Islam, Hinduism, Christianity and Other Religions Stand Together on the Attributes of a Vicegerent of God
By
Arman Neyazi, New Age Islam
8 July 2021
Humankind
Have The Examples Of The Holy Prophet Muhammad Pbuh, Jesus Christ, Bhagwan Shri
Ram, Shri Krishna, Guru Nanak And Other Religious Guides To Encourage Them To
Defend The Truth Against The Lies In The Darkest Hours Of Life On Earth
Main
Points:
1. Islam,
Hinduism Christianity Judaism and all other religious faith value the purity of
heart in a representative of God as the criteria of the Creator’s approval.
2. Because of
the worldwide attacks on innocent lives and mass abuse against humanity the
natural divine atmosphere of the world has changed into a devilish destructive
environment.
3. The
vicegerents of God are not supposed to be hopeless whatever the situation be.
4. The most
rewarding person is the one that carries the purest conscience.
5. Rebuilding a
morally engrossed society is not difficult once we start believing that we are
the representatives of the religions we are following.
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Islam,
Hinduism Christianity Judaism and all other religious faith and scriptures
value the purity of heart in a representative of God as the criteria of the
Creator’s approval. Unless the heart is pure of all evils, it cannot be an
abode of the Creator. Religious scriptures say that God resides in human beings
heart. This, therefore, is clear that a child is born with a pure heart with
God residing in it but the worldly atmosphere and the people without conscience
impure the heart and God lives but does not like such souls. Consider the
following:
"And
We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are
closer to him than [his] jugular vein" (Quran 50:16)
'HE' is
present in the heart of all living beings, including the plants and animals as
the super soul, next to the individual soul. (Bhagavad Geeta in Chapter 10
Verse 20)
“But if
Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is life
because of righteousness.” (Romans 8:10—“Christ is in you”)
Every soul
is in itself absolutely omniscient and blissful. The bliss does not come from
outside. (Mahavira)
All the religions have impressed upon the
necessity of character building for the morale-boosting characterisation of the
society. The most rewarding person is the one that carries the purest
conscience. Because we are social animals, our society plays vital roles in our
lives morality or immorality. The most
important role society plays in human life is that of the development of
conscience in a human being.
Creating
the Essence of a True Vicegerent of the Almighty Creator
The
prevailing social ethos of the society takes root in a man’s conscience and
develops it accordingly. Conscience building is not a conscious decision of the
person concerned. It develops naturally, taking the positive or negative
impressions it finds around, as the saying, 'child is the father of the man’ goes.
The immature conscience of a child unknowingly accepts the norms prevailing in
his surroundings. After the conscience is developed it forms the essence of the
heart and the mind. Thus, therefore, the purity, the nobility, the humility or
the opposite values of a person’s character depending on the surrounding he
lives in.
Humane
moral ethos is embedded in a child’s personality from his birth and it lives
till the person live. The noble Creator of the world sends a soul on the earth
with the best ideological essence needed to live a life of high moral character
so that he could spend his life here as a living morality and teach ethics to
others. But somehow with many of us, it does not happen. The few who could
sustain worldly distractions became Wali (God’s friend) and spiritual leaders.
Rebuilding a morally engrossed society is not difficult once we start believing
that we are the representatives of the religions we are following.
There are
innumerable noble men in our surroundings if we could identify them. The
characteristics of the divine personalities will have to be studied to identify
them. A nobleman carries an aura of positivities with him. A noble and
God-fearing man is a merchant of peace, love, compassion and tranquillity not
those of discord, distress and negativities.
All the
religions have specified the qualities of a person that is qualified for His
rewards. The foremost qualities of such godly noble persons are modesty,
patience, perseverance, knowledge, thinking, kindness to men and animals, love,
brotherhood and humility. The verses from the religious scriptures and epics
are the testimony of all the religions preaching of the same values for the
humankind.
