Similarities Between

SIMILARITIES
BETWEEN
HINDUISM
& ISLAM

by
Dr Zakir Naik
The author, Dr Zakir Naik, is a well-known international orator and scholar of Comparative Religion. He is
the President of the Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation. He may be reached at: zakir@irf. net
Dr Zakir Naik had delivered the lecture, ‘Similarities Between Hinduism and Islam' on January 01, 2004 at
the Azad Maidan grounds in Mumbai, India, and again during the same month at the Peace Exhibition in
Chennai, India.
Chapter One:
Correct Understanding of a Religion

Chapter Two:
Introduction of Islam

Chapter Three:
Introduction of Hinduism

Chapter Four:
Articles of Faith (Eemaan) in Islam and Comparison with Tenets
Prescribed by Hindu Scriptures

Chapter Five:
The Concept of God in Hinduism and Islam

Chapter Six:
The Concept of Angels in Hinduism and Islam

Chapter Seven:
The Concept of Revelation in Hinduism and Islam

Chapter Eight:
The Concept of Prophethood in Hinduism and Islam

Chapter Nine:
Attributes of God

Chapter Ten:
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) Prophesied Hindu Scriptures

Chapter Eleven:
The Concept of Life after Death in Hinduism and Islam
Chapter Twelve:
The Concept of Fate and Destiny in Hinduism and Islam

Chapter Thirteen:
The Concept of Worship in Hinduism and Islam

Chapter Fourteen:
The Concept of Jihad in Hinduism and Islam

Chapter Fifteen:
Some similarities between the Scriptures of Hinduism and Islam

Chapter Sixteen:
Some other similarities between the teachings of Hinduism and Islam

Chapter Seventeen:
What do Hindu Reformers state?

Chapter Eighteen:
Conclusion

References
 In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

All Praises are due to Allah, and as such we praise Him.

And Peace and Blessings of Almighty Allah be upon His
Last and Final Messenger, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and
upon all His righteous servants until the Last Day.

In this book, we shall seek to find similarities or common

grounds between two major religions of the world —
Hinduism and Islam. The approach adopted in this work is
based on the following Verse of the Glorious Qur'an:

Surah Ale Imran Chapter 3 Verse 64:

Say: “O People Of the Book!

Come to common terms
as between us and you:
that we worship none but Allah;
that we associate no partners with Him;
that we erect not, from among ourselves,
Lords and patrons other than Allah.”
If then they turn back,
Say ye: “Bear witness that we (at least)
are Muslims (bowing to Allah’s Will).”
(AL QUR'AN 3:64)
 CORRECT UNDERSTANDING
OF A RELIGION 1

a. Don't observe followers of a Religion. Refer to Authentic Sources

of that Religion
Followers of major religions, whether it is Hinduism, Islam or Christianity,
have divided themselves and their beliefs into various sects.

It is not appropriate for one to try to understand a religion by observing the

followers of that religion. Most followers may themselves not be aware of the
correct teachings of their religion. Thus, the best and the most appropriate
method of understanding any religion is to understand the authentic sources
of that religion, i.e. the sacred scriptures of that religion.

b. Authentic Sources of Islam

Allah (swt), Almighty God, says in the Glorious Qur'an:
And hold fast, all together,
by the Rope which Allah (stretches out foryou),
and be not divided among yourselves.(AI Qur'an 3:103)
The “rope of Allah" refers to is the Glorious Qur'an. Allah (swt) says that
Muslims should not be divided and that the only unifying factor is the
authentic source of the religion of Islam i.e. the Glorious Qur'an.

Allah (swt) also says in the Glorious Qur'an in several places including
SurahAn Nisa Chapter 4 Verse 59:

0 ye who believe!
ObeyAllah, and obey the Messenger. (AI Qur'an 4:59)

To understand the Qur'an better we have to refer to the explanation of the

Qur'an by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) on whom the Qur'an was revealed.
Thus the best and the most appropriate method of understanding Islam is to
understand the authentic sources of Islam which are the Glorious Qur'an,
(the words of Almighty Allah) and the authentic Ahadith i.e. the sayings and
traditions of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Correct Understanding of a Religion 07

c. Authentic Sources of Hinduism
Similarly, the best and the most appropriate method of understanding
Hinduism is to understand its authentic sources, i.e. the sacred scriptures
of Hinduism. The most sacred and authentic Scriptures of Hinduism
are the Vedas, followed by the Upanishads, the Itihaasas, Bhagavad Gita,
Puranas, etc.

Let us understand these two major religions of the world, i.e. Islam and
Hinduism, by studying and analyzing the authentic Scriptures of these two
major religions of the world.

d. Emphasis on those Similarities which are not commonly known

In this work on ‘Similarities between Hinduism and Islam’, we shall not lay
emphasis on those similarities which are known by almost all the followers
of both the religions. For example, a person should always speak the truth,
he should not lie, he should not steal, he should be kind, he should not be
cruel, etc. Instead, we shall consider those similarities, which are not
commonly known by all the followers and hence are known only to those
who are familiar with the contents of their sacred Scriptures.

Correct Understanding of a Religion 08

 INTRODUCTION OF
ISLAM 2

1. Definition of ‘Islam’
Islam is an Arabic word, which comes from the word ‘Salm’ which means
‘peace’ and from ‘Silm’, which means ‘submitting your will to Allah’ — the
Almighty God. In short, Islam means ‘peace acquired by submitting your
will to Allah (swt)’.

The word ‘Islam’ is mentioned in several places in the Qur'an and the Hadith
including Surah Ale Imran Chapter 3 Verse 19 and Verse 85.

