Message on Muharram

O Learned and Devoted Servants of God,

The Greatest Religion

Islam is a great religion in this world and I am not making this statement without reason. The reason is that Islam is the only religion, which deals with practical spiritual efforts only without any trace of theoretical gossip. This religion shows excellent tolerance to the other religions. Islam says that you should protect the non-believers of Islam also if they pray for protection from you. After protecting them you can give the message of “Allah” and send them to a protected place. After protection, the protected person will show great interest to hear the message. This is the message of Islam and all the other religions should appreciate this. This proves the broad mindedness of this greatest religion. Islam says “Allahussamad”. It means that everything and everybody depends on “Allah” and Allah does not depend on anything or anybody. The same statement is found in Holy Veda (Hinduism) “Yato Jātāni jīvanti, Yekena Vijñātena” which means that this entire world depends on Brahman only. Brahman in Hinduism, Allah in Islam and Jehovah in Christianity mean the same all-pervading formless Lord. The Gita (Hinduism) also says the same “Mayi sarvamidaṃ protam”, which means that the entire world depends on the Brahman.

Sacrifice of Wealth

Holy Islam speaks about the sacrifice of fruit of work (money) through the word ‘Jakaat’. This word says that every rich man is expected to practice the sacrifice within the limit of his wealth. Islam says that people love money too much (Khudaan: Aal Fajr – 20). Islam says that by sacrifice of money your wealth will not decrease and in fact your wealth increases by sacrifice. Islam also mentions that by sacrifice of money your wealth becomes most pure. It says that by the sacrifice of money, you have followed the instruction of Allah and Allah will be immensely pleased with you. The Holy Bible also says the same “Where your money lies, there your heart lies”. The Veda also says that the sacrifice of money will please the Lord (Dhanena tyāge naike). The Gita also emphasizes throughout the scripture that one can please the Lord only by sacrifice of the fruit of the work (money). The Gita says “Karmajaṃ buddhiyuktā hi phalaṃ tyaktvā” which means that realized scholars would sacrifice the fruit of their work (money). Islam says that one should keep the wealth required for the maintenance of himself and his family. This is also told in the Veda that one should keep the minimum required wealth for family expenses and the rest should be sacrificed for the work of the Lord which should not be stored (Tyaktena bhuñjīdhāḥ). Islam says that the love on Allah should be greater than the love on money. Islam says that “Inkhiad” which means to accept the message of Allah by mouth is not the final. But “Kabul” which means to know the message of Allah and practice is essential. According to Islam Allah says that if the message is not practiced there is no use. Exactly this wonderful concept is emphasized in the Veda and the Gita. The Veda says that words and feelings do not touch the Lord. Only sacrifice of wealth can prove the real love on the Lord (Yato vāco nivartante aprāpya manasā saha, Dhanena tyāgena). The Gita also says that real sacrifice of the fruit of work is greater than the knowledge and devotion (Dhyānāt karma phala tyāgaḥ). In the Bible also, Jesus asks a rich man to sacrifice wealth. But the rich man fails to do it. Then Jesus says that ‘A camel may pass through the eye of the needle but a rich man can never reach God’.

Islam wants that one should not overenjoy the wealth. It is also told in the Gita (Bhogaiśvarya prasaktānām). Over enjoyment (bhoga) brings diseases (roga). Islam accepts the existence of the soul and says that it cannot be seen by the naked eyes. The Gita also says the same exactly (Vimūḍhāḥ nānupaśyanti). Islam and Christianity say that there will be final enquiry and the non-believers will be thrown into the hell, which is the everlasting fire according to Christianity. The Gita also says the same (Kṣipāmyāsura yoniṣu). According to Islam and Christianity there is no rebirth for the soul. Hinduism accepts the rebirth but if the inner essence of Hinduism is understood, it is not contradicting the other two religions. According to Hinduism there is no human rebirth for the soul (Jantūnāmṃ narajanma durlabhamidam – Shankara). The essence of all the three religions in this point is like this: The human rebirth is impossible according to Hinduism. Therefore, rebirth in the other two religions means the human birth only i.e., there is no human birth again for any soul. The hell and everlasting fire is nothing but the rebirth as animal or worm in drainage. Once one enters the cycle of such births, the soul will not return back to the human birth.

Islam says that the sin was also created by Allah and says that Allah knows the logic behind it. Veda also says the same point exactly “Sa Idaṃ sarvamasṛjata”. What is the logic in the creation of the sin by the Lord? If only good exists and the fruit of good works i.e., happiness only exists. If the living beings are doing only good works, they have to continuously enjoy the happiness, which will definitely bore. One cannot eat the sweets continuously. A break is necessary and some hot dish must be tasted during the continuous eating of sweets. The Gita also says that both summer and winter are essential for real enjoyment (Śītoṣṇa sukha duḥkhadāḥ). This logic proves that the Lord was very kind to His children in creating the sin.

Practical Spirituality

Hindus mainly concentrate in prayers, which is the sacrifice of words. Christians are mainly concentrating on love and kindness, which is the sacrifice of mind. But Muslims are concentrating on the practical sacrifice, which is the spiritualism in action. Muslims do not believe in showing love through words and feelings. Their tradition is to show love in practice through actions. A Muslim prays the Lord on every day for certain number of times. Whether it is a holiday or not, whether the time of prayer is convenient or not, a Muslim does the prayer even if he is in the journey. Hindus are praying in the leisure time on every day. Christians are praying throughout Sunday, which is a holiday. But see a Muslim! Irrespective of the day and time he prays the Lord. This firm faith, regularity and discipline of a Muslim pleases the Lord to a great extent. The entire world must learn this aspect from the great Islam. Similarly, the entire world must learn the tolerance from the great Hinduism. Any Hindu worships different forms of the same God. From this everybody should learn the tolerance to respect the various forms of God of different religions. Similarly, the world must learn the love and kindness shown by Christians even towards their enemies. They fund even the spiritual centers of other religions due to their immense love. You should think that you are neither a Hindu, nor a Muslim, nor a Christian. You are a man belonging to the entire universe. For you all the religions should be one and the same.

All the Hindus, Muslims, Christians and people following other religions are brothers only. One should love all the religions. One must help any person in this world irrespective of the religion and the great Islam emphasized on this aspect by saying that a Muslim should not harm the person of any other religion and in fact he should protect the person of other religion and send him to a protected place. This point should be followed by the people of all the religions. This is My main message to all Muslims on the eve of this Holy Muhurram festival.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★