Comparative Study Between Islaam And Hinduism Part - 3

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).

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.

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]

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.

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]

Common Questions Asked By Hindus About Islam

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.