2. Definition of a ‘Muslim’
A ‘Muslim’ is a person who submits his will to Allah — the Almighty God. The
word ‘Muslim’ is mentioned several times in the Qur'an and Hadith including
Surah Ale Imran Chapter 3 Verse 64 and Surah Fussilat Chapter 41 Verse 33.

3. A misconception about Islam

Many people have a misconception that Islam is a new religion that was
formulated 1400 years ago, and that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the
founder of Islam. However, let me clarify that Islam is not the name of some
unique religion presented for the first time by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
who should, on that account be called the founder of Islam.

The Qur'an states that Islam — the complete submission of man before his
one and only Unique Creator — is the one and only faith and way of life
consistently revealed by God to humankind from the very beginning. Noah,
Abraham, Isaac, Solomon, David, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them)
— God's prophets who appeared at different times and places — all
propagated the same faith and conveyed the same message of Tawheed
(Oneness of God), Risaalah (Prophethood) and Aakhirah (Hereafter).
These prophets of God were not founders of different religions to be named
after them. They were each reiterating the message and faith of their
predecessors.

Introduction of Islam 09
However, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the last Prophet of God. God
revived through him the same genuine faith which had been conveyed by all
His Prophets. This original message was earlier corrupted and split into
various religions by people of different ages, who indulged in interpolations
and admixtures. These interpolations and alien elements were eliminated
by God, and Islam — in its pure and original form — was transmitted to
humankind through Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Since there was to be no messenger or prophet after Muhammad (pbuh),

the book revealed to him (i.e. the Glorious Qur'an) was preserved word for
word so that it should be a source of guidance for all times.

Thus the religion of all the prophets was ‘total submission to God's will’ and
one word for that in the Arabic language is ‘Islam’. Abraham and Jesus
(peace be upon them) too were Muslims, as Allah testifies in Surah Ale
Imran Chapter 3 Verse 67 and Verse 52 respectively.

Introduction of Islam 10
 INTRODUCTION OF
HINDUISM 3

1. Definition of a Hindu
a) The word ‘Hindu’ has a geographical significance. It was originally used to
refer to those people who lived beyond the river Sindhu or the region
watered by the river Indus.

b) 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’ was
also used by the Arabs.

c) This word ‘Hindu’ is nowhere mentioned in Indian literature or Hindu

Scriptures before the advent of Muslims to India, according to the
encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics 6:699

Exact quote from encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics: “The world Hindu is
itself a foreign one. The Hindus never used it in any Sanskrit writing, that is,
those which were written before the Mohammedan invasion.”

d) Jawaharlal Nehru, in his book ‘Discovery of India’, writes on pages. 74,

“The world ‘Hindu’ does not occur at all in our (Indian) ancient literature. The
first reference to it in an Indian book is, I am told, in a Tantrik work of the
eighth Century C E, where ‘Hindu’ means a people and not the followers of a
particular religion.... The use of the word ‘Hindu’ in connection with a
particular religion is of late occurrence.”

In short, the word ‘Hindu’ is a geographical definition or term which is used to

refer to people who live beyond the river Indus or in other words to those who
live in India.

Introduction of Hinduism 11
2. Definition of‘Hinduism’
a) ‘Hinduism’ has been derived from the word ‘Hindu’. According to the
New encyclopaedia britannica 20:581, Hinduism was a name given in
English language in the Nineteenth Century by the English people to the
multiplicity of the beliefs and faiths of the people of the Indus land. 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) According to Hindu Scholars, Hinduism is a misnomer and the religion

‘Hinduism’ should be either referred to as ‘Sanatana Dharma’, which means
‘eternal religion’, or as ‘Vedic Dharma’, meaning ‘religion of the Vedas’.
According to Swami Vivekananda, the followers of this religion are referred
to as ‘Vendantists’.

Introduction of Hinduism 12
 ARTICLES OF FAITH (EEMAAN) IN
ISLAM AND COMPARISON WITH TENETS
PRESCRIBED BY HINDU SCRIPTURES
4

Almighty Allah says in the Glorious Qur'an:

It is not righteousness
that ye turn your faces towards East or West;
But it is righteousness
to believe in Allah and the Last Day,
and the Angels, and the Book,
and the Messengers.
(Al Qur'an 2:177)

It is reported in Sahih Muslim:

“... A man came to the Prophet and said ‘Messenger of Allah, what is
Eemaan (faith)?’ He (the prophet) said, ‘that you affirm your faith in Allah, His
Angels, His Books, His Meeting, His Messengers, and that you believe in
Resurrection and that you believe in Qadr (Divine decree)’."
(Sahih Muslim Vol. 1 Book of Eemaan Chapter 2 Hadith 6)

Thus the six articles of faith of Islam are:

i) Belief in God
(The first article of faith in Islam is ‘Tawheed’ i.e. belief in the one Unique
Eternal Creator of all creation).

ii) His Angels

iii) His Books
iv) His Messengers
v) The Hereafter i.e. Life after death and
vi) Qadr i.e. Destiny

Let's study what Hinduism says about these six articles.

