Comparison of Islam and Hinduism

Every culture is based on a particular religion. Diverse individuals follow different types of religion depending on birth or choice. The most common religions are Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. The religions have different and similar aspects in terms of festivals, practices, and beliefs. Apart from Christianity, Islam and Hinduism remain the most practices religions. Islam is an Abrahamic faith that is based on the teaching of the Quran, and its followers are the Muslims. On the other hand, Hinduism is an Eastern religion practiced in the Indian subcontinents. There are various philosophies and sects in Hinduism such as Advaita, Shaivism, and Shaktism. Islam and Hinduism have their traditions, beliefs, and practices. The two religions are similar in several extents of their practices.

            To start with, both Hinduism and Islam trusts in the existence of a higher power, God, and the Lord of the world. They have accepted that God is the giver of life and sustainer of all living and non-living creatures. He is also the foundation and source of the divine law that are known as dharma for the Hinduism. God upheld these divine laws through his holy will. Both Islam and Hinduism also believe that He is generous to provide humans with free will and as a result, all individuals are responsible for their actions and choices. He also possesses the power and knowledge to give and execute His will to everything that moves or moves not.

             Islam calls their Allah by 99 names. Hinduism also calls their Braham by multiple titles and by recognizing the names and reciting them one can realize His presence. Both the two religions confess that He replies to their prayers and desires of His disciples and bequests them harmony, happiness, and success. God cherishes the people who cherish Him and forgives them their sins and ignorant behaviors. He also loves everyone equally. Hinduism also has faith that God is the Supreme Being and all creations are His belongings. In Islam, people believe that God’s believers are like a body sharing similar experiences in love and compassionate towards each other.

            Both faiths support peacefulness and respect of human life. “In the Jewish custom, anyone who kills a human life…it is like he ends the lives of all humans and anyone who protects a life; it is like he has protected the human kind.” (6.160). Hinduism and Isam have faith in the syndicate of the pious and not reacting to immoral acts. “In case a person hears  a slander against him or her, he is supposed to reject it and say to it that he or she does not crave the syndicate of the uninformed.”(28.54). Moreover, Hinduism is a lenient faith. Hindu followers trust that every person has a freedom to follow a trail in harmony with the inner feeling and spiritual beliefs and meddling with the path would need one to take accountability for another person’s redemption. The Hindus believe that chasing the truth is much more significant than faith or doubt in God or a specific divinity. On the other hand, Muslims do not recognize any other faith unless it is identified in the Quran. However, the religion respects all individuals believing in Divinity, who are pious and not wicked, regardless of their religion.

             Both Hinduism and Islam believe in the moral responsibility of every person towards each other in the exercise of virtues such as forgiveness, righteousness, humility, kindness, love, self-control in drinking and eating, mercy, compassion, faithfulness, clarity, and patience. Excluding the variances in the facts, Hinduism and Islam have faith in the last demolition of the creation and the liberation of the holy and clean by God. Hindus have faith in the law of Karma. Muslims trusts that Lord rewards moral actions while evil deeds are punishable. As a result, the Quran says, “anyone who engages in good deeds, he or she will be rewarded ten-fold, and anyone engages in immoral acts, he will be rewarded with evil.” (5.32) The two faiths believe that God protects the righteous when they are faced with stressful situations and replies to their call for aid depending on their faith and commitment.

            According to the beliefs and practices of the two religions, a work is sacred when it respects the will of God. Both Hindus and Muslims believe in the existence of a superior being, God, who upheld divine laws to guide people’s action. As a result, for a work to be sacred it has to obey these divine laws. The work must also respect all individuals irrespective of their religion or personal beliefs. Human life is precious within the religions and as a result, any action should appreciate human life and the inner conscious of all individuals. The work should encourage moral responsibility among the people and in turn, promoting harmonious coexistence. Moreover, for a work to be sacred, it has to encourage good deeds since the religious belief that God will always repay right actions and punish evil deeds.

Works Cited

Ali Yusuf. “The Holy Qur'an.” Arabic Text. Accessed from http://www.sacred-                              texts.com/isl/quran/index.htm

Edwin Arnold. The Bhagavad Gita. Sacred Texts: Hinduism, 1885. Accessed from                               http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/gita/