Hinduism can be considered one of the oldest living religions known to humanity. This Eastern religion is approximately 4,000 years old, and the origins of the word Hindu in its name can be traced back to Sanskrit, an ancient language that is no longer spoken (Hinduism, n.d.). In contrast, Islam, an Abrahamic religion founded in the modern-day Middle East, counts its history from the seventh century (Islam, n.d.). As such, Islam is approximately 2,700 years younger than Hinduism, which offers an opportunity for an interesting comparison.
Key commonalities between Hinduism and Islam can be found in the usage of religious rituals and texts. For example, both religions include a holy pilgrimage — the Hindus dip their bodies in the Ganges River, whereas the Muslims undertake the Hajj, a spiritual journey to Mecca (Action, n.d.). In both instances, pilgrimage can be perceived as an act of commitment to the faith, the demonstration of willingness to endure the hardships of the long trip to perform a sacred action. In this regard, pilgrimages strengthen the religion, as pilgrims unite in large communities along the way to their destination.
In addition, both Hinduism and Islam rely on sacred texts to transmit religion effectively. For example, fundamental concepts of Hinduism are expressed in the collection of scriptures collectively known as the Veda (Hinduism, n.d.). Likewise, the principal tenets of Islam are written in Qur’an, the holy book given to the prophet Muhammad as a revelation from Allah (Islam, n.d.). Sacred scriptures can be perceived as a reliable and accurate way of sharing divine wisdom and inducting new believers into faith. As a result, organized religions such as Hinduism and Islam utilize holy texts in addition to oral transmission.
However, Hinduism and Islam are fundamentally different in terms of core beliefs and doctrines. Most importantly, Islam has a founder in the prophet Muhammad, who received the final revelation directly from Allah. In contrast, Hinduism has no founder with strong moral authority, which offers the Hindus a greater degree of personal freedom in religious practices (Categorizing Religions, n.d.). Furthermore, Islam is a monotheistic religion in which one God — Allah, is supreme; the Five Pillars and Qur’an given by Allah to Muhammad are undeniable truths for all Muslims (Islam, n.d.). On the contrary, Hinduism is henotheistic — there is no transcendent god. Instead, the Hindus worship Brahman, a supreme transcendent power that can manifest itself as many gods (Hinduism, n.d.). The significantly stricter structure of Islam can be explained by its connection to other monotheistic Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism and Christianity. As the youngest Abrahamic religion, Islam took many fundamental concepts from Judaism and Christianity, including the transcendent God and a founder prophet. In contrast, Hinduism developed as a unique system of beliefs.
Overall, the comparison of Hinduism and Islam confirms that seemingly different religions can have commonalities. Despite the difference in fundamental concepts, such as the nature and number of gods and the presence of a clear founder, religions may include similar rituals and means of transmission. By noticing the similarities and differences between world religions, one can improve their understanding of beliefs expressed by other people and trace the origins of their emergence. Consequently, this knowledge would facilitate communication with representatives of various religious groups and clarify the logic behind their beliefs and actions.
References
(n.d.). Action [MOOC]. In Approaches to Studying Religions. Sophia Learning. Web.
(n.d.). Categorizing Religions [MOOC]. In Approaches to Studying Religions. Sophia Learning. Web.
(n.d.). Hinduism [MOOC]. In Approaches to Studying Religions. Sophia Learning. Web.
(n.d.). Islam [MOOC]. In Approaches to Studying Religions. Sophia Learning. Web.