Articles Of Faith (eemaan) In Islam And Comparison With Tenets Prescribed By Hindu Scriptures 13
 THE CONCEPT OF GOD IN
HINDUISM AND ISLAM

Let us examine the concept of God in these two major religions in the light of
their respective scriptures and study if there are similarities.
First we shall discuss the Concept of God in Hinduism.

a. COMMON CONCEPT OF GOD IN HINDUISM

If you ask some persons who are Hindus that how many gods do they
believe in, some may say three, some may say thirty-three, some may say a
thousand, while some may say thirty-three crores i.e. 330 million. But if you
ask this question to a learned Hindu who is well versed with the Hindu
Scriptures, he will reply that the Hindus should actually believe and worship
the One and Only God Who is the Creator and Sustainer of all.

b. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ISLAM AND HINDUISM IS THAT OF ‘S

Everything is ‘God’s’— Everything is ‘God’

The major difference between the Hindus and the Muslims is that many
Hindus believe in the 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 and the Human Being is God.”

Muslims believe that “everything is God's”. G-O-D with an apostrophe ‘s’.

Everything belongs to the one and only unique eternal God. The tree
belongs to God, the sun belongs to God, the moon belongs to God, the
snake belongs to God, the monkey belongs to God and 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” — G-O-D with an apostrophe ‘s’. If we can solve the
difference of the apostrophe ‘s’, the Hindus and the Muslims will be united.

The Glorious Qur'an says:

“Come to common terms as between us and you.”

The Concept of God in Hinduism and Islam 14

Which is the first term?
“that we worship none but Allah”

So let's come to common terms by analyzing the scriptures of the Hindus

and of the Muslims.

UPANISHADS
Upanishads are one of the sacred Scriptures of the Hindus.

i. Chandogya Upanishad Chapter 6 Section 2 Verse 1

It is mentioned in the Chandogya Upanishad:

“Ekam Evadvitiyam”
“He is one only; without a second.”
(Chandogya Upanishad 6:2:1)
(The Principal Upanishad by S. Radhakrishnan pages 447 - 448)
(Sacred Books of the East Volume 1, The Upanishads Part I Page 93)

ii. Shwetashvatara Upanishad Chapter 6 Verse 9

It is mentioned in the Shwetashvatara Upanishad:
“Na chasya kascij janita na chadipah”
“Of Him there are neither parents nor Lord.”
(Shwetashvatara Upanishad 6:9)
(The Principal Upanishad by S. Radhakrishnan Page 745)
(Sacred Books of the East Volume 15, the Upanishads Part II Page 263)

iii. Shwetashvatara Upanishad Chapter 4 Verse 19

It is mentioned in Shwetashvatara Upanishad:
“Na tasya pratima asti”
“There is no likeness of Him”.
(Shwetashvatara Upanishad 4:19)
(The Principal Upanishad by S. Radhakrishnan Pages 736 - 737)
(Sacred Books of the East Volume 15, The Upanishads Part II Page 253)

iv. Shwetashvatara Upanishad Chapter 4 Verse 20

It is mentioned in Shwetashvatara Upanishad:
“na samdrse tisthati rupam asya, na chaksusa pasyati kas canainam”.
“His form cannot be seen, no one sees Him with the eye”.
(Shwetashvatara Upanishad 4:20)
(The Principal Upanishad by S. Radhakrishnan Page 737)
(Sacred Books of The East Volume 15, The Upanishads Part II Page 253)

The Concept of God in Hinduism and Islam 15

BHAGAVAD GITA
The most popular amongst all the Hindu Scriptures is the Bhagavad Gita.
The Bhagavad Gita mentions:

“Those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires surrender

into demigods” — that is “Those who are materialistic, they worship
demigods”— i.e. others as deities besides the True God.
(Bhagavad Gita 7:20)

It is mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita:

“He who knows Me as the unborn, as the beginningless, as the Supreme
Lord of all the worlds..."
(Bhagavad Gita 10:3)

YAJURVEDA
Vedas are the most sacred amongst all the Hindu Scriptures. There are
principally four Vedas - Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Atharvaveda.

i. Yajurveda Chapter 32 Verse 3

It is mentioned in Yajurveda:
“na tasya pratima asti”
“There is no image of Him”

It further says,
“As He is unborn, He deserves our worship”.
(Yajurveda 32:3)
(The Yajurveda by Devi Chand Page 377)
ii. Yajurveda Chapter 40 Verse 8
It is mentioned in Yajurveda:
“He is imageless and pure”.
(Yajurveda 40:8)
(Yajurveda Samhita by Ralph T. H. Griffith Page 538)

iii. Yajurveda Chapter 40 Verse 9

It is mentioned in Yajurveda:
“Andhatma pravishanti ye asambhuti mupaste”
“They enter darkness, those who worship natural things.”
(Yajurveda 40:9)

The Concept of God in Hinduism and Islam 16

(Yajurveda Samhita by Ralph T. H. Griffith Page 538)
For example worship of natural elements like air, water, fire, etc.

It further continues and says:

“They sink deeper in darkness those who worship ‘sambhuti’ i.e. created
things
For example created things such as table, chair, idols, etc.

ATHARVAVEDA
i. Atharvaveda Book 20 Hymn Chapter 58 Verse 3
It is mentioned in Atharvaveda:
“Dev Maha Asi”
“God is Verily Great.”
(Atharvaveda 20:58:3)
(Atharvaveda Samhita Vol. 2 William Dwight Whitney Page 910)

RIGVEDA
The oldest and most sacred amongst all the Vedas is the Rigveda.

i. Rigveda Book 1 Hymn 164 Verse 46

It is mentioned in Rigveda:
“Ekam sad vipra bahudha vadanty.”
“Sages (learned Priests) call one God by many names.”
(Rigveda 1:164:46)

Truth is one, God is one, sages call it by various names.

