Similarities between Islam and Hinduism (beliefs, experience, worship, God)

[maro]

http://www.islamawareness.net/Hinduism/


Quote : In the series of articles on this subject, we shall seek to find similarities or common ground between two major religions of the world: Hinduism and Islam. The approach adopted in this work is based on the following verse of the Glorious Qur’an:

Surah Ali Imran Chapter 3 Verse 64:

Say “O People Of the Book!
Come to common terms
As between us and you:
That we worship none but Allah;
That we associate no partners with Him;
That we erect not, From among ourselves,
Lords and patrons other than Allah.”
If then they turn back,
Say ye: “Bear witness That we (at least)
Are Muslims (bowing To Allah’s Will).’
(Al Qur’an 3:64)

[xexon]

All religions borrow little bits and pieces of other religions.


x

[Seyorni]

One essential feature of Hinduism is the concept of multiple realities, or multiple levels of consciousness of reality. Thus a Hindu can say both that there is one God and that there are ten; that toasters are real and exist and that they are illusions and devoid of reality.
As far as I know Islam, with the possible exception of Sufism, has no concept of multiple levels of reality.

[maro]

Originally Posted by Seyorni

As far as I know Islam, with the possible exception of Sufism, has no concept of multiple levels of reality.

This is true ,in islam , there is only one reality , one God , and fixed beliefs
but i am sure we can still find some similarities

[Seyorni]

Originally Posted by maro

This is true ,in islam , there is only one reality , one God , and fixed beliefs
but i am sure we can still find some similarities

No doubt we can, my friend, and the link you provided does a remarkable job of it, but I get the impression the learned author is carefully picking similar sounding nuggets from two very different systems of thought. He seems to be ignoring the big picture and focusing on certain similar passages.

Let me play a little game with you. You say you believe in one reality? I say you believe in two. Consider:

Did you sleep last night? Did you dream? Perhaps you don't remember your dreams, but the fact is we all do dream.
When you're in a dream state I'm pretty sure you're oblivious of the waking state. Your dream is your world; your reality. You're unaware you're dreaming; that your dream-world will disappear when you wake up. If a pack of wolves chases you in your dream you feel real fear. If you dream of a beautiful woman you feel real arousal. That dream is reality #1.
OK, now you're awake. The experience of the waking state is real to you. If a pack of wolves were to chase you... &c, &c. This waking state is your reality #2. So, unless you deny experiencing dreams, I hold that you experience and believe in two realities.

QED.

[maro]

what i understand from you is that you consider your reality is what you percieve it to be ,
but this is not true for me , if i am sleeping , the only fixed certain reality is that i am sleeping calmly in my bed,
no matter what i percieve it to be in my dreams ,

it's very true that we can have hundreds or thousands of perceptions according to our different states of mind ,
but we still have only one reality ,
and it is not going to change just because we are not able to percieve it right

[Seyorni]

You are correct. There is only one objective Reality, but there are several subjective states of reality/consciousness.

I would respectfully disagree with your assessment of your dreams not being a distinct, subjective reality. Your dream world is real to you when you are dreaming it. You are aware of no other and you react to your dream experiences as you do to "real" stimuli.

I'd also like to clarify what I mean by perceptions and realities.
Of course we can have thousands of perceptions, but they occur within the framework of one of several subjective realities. The realities I speak of aren't collections of perceptions, they're not products of the perceptions. They are Gestalts. The perceptions are a products of the reality.

I like your last statement: "...it [I'm reading 'objective Reality' here] is not going to change just because we are not able to perceive it right." This hints at the essense and goal of Hinduism: the quest to "perceive it right."

[maro]

Originally Posted by Seyorni

. Your dream world is real to you when you are dreaming it. You are aware of no other and you react to your dream experiences as you do to "real" stimuli

This is true , but this doesn't mean it's real , as long as it exists no where except my head ,
the only reality is still that i am sleeping ,
but my dreams are only , Fake perceptions of reality ,

And i think what we should do in this life is to wake up from our dreams , and percieve things the way they are

and here is what the quran says about , disabled perception of some people

So have they not traveled through the earth and have hearts by which to reason and ears by which to hear? For indeed, it is not eyes that are blinded, but blinded are the hearts which are within the breasts.(22:46)

[Seyorni]

Originally Posted by maro

This is true , but this doesn't mean it's real , as long as it exists no where except my head ,
the only reality is still that i am sleeping ,
but my dreams are only , Fake perceptions of reality ,

It is small "r" real; subjectively real. Subjective reality is not really Real, it is an illusion -- but a convincing one, and the only one we have. And guess what, It's all in your head, the whole world, birth to death, all in your head.

And i think what we should do in this life is to wake up from our dreams, and percieve things the way they are

OK, now this is getting spooky. Are you sure you're not Hindu? I may be mistaken about the lack of concordance.

I agree completely, but keep in mind that your ordinary waking consciousness is as much a "fake perception of reality" as your sleeping dream is. Your ordinary, awake perception of the world is just another level of dream, completely unreal, completely illusory. Matrix redux. All this becomes glaringly and mind-bogglingly apparent when we "wake up" into fourth or fifth state consciousness and begin to "perceive things the way they are."

and here is what the quran says about , disabled perception of some people

So have they not traveled through the earth and have hearts by which to reason and ears by which to hear? For indeed, it is not eyes that are blinded, but blinded are the hearts which are within the breasts.(22:46)

[lilithu]

All I have to say is... cool thread!