A Hindu Muslim diaglogue - Part V

Saturday, August 26, 2006
The Ruzan Shah correspondence - A Hindu-Muslim dialogue - Part V

Dear Ruzan Shah,

Muslims quote the Quran to say that Allah has no family. But I think Muslims have by and large chosen to read the Quran literarily. The Sufis appear to have got more into the spirit of the Quran and they would certainly say that Allah has a family and we, his creation, are his family.

If you believe that the Vedas prophesied the birth of Mohammad thousands of years before his birth, I have no problem. Do tell me, what exactly did they say about Mohammad? That he would be the final messenger of Allah? Muslims are really stretching their imagination on this one!

When you say God has no pratimas or pictures, what you are saying is that Islam prohibits man from having pratimas or pictures of his concept of God or the divinity. Hindu culture does not restrict anyone from expressing his religious or spiritual experiences. Thus, Hinduism - the colourful culture.

You say that Allah has spoken not just to the Arabs but to peoples of all races and ages. He would have certainly spoken to the Hindus too, largely in Sanskrit though. And since God is unlikely to have contradicted himself and yet we see so much differences of approach to God, we have to conclude that religions are more about Man’s hearing than God’s speaking. This must surely be so, particularly since Muslims have only one Quran - of which not a comma has changed since the prophet first uttered it - and yet so many sects and sub-sects are flourishing. If Hindus have manifoldly more sects and sub-sects, it is only because their religions are older.

Praying to man’s expressions of his divine experience is just another way of praying to God. I challenge you to pray to the creator or the ultimate without using the word Allah. If you can’t, you are also in the idol worshiping category. If you can, then get rid of the idol made of sound called Allah. You will then come to the Hindu concept of Nirguna Bhraman.

Let me make it clear. When I say Hindu culture, I mean the general atmosphere of acceptance of many ways to God and by religion I mean the special way you choose for yourself to reach God. Hindu culture has nurtured and nourished innumerable religions down through the ages.

Love,
Venu

12:29:20 AM
Posted By VenuGopal Comment (1) Politics