A similar message is given in Rigveda Book 10 Hymn 114 Verse 5.

ii. Rigveda Book 2 Hymn 1

Rigveda gives no less than 33 different attributes to Almighty God. Several
of these attributes are mentioned in Rigveda Book 2 Hymn 1

a. Brahma — Creator— Khaliq: Rigveda Book 2 Hymn 1 Verse 3

Amongst the various attributes given in Rigveda, one of the beautiful
attributes for Almighty God is ‘Brahma’. ‘Brahma’ means ‘the Creator’. If you
translate into Arabic it means ‘Khaliq’. Islam does not object to anyone
calling Almighty God as ‘Khaliq’ or ‘Creator’ or ‘Brahma’, but if someone
says that ‘Brahma’ i.e. Almighty God has got four heads and on each head is
a crown and this Brahma has got four hands, Islam takes strong exception to
it because such descriptions give an image to Almighty God. Such

The Concept of God in Hinduism and Islam 17

descriptions are also against what is taught and propounded in Yajurveda
Chapter 32, Verse 3 which says:
“Na tasya pratima asti”
“There is no image of Him”.

b. Vishnu — Sustainer— Rabb: Rigveda Book 2 Hymn 1 Verse 3

Another beautiful attribute mentioned in the Rigveda Book 2 Hymn 1 Verse 3
is ‘Vishnu’. ‘Vishnu’ means ‘the Sustainer’. If you translate this word into
Arabic it means ‘Rabb’. Islam has no objection if anyone calls Almighty God
as ‘Rabb’ or ‘Sustainer’ or ‘Vishnu’, but if someone says that Vishnu is
Almighty God and this Vishnu has four arms, one of the right arms holds the
‘chakra’ i.e. a discus and one of the left arms holds a ‘conch shell’ and he
rides on a bird or reclines on a snake couch, then Islam takes strong
exception to this, because such descriptions of Vishnu give an image to
Almighty God. Such descriptions are also against what is taught in
Shwetashvatara Upanishad Chapter 4 Verse 19.
“Na tasya pratima asti”
“There is no image of Him”.
iii. Rigveda Book 8 Hymn 1 Verse 1
It is mentioned in Rigveda:
“Ma Chidanyadvi Shansata”
“Do not worship anybody but Him, the Divine One, Praise Him alone”
(Rigveda 8:1:1)
(Rigveda Samhita Vol. 9 Pages 1-2 by Swami Satya Prakash Sarasvati &
Satyakam Vidyalankar)

iv. Rigveda Book S Hymn 81 Verse 1

It is mentioned in Rigveda:
“Verily great is the glory of the Divine Creator”
(Rigveda 5:81:1)
(Rigveda Samhita Vol. 6 Pages 1802 - 1803 by Swami Satya Prakash
Sarasvati & Satyakam Vidyalankar)

v. Rigveda Book 6, Hymn 45, Verse 16

It is mentioned in Rigveda:
“Ya Eka Ittamushtuhi”
“Praise Him who is the matchless and alone”.

The Concept of God in Hinduism and Islam 18

 (Rigveda 6:45:16)
(Hymns of Rigveda by Ralph T. H. Griffith Page 648)
(Rigveda Samhita Vol. 7 Pages 2108 - 2109 by Swami Satya Prakash
Sarasvati & Satyakam Vidyalankar)

BRAHMA SUTRA OF HINDU VEDANTA

The Brahma Sutra of Hindu Vedanta is:
‘Ekam Brahm, dvitiya naste neh na naste naste kinchan"
“Bhagwan ek hi hai doosra nahin hai, nahin hai, nahin hai, zara bhi
nahin hai.”

“There is only one God, not a second, not at all, not at all, not in the least bit.”
All the above quoted verses and passages from Hindu Scriptures clearly
amplify the Oneness and Uniqueness of Almighty God, the Creator of all.
Furthermore, they negate the existence of any other deity besides the One
True God. These verses essentially teach and propound monotheism.

Therefore only if one carefully studies the Hindu Scriptures, will one
understand and realize the correct concept of God in Hinduism.

CONCEPT OF GOD IN ISLAM

We will find similarities in the concept of God in Hinduism and in Islam since
the Qur'an too propounds monotheism (as do Hindu scriptures as we
examined above).

a. Surah Al Ikhlaas - The Touch Stone of Theology

As per Islam, the best and the most concise definition of God is given in
SurahAl Ikhlaas of the Glorious Qur'an:
Say: He is Allah,
the One and Only,’
Allah, the Eternal, Absolute;
He begets not,
nor is He begotten;
and there is none like Him.
(Al Qur'an 112:1-4)

The word ‘As Samad’ is difficult to translate. It means that absolute

existence can be attributed only to Allah, all other existence being temporal
or conditional. It also means Allah is not dependant on any person or thing
but all persons and things are dependent on Him.

The Concept of God in Hinduism and Islam 19

This Surah AI Ikhlaas i.e. Chapter 112 of the Glorious Qur'an is the
touchstone of theology. ‘Cleo’ in Greek means ‘God’ and ‘logy’ means
‘study’. Thus ‘Theology’ means ‘study of God’ and Surah AI Ikhlaas is the
touchstone of the study of God.

If you want to purchase or sell your gold jewellery, you would first evaluate it.
Such an evaluation of gold jewellery is done by a goldsmith with the help ofa
touchstone. He rubs the gold jewellery on the touchstone and compares its
colour with rubbing samples of gold. If it matches with 24 Karat gold he will
tell that your jewellery is 24 Karat pure gold. If it is not high quality pure gold,
he will tell you its value whether 22 Karat, 18 Karat or it may not be gold at all.
It may be fake because all that glitters is not gold.

