Category Islam

Mar 14 2014

A Comparative Study Of Major World Religions

A Comparative Study Of Major World Religions

Islam

  • Emphasis on practical life.
  • Belief in Judgement Day (Sinners).
  • Monotheistic.
  • Founder: Muhammad (SM).
  • Time and Place: 6th century Arabia. Jahiliyyah Period (“ignorance of divine guidance”).
  • Muhammad (SM) with the help of his spiritual, political and military leadership, established a level of peace and security that Arabia had never known before.
  • Eschatology figures: Jesus, Imam Mahdi and Dajjal.
  • Allah’s Apostle said, “The Hour will not be established until the son of Maryam (Jesus) descends amongst you as a just ruler; he will break the cross, kill the swine, and abolish the Jizya tax. Wealth will be in abundance so that nobody will accept it.” [1]
  • When the Mahdi appears, Allah will cause such power of vision and hearing to be manifested in believers that the Mahdi will call to the whole world from where he is, with no postman involved, and they will hear and even see him. [2]
  • The Messenger of Allah say: “The Mahdi is of my lineage and family”. [2]  
 
 

Christianity

  • Emphasis on inner purity. Soul. God’s Kingdom over worldly life.
  • Monotheistic.
  • Founder: Jesus Christ.
  • Eschatology figures: Jesus (Second coming) and Anti-Christ.

 

 
 

Buddhism

  • Find happiness. End sufferings.
  • Science of mind.
  • Karma. Reincarnation.
  • Founder: Gautama Buddha.
  • Agnostic views about God.
  • Eschatology figure: Maitreya. A future Buddha of the world. World Teacher [4].
  • One mention of the prophecy of Maitreya is in the Sanskrit text, the Maitreyavyākaraṇa (The Prophecy of Maitreya). It implies that he is a teacher of meditative trance sadhana and states that gods, men and other beings:
    • “will lose their doubts, and the torrents of their cravings will be cut off: free from all misery they will manage to cross the ocean of becoming; and, as a result of Maitreya’s teachings, they will lead a holy life. No longer will they regard anything as their own, they will have no possession, no gold or silver, no home, no relatives! But they will lead the holy life of oneness under Maitreya’s guidance. They will have torn the net of the passions, they will manage to enter into trances, and theirs will be an abundance of joy and happiness, for they will lead a holy life under Maitreya’s guidance.” (Trans. in Conze 1959:241) [4]
 
 

Hinduism

  • Inner Life, purity of consciousness / soul.
  • Karma. Reincarnation.
  • Oneness. Everything is one with the divine. God is everywhere.
  • Founder: No one particular founder. Saints and sages of ages.

 

    • Eschatology figure: Kalki (meaning ‘Eternity,’ ‘White Horse,’ or ‘Destroyer of Filth’). He will usher in Satya Yuga.
  • “At the end of Kali Yuga, when there exist no topics on the subject of God, even at the residences of so-called saints and respectable gentlemen, and when the power of government is transferred to the hands of ministers elected from the evil men, and when nothing is known of the techniques of sacrifice, even by word, at that time the Lord will appear as the supreme chastiser.” – Bhagavata Purana, 2.7.38 [5]
 


What is the fate of all the major religions? All of them confluencing through their eschatology? Only God knows the answer. Time will reveal.

 
 
 
References
Jan 8 2014

Conflicting Interest in Regional Dominance is Nurturing Militants and Extremists in Middle East: Is this Acceptable?

In Middle East, regional dominance and Shiite-Sunni conflict is giving rise to and encouraging militants and extremists.Saudi Arabia and it’s allies and Iran and it’s allies are in opposite groups, with Saudi Arabia being Sunni dominant and Iran being Shiite dominant.

 

Because of power conflict and interest in regional dominance, both sides are encouraging groups of opposing militants and extremists.

But does “Islam”, a word derived from “Salam”, which literally means “peace”, really encourage or even approve such conflicts?
Suicide and collateral damage are forbidden in Islam and the person who commits suicide is destined to go to hell.
Prophet Muhammad declared unity of humanity in his last sermon, “All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action.” [1]

In the age of globalization, it’s the mutual economic relationship and mutual economic engagement, not military engagement, that brings prosperity.



Follow-ups

Reference

Dec 20 2013

সঠিক ইসলামী পথ প্রদর্শন

ইসলামী চেতনা যাতে আক্রমণাত্মক মৌলবাদের দিকে ভুল পথে না যায় বাংলাদেশ সেক্ষেত্রে সারা পৃথিবীর জন্য রোল মডেল হতে পারে।

আমরা ইসলাম যে শান্তির পথ নির্দেশ করে (ইসলাম শব্দটি এসেছে “সালাম” থেকে; সালাম অর্থ “শান্তি”) এবং সহিংসতা, আত্মহত্যাকে চরম পাপ বলে গণ্য করে সে পথ দেখিয়ে, আধুনিক জ্ঞানবিজ্ঞান এর প্রচার ও প্রসার ঘটিয়ে (“বিদ্বানের কলমের কালি শহীদের রক্তের চেয়ে বেশি পবিত্র” – হাদিস), একে অপরের মতামতকে সম্মান করতে শিখিয়ে জনগণকে সঠিক পথে রাখব।

আমাদের চিন্তা ভাবনা, মূল্যবোধ, ধ্যান – ধারণায় পার্থক্য থাকতে পারে – কিন্তু একসাথে বসে আলোচনা করলে আমাদের মাঝের দূরত্বটুকু দূর হয়ে যায়।