(Photo courtesy: Amanah and Khilafah)
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Quranic
Ayat on the Characteristics of a Noble Person
Obey
Allah and His Messenger and do not dispute with one another, or you would be
discouraged and weakened. Persevere! Surely Allah is with those who persevere. (Surah Al-Anfal: 46) — Dr Mustafa
Khattab
Tell the
believing men to lower their gaze and be modest. That is purer for them. Lo!
Allah is aware of what they do. (Surah Al-Nur: 24) - Pickthall
Only
those who are patient shall receive their rewards in full, without Hisaab
(without limit, calculation, and estimation)."(Quran, 39:10).
"Travel
through the earth and see how Allah did originate creation'' (Quran 29:20)
''And
such are the Parables We set for mankind but none will understand them except
those who have Knowledge." (Quran 29:43).
"Worst
than the beast are those who do not understand (do not apply mind)" (Quran 8:22)
"Only
the learned know the secret of the universe" (Surah30: V22).
''…the
more you know, you are closer to Him.'' (Sarah 58: 11).
“Fear
Allah (SWT) in your treatment of animals.”
“And We
have sent you O Muhammad (SAW) not, but as a mercy for all of humankind, jinn
and all that exists.”
“Allah does not like that evil should be
uttered in public except by him who has been wronged.” - Surah An-Nisa (4): 148,
....
that ye may know each other (not that you may despise each other). ...” (49:13)
Prophetic
Traditions on the Importance of Noble Character of a Man
Nobody can
be given a blessing better and greater than patience (Sabr)." (Sahih
Al-Bukhari). Prophet also said: "As-Sabr (the patience) is
illumination." (Sahih Muslim).
Messenger of Allah (Pbuh), said: "Do not
cause harm or reciprocate harm. Whoever harms others, Allah will harm him.
Whoever is harsh with others, Allah will be harsh with him."
Messenger
of Allah (Pbuh) said: Prayer for a Muslim: Oh Allah I beg for Good Health and
Faith with Good Conduct (Al Bukhari).
Prophet
Muhammad (Peace be upon him) has observed: "God grants to gentleness
(Rifq) what He does not grant to violence ('Unf)." (Abu Daawood)
“A
prostitute was forgiven by Allah, because while passing by a panting dog near a
well and seeing that the dog was about to die of thirst, she took off her shoe,
and tying it with her head-cover she drew out some for it. So, Allah forgave
her that.” (Narrated by Prophet (PBUH) – Bukhari 59/127).
“A woman
was tortured and was put in Hell because of the cat which she locked up and
tied until it died of hunger.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari: 3318)
“You do not
do evil to those who do evil to you, but you deal with them with forgiveness
and kindness.” (Sahih Bukhari)
Verily
Allah does not look to your bodies nor your faces but He looks to your hearts.
-Prophet Muhammad (Sahih Muslim 2564)
“My entire
nation is safe, except Al-Mujahirin (those who boast of their sins). Among the
Mujaharah is that a man commits an (evil) act, and wakes up in the morning
while Allah has kept his (sin) a secret, he says: “O Fulan! Last night I did
this and that.” He goes to sleep while Allah has kept his (sin) a secret but he
wakes up in the morning and uncovers what Allah has kept a secret!” [Saheeh
Al-Bukhari]
“The most
perfect man in his faith among the believers is the one whose behaviour is the
most excellent, and the best of you are those who are the best to their wives.”
(Tirmidhi]
Hinduism
Advocates the Purity of Heart for being a True Vicegerent of God
The Pure of
Heart can find me in them. I do not come to Pretenders, Deceivers and Vicious
persons. (Ramcharitmanas)
“Let there
be oneness in your resolutions, hearts and minds; let the determination to live
with mutual cooperation be firm in you all”. (Rigveda, Mandala-10, Sukta-191,
Mantra-4)
“What, O
Krishna, is the description of him who has steady wisdom (the man of
perfection) is merged in the Superconscious State? How does one of steady
wisdom speak? How does he sit? How does he walk?” (2–54).
“When a man
completely casts off, O Arjuna, all the desires of the mind and is satisfied in
the Self by the Self, then is he said to be one of steady wisdom (the man of
perfection)!” (2–55).