Similarly Surah AI Ikhlaas (Chapter 112 of the Qur'an) is the touchstone of

theology, which can verify whether the deity that you worship is the One True
God or a false God. Surah AI Ikhlaas is a four-line definition of Almighty God
according to the Qur'an. If anyone claims to be or is believed to be Almighty
God satisfies this four-line definition, we Muslims will readily accept that
deity as God. This Chapter of the Glorious Qur'an, Surah AI Ikhlaas, is the
acid test. It is the ‘Furqan’ or the criterion to judge between the One True God
and false claimants to Divinity. Hence, whichever deity any human
worships, if such a deity fulfills the criteria specified in this Chapter of the
Qur'an, then this deity is worthy of worship and is the One True God.

b. Is Bhagwan Rajneesh God?

Some people say that Bhagwan Rajneesh or Osho Rajneesh is Almighty
God. Please note my words: I have stated that some people say that
Bhagwan Rajneesh is Almighty God. Once, during a question and answer
session, a Hindu gentleman misunderstood my statement. He said that
Hindus do not worship Rajneesh as God. I am aware that Hinduism does not
consider Rajneesh to be God. Rajneesh has followers, who are converts
to his philosophy/ideology, but who were originally followers of various
different religions.

Let us put this candidate Bhagwan Rajneesh to the test of Divinity as

prescribed by Surah Al Ikhlaas, the touchstone of Divinity.

(i) The first criterion is ‘Qul hu Allah hu ahad’—‘Say, He is Allah one and only’.
Is Rajneesh one and only? We know several fake god-men and claimants of
divinity amongst humans. Several are found in our country, India.

The Concept of God in Hinduism and Islam 20

Rajneesh is surely not one and only. Not as a human and not even as a
human claimant to godhood. However, some disciples of Rajneesh may still
state that Rajneesh is unique and that he is one and only.

(ii) Let us analyse the second criterion — ‘Allahhus samad’ — ‘Allah the
Absolute and Eternal’. Is Rajneesh absolute and eternal? We know from his
biography that he suffered from diabetes mellitus, asthma and chronic
backache. He alleged that the US government gave him slow poisoning
while he was in their jail. Imagine ‘Almighty God’ being poisoned! Moreover,
all are aware that Rajneesh died and was cremated. So Rajneesh was
neither eternal, nor absolute.

(iii) The third criterion is ‘Lam ya lid wa lam yu lad’— ‘He begets not, nor is He
begotten’. However, Rajneesh was begotten. He was born in Jabalpur in
India. Like all humans, he too had a mother and a father. They later on
became his disciples.
Rajneesh was a very intelligent person. In May 1981, he went to USA He
established a town in Oregon and named it ‘Rajneeshpuram’. It seems that
he took America for a ride since the US government arrested him and later
deported him out of America in 1985. So Rajneesh returned to India and
started a ‘Rajneesh Neosanyas Commune’ in Pune in India which was later
renamed the ‘Osho Commune’.

If you visit this ‘Osho Commune’ in Pune you will find it written on his
tombstone, “Osho - never born, never died, only visited the planet earth
between 11th Dec. 1931 to 19th Jan. 1990". They conveniently forgot to
mention on this tombstone that Rajneesh was not given a visa for 21
different countries of the world. Imagine ‘Almighty God’ visiting the earth and
requiring a visa! The Archbishop of Greece had said that if Rajneesh was not
deported they would burn his house and those of his disciples.

(iv) The fourth test is so stringent that none besides the One True God can
pass it. ‘Wa lam ya kullahu kufuwan ahad’ which means, ‘there is none like
Him’. The moment you can imagine or compare the candidate or claimant to
godhood to anything, this candidate is not god. Neither can you have a
mental picture of God.

We know that Rajneesh was a human being. He had one head, two hands,
two feet and a white flowing beard. The moment you can think or imagine
what the claimant to godhood is, he or she is not god.

The Concept of God in Hinduism and Islam 21

Suppose someone says, “God is a thousand times as strong as Arnold
Schwarzenegger.” Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the strongest men on
earth. He was given the title ‘Mr Universe’ five times. The moment you can
compare Almighty God to anything, whether it is a thousand times stronger
or a million times stronger, whether it be Dara Singh or King Kong, the
moment you can compare the claimant to godhood to anything, he is not
God. ‘Wa lam ya kul lahu kufuwan ahad"there is none like Him’.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD
(i) The Qur'an mentions in Surah AI Israa’Chapter 17 Verse 110:
Say: “Call upon Allah, or call upon Rahman.
By whatever name ye call upon Him, (it is well):
For to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names.
(Al Qur'an 17:110)
To Allah belong the most beautiful names. You can call Allah by any name
but that name should be beautiful and should not conjure up a mental
picture. The Qur'an gives no less than 99 different attributes to Almighty
God. Some of these are: Ar Rahman, Ar Raheem, AI Hakeem; Most
Gracious, Most Merciful and Most Wise. Allah has 99 different names /
attributes and the crowning one, the hundredth one is ‘Allah’. The Qur'an
repeats this message that to Allah belong the most beautiful names in:
(i) Surah AIA'raaf Chapter 7 Verse 180
(ii) In Surah Taahaa Chapter 20 Verse 8
(iii)In Surah AI Hashr Chapter 59 Verses 23-24

NAME ‘ALLAH’ PREFERRED TO THE WORD ‘GOD’

