Appreciating Religious Differences

POLITICS. Sumera Bilgrami. Aug 30 2008

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An online discussion prompted me to write on religion. Since religion is the hot debate around the world today and like politics people seem to form opinions based on popular hype and discuss it with out researching themselves the root causes for it, with a open heart and mind.

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I am a Muslim, a proud one. I am proud to be a Pakistani. Unfortunately in a global society any adherence to ones local culture and belief is considered a faux pas. I disagree strongly!!!

I think we as human beings are being forcefully made to be part of an evil system that we don’t recognize!! Why should we all wear the same global uniform when were made to be different? It’s against nature to be global! No two human beings are alike, hell, no two parts of your body are alike!!

I wonder where does globalization emphasizes the beauty of difference. Nature has so many shades; the whole universe is “not global” even though it runs on an entirely disciplined system, that doesn’t require our humanistic interference or feedback. Yet the system is harmonious and runs perfectly!!! The question arises who is the creator of all this and MORE IMPORTANTLY what was his intention after all this creation?

Why couldn’t we learn from it?

We follow those who in the name of technological advancement and control earth in the name of globalization have destroyed the earth halfway. Who have no clue how return to earths original glory, who KNOW they have messed up big time and are distracting the earth by inflicting war, food crises, and globalization.

We know that History was never devoid of guidance from God. Wherever there was man there was guidance. There were always massagers being sent to earth who extended Gods messages to its people. The messages were always of, unity, love, peace, and a strong belief in GOD.

Before Islam people only had a concept of a ’higher power’, and they sought after it in various forms and worshipping natural elements, suns, moons, stars, animals, water, fire, earth, air etc or man made demigods which they thought identified with a real god, these were all attempts to understand that higher power but no one found the real path.

Islam was the LAST of all the classical religions sent on earth. The big five. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Judaism. These were the major religions, and all other religions primarily were an offshoot of these.

Before Islam there were many prophets sent on earth in Muslim history the number is 124000 of them were sent as guidance on earth and 4 holy books are mentioned in Qur’an which testify as the guidance sent to the Allah’s people on earth.

These four messengers and their holy books as acknowledged by Quran. They are the Suhuf-i-Ibrahim (commonly the Scrolls of Abraham), the (Tawrat (Torah),the Zabur (commonly the Psalms), the Injil (commonly the Gospel), and the Qur’an.

Hence, it was the FINAL ENLIGHTMENT, the word of ONE GOD. The Quran.

Muslims believe and pray to one only God, who sent his message to the prophet and discarded all the beliefs by manifesting

In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Say: He is Allah, the One and Only!

Allah, the Eternal, Absolute;

He begetteth not nor is He begotten. (born out of, or with)

And there is none like unto Him.

Which clarified his intentions of putting an end to all the other practices prevailing in ancient history, that is why we believe that Islam is the “enlightenment period” in Arab before that was “Days of Ignorance”, please also know the time line of Origin of Religion

And Important Dates in History:

c. 2000 BC: Time of Abraham, the patriarch of Israel.

c. 1200 BC: Time of Moses, the Hebrew leader of the Exodus.

c. 1100 - 500 BC: Hindus compile their holy texts, the Vedas.

c. 563 - 483 BC: Time of Buddha, founder of Buddhism.

c. 551 - 479 BC: Time of Confucius, founder of Confucianism.

c. 200 BC: The Hindu book, Bhagavad Gita, is written.

c. 2 to 4 BC - 32 AD: Time of Jesus Christ, the Messiah and founder of Christianity.

c. 32 AD: The Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

c. 40 - 90 AD: The New Testament is written by the followers of Jesus Christ.

c. 570 - 632 AD: Time of Muhammad, who records the Qur’an as the basis of Islam.

following are some good informative links that i found on web.