“If you
remove all your desires (both good & bad desires from your mind), & fix
your mind only on Atma & nothing but Atma - you will be deemed to have
achieved Sthithaprajnathwam.” (2–54)
“He whose
mind is not shaken by adversity, who does not hanker after pleasures, and who
is free from attachment, fear and anger, is called a sage of steady wisdom.”
(2′56).
“He who is
everywhere without attachment, on meeting with anything good or bad, who
neither rejoices nor hates, his wisdom is fixed.” (2–57).
“The
turbulent senses, O Arjuna, do violently carry away the mind of a wise man
though he be striving (to control them)!” (2–60)
“The advice
I have given to you is neither incorrect nor coercive. Listen to it carefully,
contemplate over it, and then do what you wish.” ( (Ramayan) [v35])
Qualities
of a Vicegerent of God According to Christianity
‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no
commandment greater than these.”
Do nothing
from rivalry or conceit but in humility count others more significant than
yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)
Put on
then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness,
humility, meekness, and patience (Colossians 3:12)
Finally,
all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a
humble mind. (1 Peter 3:8)
For in him
the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, (Colossians 2:9)
“When a
stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall
treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall
love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the
Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:33-34)
Live in
harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.
Never be wise in your own sight. (Romans 12:16)
Do we not
all have one father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously
each against his brother so as to profane the covenant of our fathers? (Malachi
2:10)
But do not
be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. ( Matthew
25:40)
The King
will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it
to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.
(Matthew 23:8)
Be devoted
to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honour;
(Romans 12:10
Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather
appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers, (1 Timothy 5:1)
Forgiveness
Is an Important Virtue of a Godly Man in Judaism
A friend
loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. (Proverbs 17:17)
Iron
sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
Greater
love has no one than this that someone lay down his life for his friends. (John
15:13)
Pay
attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents,
forgive him, (Luke 17:3)
A man of
many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than
a brother. (Proverbs 18:24)
Finally,
all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a
humble mind. (1 Peter 3:8)
Let
brotherly love continue. (Hebrews 13:1)
If anyone says,
“I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his
brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. (1 John 4:20)
That no one
transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger
in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. (1
Thessalonians 4:6)
Let no
corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building
up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians
4:29)
Sikhism
Calls for Equality to be a Noble Man
“He who
regards all men as equals is religious.” ― Guru Nanak
On the
Necessity of Divinity in Our Soul
Because of
the worldwide attacks on innocent lives and mass abuse against humanity the
natural divine atmosphere of the world has changed into a devilish destructive
environment. Every face is littered with sorrow, disappointment and
frustratingly distressing emotions. This is a sign of doom. We should encourage
each other to get back to our old religious and spiritual ethos to get back to
the doorstep of humanity.
We will
again cultivate the essence of all those qualities that God the Almighty has
programmed in our soul, Insha’Allah. Accepted that there are more destructive
and devilish forces around than it was three-four decades ago but fighting the
unspiritual forces with our religious faith will also be more divine and an act
laced in spirituality than before.
The
vicegerents of Allah are not supposed to be hopeless whatever the situation be.
They have the examples of the Holy Prophet Muhammad Pbuh, Jesus Christ, Bhagwan
Shri Ram, Shri Krishna, Guru Nanak and other religious guides to encourage us
to defend the truth against the lies in the darkest hours of life on earth. ‘We
shall fight, we shall win’ should be the motto of every being in the fight
against immorality, abuses against fellow beings and death of spiritualism.
Consider
the following and try to be a true vicegerent of God on earth:
“The most
merciful person is the one who forgives when he is able to take revenge.” (Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS))
“Improve
your secret and private life, and Allah will improve your public and social
life. Make matters well between you and Allah, and Allah will make matters well
between you and people. Work for the Hereafter, and Allah will be enough for
you in your worldly concerns.” — Imam Sufyan ath-Thawri
“Every
individual soul is potentially divine”. (Swami Vivekananda)
And
Allah Knows the Best.
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Arman
Neyazi is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/vicegerent-hinduism-christianity-/d/125064