Muslims prefer calling Allah (swt) with His Name ‘Allah’, instead of the
English word ‘God’. The Arabic word ‘Allah’ is pure and unique, unlike the
English word ‘God’ which can be played around with.
If you add ‘s’ to God, it becomes ‘Gods’ that is plural of God. Allah is one and
singular, there is no plural of Allah. If you add ‘dess’ to God, it becomes
‘Goddess’ that is a female god. There is nothing like male Allah or female
Allah. Allah has no gender. If you add ‘father’to God, it becomes ‘Godfather’.
‘He is my Godfather’ means that he is my guardian. There is nothing like
‘Allah Abba’ or ‘Allah father’ in Islam. If you add ‘mother’ to God it becomes
‘Godmother’, there is nothing like ‘Allah Ammi’ or ‘Allah Mother’ in Islam. If
you put ‘tin’ before God, it becomes ‘tin-God’ i.e. a fake God, there is nothing
like ‘tin Allah’ or fake Allah in Islam. ‘Allah’ is a unique word, which does not

The Concept Of God In Hinduism And Islam 22

conjure up any mental picture nor can it be played around with. Hence,
Muslims prefer the name Allah when referring to the Almighty Creator. But
sometimes while speaking to non-Muslims we may use the inappropriate
word ‘God’for Allah.
Allah is mentioned by name in Hindu Scriptures. There is an Upanishad
by the name ALO Upanishad. The word “Allah”, which refers to Almighty
God in Arabic, is mentioned in:
Rigveda Book 2 Hymn 1 Verse 11
Rigveda Book 3 Hymn 30 Verse 10
Rigveda Book 9 Hymn 67 Verse 30

THE CONCEPT OF GOD IN HINDU SCRIPTURES

We had earlier stated that as per Islam the best and the most concise
definition of God is given in Surah AI Ikhlaas of the Glorious Qur'an:
Say: He is Allah, the One and Only;
Allah, the Eternal, Absolute;
He begets not, nor is He begotten,
and there is none like Him.
(Al Qur'an 112:1-4)

Similar Verses in Hindu Scriptures

There are several passages in the Hindu Scriptures, which have the
same or similar meaning as Surah AI Ikhlaas.
1. Say: He is Allah, the One and Only.
(AI Qur'an 112:1)
It has a meaning which is very similar to:

“Ekam Evadvitiyam”
“He is one only; without a second.”
(Chandogya Upanishad 6:2:1)

2. Allah, the Eternal, Absolute.

He begets not,
Nor is He begotten,
(AI Qur'an 112:2-3)

The Concept Of God In Hinduism And Islam 23

It has similar meaning as:
“He who knows Me as the unborn, as the beginningless, as the Supreme
Lord of all the worlds...” (Bhagavad Gita 10:3)
and
“Of Him there are neither parents nor Lord.”
(Shwetashvatara Upanishad 6:9)

3. And there is none like Him.

(AI Qur'an 112:4)
A similar message is given in Shwetashvatara Upanishad & Yajurveda:
“Na Tasya pratima asti”
“There is no likeness of Him.”
(Shwetashvatara Upanishad 4:19 & Yajurveda 32:3)
Remember, the Brahma Sutra of Hindu Vedanta is:
“Ekam Brahm, dvitiya naste neh na naste naste kinchan”
“Bhagwan ek hi hai doosara nahin hai, nahin hai, nahin hai, zara bhi
nahin hai.”
“There is only one God, not a second, not at all, not at all, not in the least bit.”

The Concept Of God In Hinduism And Islam 24

 THE CONCEPT OF ANGELS IN
HINDUISM AND ISLAM 6

We shall now examine the belief in angels of God in these two major
religions and study if there are similarities.

1. Angels in Islam
Angels are a creation of Allah (swt). They have been created from light and
are normally unseen. They do not have a freewill of their own and hence
they always obey the commandments of Almighty Allah. Due to the absence
of freewill they cannot disobey God. Different angels have been appointed
by Almighty Allah for different activities. For example, Archangel Gabriel
(Jibreel) was appointed to convey the revelation of Allah (swt) to the
prophets of Allah.
Since angels are a creation of God, and not God, Muslims do not worship
the angels.

2. Angels in Hinduism
There is no concept of angels in Hinduism. However Hindus believe that
there are certain superbeings, which perform acts which cannot be done by
normal human beings. These superbeings too are worshipped as deities by
some Hindus.

The Concept of Angels in Hinduism and Islam 25

 THE CONCEPT OF REVELATION IN
HINDUISM AND ISLAM 7

Let us now study what the Hindu and Islamic scriptures state regarding
God's revelations or books revealed by God for the guidance of humans.

(i) Concept of Revelation in Islam

1. Allah (swt) has sent a revelation in every

age. Allah (swt) says in the Qur'an:
“For each period is a Book (revealed)
(AI Qur'an 13:38)

2. Four Revelations mentioned by name in the Qur'an:

There are several revelations sent by Allah (swt) in different ages for the
guidance of human beings of the respective ages. Only four revelations are
mentioned by name in the Qur'an — these are the Torah, the Zaboor, the
Injeel and the Qur'an.
Torah is the Wahi, the revelation which was revealed to
Prophet Moses (pbuh).
Zaboor is the Wahi, the revelation which was revealed to
Prophet David (pbuh).
Injeel is the Wahi, the revelation which was revealed to
Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and
The Qur'an is the last and final Wahi, the final revelation, which was
revealed to the Last and Final Messenger Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

3. All previous revelations were only meant for a particular group of

people and for a particular time period.
Each of the revelations, prior to the revelation of the Glorious Qur'an, was
meant only for a particular period and for a particular group of people.

