teaching ( i.e their doctrines, dogmas etc). Hinduism is gaining a significant number of converts in West and suprisingly muslims tend to brush it aside. When answering try not to be emotional from an Islamic perspective or dont use the Salafi or Wahabi ( ultra conservative approach) which rejects every notion of other Truths. Regards Welcome to islamicity webboard,feel free to join and share... Fuhad,first of all which religion do you believe,your words seem like you are in an intermediate area...  Fuhad,please  take care this book,i think you don't know so much about Hinduism; we also see that you also don't know so much about Islam;please take a look at that book, http://www.geocities.com/~abdulwahid/hinduism/index.html

The book which you have given has nothing about so called 'Hinduism'.  There may be hindu terrorists, but they haven't done anything sinister.

Definitely, the book has been written by a perverted mind.

Of course, everyone can have his own opinion, but the Truth remains the Truth.

Look at Bin Laden and Saddam Hussain and whole lot of other terrorists who are muslims and declare 'jihad' on every non-muslim.  Even a kid knows this truth.

Rehmat Brother,

Thanks for quoting the Upanishads.

Does Mr. Zakir know Sanskrit?

Mr. Zakir would have got everything from a tertiary source.  Ask him to learn Sanskrit thoroughly and then read 'hindu' sacred books and then try to translate them.

Suleyman has given a book, which was written by a perverted mind.  So I need not bother.

There are many people all around the world both muslim and christian who dont like 'hinduism'. 

"But what is Religion?"---"Its a choice made to return to whence you have come."

Shams Zaman wrote: Dear Baharatyia I am a regular listener of Zakir Naik. He can't fluentely speak sansakrit but of course know a little bit to deduce meanings out of it. Secondly he quotes from the translations of Hindu translators. So if the translation is wrong then the whole Hindu community who doesn't understand Sansikrit is getting the message wrong. But please let me know how many of Hindus living in the world today can speak or understand sansikrit? I am sure not more than a few thousand or maximum a few hundred thousand? So once most Hindus don't know what is contained in Hinduism how can they really know what Hinduism is? If you could explain to me as: Who is a true Hindu, he who worship one God or he who worship three hundred gods or he who worship three hundred thousand gods? Does Hinduism believes in caste system? One says its a Hindu tradition and other says its part of Hinduism? Whst is told in Hindu scriptures? What religious ststus is given to Satti (burning alive of a widow) in Hinduism? Is it a ritual or a tradition of ignorant/ And what are essentials to be a Hindu? What all he has to believe in? Does Hinduism permit to draw pictures of Hindu gods and if yes who has seen them? What status is given to a convert in Hinduism and can he become an upper caste Hindu the Brahman? I would certainly like to know the answers and lets see what all is common in Hinduism and Islam. Shams Zaman   Pakistan [email protected]

My most dear Zaman Brother,

I dont mean any bad thing towards Islam.  I love Islam(which means peace) as much as i love 'hinduism' or any other religion in the world.

You are right that very few know Sanskrit.  And you are also right that 'hinduism' is being wrongly propagated(someone was even saying that Islam was an offshoot of 'hinduism' and Christ was buried in Kashmir).

And most of the 'hindus' are blind believers.

I have a question, why does Zakir Naik speak about 'hinduism'?

Let me answer your question.

1. There is nothing or no one as a true 'hindu'.

2. 'hinduism' used to follow a caste system according to one's work or duty but does not believe in a caste system as it is propagated now. There is no one less or more.  Everyone is equal. 

3. In ancient times when a widow wanted to be with her husband even after death was burnt alive at her own will.  This is called 'Sati'.  No woman was forced to do it and most of the time women were not allowed to do it.  And in modern Bharat it is a crime and it is banned by law.

4. Nothing is essential to be a 'hindu' because 'hinduism' is a way of life and not a religion.  'hindu' is not an Indian word(even a hindu doesn't know what hindu means).  Our 'religion' doesn't have any name as it is so old that no religion existed for it to be differentiated.  And of course, in ancient times, foreigners used to recognised by their place, not religion.

5. Most important, the term 'god' is misinterpreted.  In Indian languages there is no equivalent word for 'god'.  'God' is an English word.  You were saying about some thousands of 'gods'.  You may say that they are 'gods' or 'angels'.  It doesn't make any difference.  Even the Prophet Muhammad has seen an angel.  And there were many like the Prophet Muhammad in ancient India(you may take this as an offence, but its the truth).  So artists used to just follow what those prophets say and 'draw' them.

The main thing is, 'hindus' do not call the Supreme 'he' or 'she'.  We call it 'It' or 'That'.  The Supreme is known to be a principle which has no gender according to 'hinduism'.

6. As I have told you, there are no divisions as upper caste or lower caste in 'hinduism', the division is according to the work we do.  They were categorised by the successive governments in India from the time of the british.  And some centuries ago, Brahmins(priests) used to have an upper hand as every caste has to go to the Brahmins for anything to be done.  So they used to feel themselves to be of higher caste.  The same thing has taken many forms and untouchability came into existence.  Because of caste system, Buddhism came into existence.

But now, as in ancient India, few follow it.  So a convert is a 'hindu'.  No caste is attached to him.

My dear brother, most of Indian history was written by the british who know nothing of its culture.   The pity is, even now the same thing is followed.

I have heard people say that ancient 'hindus' are plunderers, pirates and wanted to expand thier religion and empire through wars.  I dont know from where do they get these weird stories.

If I am not clear in anything, please ask me.  I will be happy to answer.