The concept of Revelation in Hinduism and islam 26

4. The Qur'an was revealed for whole of Humankind
Since the Qur'an was the last and final revelation of Almighty Allah, it was
revealed not only for the Muslims or the Arabs but it was revealed for the
whole of Humankind. Further, the Qur'an was not revealed only for the era of
the Prophet (pbuh) but it was revealed for all of humankind until the Last Day.
Allah (swt) says in the Qur'an:
a. Alif Lam Ra. A Book which We have revealed unto thee,
in order that thou mightest lead humankind
out of the depths of darkness into light
- by the leave of their Lord —
to the way of (Him) the Exalted in Power,
Worthy of all Praise!
(Al Qur'an 14:1)
b. 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. 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)
d. Verify We have revealed the Book to thee in truth,
for (instructing) mankind.
(AI Qur'an 39:41)
AI Qur'an is God's Word. It is the most sacred scripture of Islam. It is the Last
and Final Revelation of Almighty God which was revealed in the sixth
century of the English Calendar to the Last and Final Messenger Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh).

5. The Qur'an is mentioned in the previous scriptures and in

scriptures of other religions
It is mentioned in the Qur'an:

The concept of Revelation in Hinduism and islam 27

 Without doubt it is (announced)
in the revealed Books of former peoples.
(Al Qur'an 26:196)
The mention of the Glorious Qur'an, this last and final Revelation of Almighty
God, is made in all the previous scriptures and in the scriptures of various
religions.

6. Hadith
The other sacred scripture of Islam besides the Qur'an is the Hadith i.e. the
sayings and traditions of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). These Hadith are
supplementary to the Glorious Qur'an. They do not and cannot overrule the
teachings of the Qur'an nor will they contradict the Qur'an.

(ii) BOOKS OF

HINDUISM

INTRODUCTION
There are two kinds of sacred writings in Hinduism: Shruti and Smriti.
‘Shruti’ means that which has been heard, perceived, understood or
revealed. It is the oldest and the most sacred of the Hindu Scriptures. The
‘Shruti’ is divided into two main parts — the Vedas and the Upanishads and
these two are considered to be of divine origin.
‘Smriti’ is not as sacred as the ‘shruti.’ Yet it is considered to be important and
is popular with the Hindus today. ‘Smriti’ 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 ‘smritis’ are
not considered to be of divine origin but are accepted as human
composition. The ‘Smriti’ lists rules governing the actions of the individual,
the community and the society, which regulate and guide individuals in their
daily conduct. They are also known as ‘Dharma Shastra’. ‘Smritis’ consist of
many writings including the Puranas and Itihaasas.
There are several Holy Scriptures of the Hindus. Amongst them are:
(a) The Vedas and the Upanishads (the Shrutis), and
(b) The Puranas and the Itihaasas (the Smritis).

1. VEDAS
i) The word ‘Veda’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘vid’, which means ‘to
know’. The word ‘Veda’ therefore, means ‘knowledge par excellence’ or
‘sacred wisdom’. There are four principal divisions of the Vedas. (Although

The concept of Revelation in Hinduism and islam 28

according to their number, they amount to 1131 out of which about a dozen
are available. According to Mahabhasya of Patanjali, there are 21 branches
of Rigveda, 9 types of Atharvaveda, 101 branches of Yajurveda and 1000 of
Samaveda)
ii) The Rigveda, the Yajurveda and the Samaveda are considered to be
more ancient books and are known as ‘Trai Viddya’ or the ‘Triple Sciences’.
The Rigveda is the oldest and has been compiled in three long and different
periods of time. The fourth Veda is the Atharvaveda, which is ofa later date.

Rigveda is mainly composed of songs of praise.

Yajurveda deals with sacrificial formula.
Samaveda refers to melody.
Atharvaveda has a large number of magic formulas.
iii) There is no unanimous opinion regarding the date of compilation or
revelation of the four Vedas. According to Swami Dayanand, the founder of
the Arya Samaj, the Vedas were revealed 1310 millions of years ago.
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 considered the most
authentic of the Hindu Scriptures and the real foundations of the Hindu
Dharma.

2. UPANISHADS
i) The word ‘Upanishad’ 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 sacred 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.
The number of Upanishads exceeds 200 (according to different sources)
though the Indian tradition puts it at 108. There are 10 principal Upanishads
however some consider them to be more than 10, while others state that
there are 18.

The concept of Revelation in Hinduism and islam 29

ii) 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 portions of the
Vedas and chronologically they come at the end of the Vedic period.
iii) Some Pundits consider the Upanishads to be superior to the Vedas.

3. ITIHAAS — EPIC
There are two Itihaasas or epics namely the Ramayana and the
Mahabharata.

i) Ramayana
Ramayana is an epic which deals with the life story of Rama. Most Hindus
are aware of the story of the Ramayana.

ii) Mahabharata
Mahabharata is another great epic, which speaks about the feud between
the cousins — the Pandavas and the Kauravas. It also contains the life story
of Krishna. The story of this epic, the Mahabharata, is also commonly known
to most Hindus.

4. BHAGAVAD GITA
Bhagavad Gita is the most popular and well-known amongst all the Hindu
scriptures. It is a part of the epic Mahabharata, and contains 18 Chapters
from Bhishma Parva Chapters 25 to 42. It contains the advice given by
Krishna, in the battlefield, to Arjuna.

5. PURANAS
Next in order of authenticity are the Puranas, which are the most widely read
scripture. The word ‘Puranas’ means ‘ancient’ The Puranas contain the
history of the Creation of the Universe, history of the early Aryan tribes and
life stories of the divines and deities of the Hindus. The Puranas are believed
by Hindus to be revealed books like the Vedas, which are believed to have
been revealed simultaneously with the Vedas or at sometime close to the
revelation of the Vedas
Maharishi Vyas has divided the Puranas into 18 voluminous parts. He also
arranged the Vedas under various heads. The Gita and the Mahabharata
were authored or compiled by him.

The concept of Revelation in Hinduism and islam 30

Chief among the Puranas is a book known as Bhavishya Purana. It is called
so because it gives prophecies of future events (accounts are given of past
events or past deeds). The Hindus consider the Bhavishya Purana to be the
word of God. Maharishi Vyas is considered a mere compiler of the book the
real author being God.

6. OTHER SCRIPTURES
There are several other Hindu Scriptures like Manusmriti, Satapatha
Brahmana, Srimad Bhagvatam, Vishnu Sutra, etc.

THE MOSTAUTHENTIC HINDU SCRIPTURES ARE THE VEDAS

Amongst all the Hindu Scriptures, the Vedas are considered the most
authentic. No other Hindu Scriptures overrule the Vedas. If there is a
contradiction between the Vedas and any other Hindu scripture, the opinion
of the Vedas will prevail, according to Hindu Scholars.

The concept of Revelation in Hinduism and islam 31

THE CONCEPT OF PROPHETHOOD IN
HINDUISM AND ISLAM

MESSENGERS IN ISLAM
Messengers or Prophets of Almighty God are persons chosen by
Almighty God to communicate His message to the people.

Messengers were sent to every nation

a. To every people (was sent) a Messenger:
when their Messenger comes (before them), the matter
will be judged between them with justice,
and they will not be wronged. (AI Qur'an 10:47)
b. For We assuredly sent amongst every people a messenger
(with the command), “Serve Allah, and eschew evil"’.
Of the people were some whom Allah guided,
and some on whom error became inevitably (established).
So travel through the eadh, and see what was the end of
those who denied (the Truth).
(AI Qur'an 16:36)
c. And there never was a people, without a warner having lived
among them (in the past).
(AI Qur'an 35:24)
d. And to every people a guide.
(Al Qur'an 13:7)

25 PROPHETS ARE MENTIONED BY NAME IN THE QUR'AN

There are 25 Prophets mentioned by name in the Glorious Qur'an - Adam,
Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon them).

STORIES OF ONLY SOME PROPHETS MENTIONED IN THE QUR'AN

It is mentioned in the Qur'an:

The Goncept of Prophethood in Hinduism and Islam 32

 a. Of some messengers We have already told you the story;
of others we have not, and to Moses Allah spoke direct.
(Al Qur'an 4:164)
b. We did aforetime send Messengers before you:
of them there are some whose story We have related to you,
and some whose story We have not related to you.
(Al Qur'an 40:78)

124,000 PROPHETS SENT BYALLAH

According to a Sahih Hadith in Mishkatul Masaabih Vol. 3 Hadith 5737 and
Musnad Ahmad Vol. S Pages 265-266:
“There were 124,000 prophets sent by Allah (swt)."

PREVIOUS PROPHETS WERE SENT ONLY FOR THEIR PEOPLE

All the prophets that came before Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) were sent for
their people and nation, and the complete message they preached was
meant only for that time.

PROPHET MUHAMMAD (PBUH) IS THE LAST AND FINAL

MESSENGER
It is mentioned in Surah Al Ahzaab:
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)

PROPHET MUHAMMAD (PBUH) SENT FOR WHOLE OF HUMANKIND

Since Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the last and final messenger of Allah
(swt), he was sent not only for the Muslims or the Arabs but he was sent for
the whole of humankind. It is mentioned in the Qur'an:
a. We sent you not, but as a mercy for all creatures.
(Al Qur'an 21:107)
b. We have not sent you
but as a universal (Messenger) to men,

The Goncept of Prophethood in Hinduism and Islam 33

 giving them glad tidings,
and warning them (against sin),
but most men understand not.
(AI Qur'an 34:28)
c. It is mentioned in Sahih AI Bukhari:
“Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) said every prophet used to be sent
to his nation only but I have been sent to whole of humankind.”
(Sahih Al Bukhari Vol. 1 Book of Salaah 56 Hadith 429)

AVATAARS AND MESSENGERS IN HINDUISM

1. Avataar according to common Hindus Common Hindus have the
following concept ofAvataar. Avataar is the Sanskrit term where ‘Av’ means
‘down’ and ‘tr’ means ‘passover’. Thus ‘Avataar’ means ‘to descend down’
or ‘to come down’. The meaning of ‘Avataar’ in the Oxford Dictionary is, “(In
Hindu Mythology) the descent of a deity or released soul to earth in bodily
form”. In simple words, Avataar according to common Hindus means
Almighty God coming down to earth in bodily form.
A common Hindu believes that Almighty God comes down to the earth in
some bodily form to protect the religion, to set an example or to set the rules
for human beings.
There is no reference ofAvataars 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 Itihaasas.
(i) It is mentioned in the most popular and widely read book of
Hinduism, the Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4 Verses 7-8:
“Whenever there is a decay of righteousness, O Bharata,
and a rise of unrighteousness, then I manifest Myself.
For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked and for the
establishment of righteousness, I am born in every age.”
(Bhagavad Gita 4:7-8)

ii) It is mentioned in Bhagawata Purana:

“Whenever there is deterioration in righteousness and waxing of sinfulness,
the glorious lord incarnates himself.” (Bhagawata Purana 9:24:56)

The Goncept of Prophethood in Hinduism and Islam 34