I REFER to the programme, Tonight With Dr Zakir Naik, aired on May 11. The topic discussed was “Similarities between Hinduism and Islam”. There were some inaccuracies and I wish to explain it for the benefit of the viewers.
Zakir stated that the word “Hindu” was actually a Persian word used by the Arabs and referred to Jawaharlal Nehru’s The Discovery Of India.
Nehru was not a Vedic scholar and neither is the word of Persian origin. It is a Sanskrit word from the word “Himsa” which means violence and “Du” which means distant. So, Hindu means a religion which has no violence.
He recited incomplete verses from the Vedas and Uphanishads such as Ekam evadvitiyam which means “He is One only without a second”. However, the complete verse is Ekam-evadvitiyam brahman, which means “Brahman is one, one only, without a second”. Half-quoted verses will only confuse people.
It must be understood that whatever verses in the Hindu scriptures that use the words formless, imageless, pure, no likeness, great, beyond one’s imagination, eternal, almighty, etc are referring exclusively to the Brahman. He attempts to draw the similarities here, but the fact remains that the formless God for Hindus is Brahman.
It appears he is confused between the words ‘Brahma’ and ‘Brahman’. He stated: “Muslims can have no objection if Almighty God is referred to as Khaaliq or Creator or Brahma. However, if it is said that Brahma is Almighty God who has four heads with each head having a crown, Muslims take strong exception to it.”
Brahma is an attribute. The Brahman is the almighty formless creator. They are two separate issues. The four faces of Brahma are symbolic of an inner meaning only. Similarly, with Vishnu. If Vedas were understood correctly, one would realise that Brahma, Vishnu and Siva are the three potencies in Man.
Zakir also said there were four types of Vedas. Actually there is only One Veda, divided into four parts. Unknown to many, the Bhagavad Gita, which is the essence of Veda itself, forms the fifth Veda. The language of the Vedas is very ancient and contains many archaic elements of grammar and vocabulary. According to Hindu scriptures, Vedas had no beginning and did not originate at any period of time and it existed before they were revealed to the sages, among them being Atharvan, Angiras, Agastya and Bharadvaja.
The concept of Avatar (the formless Brahman manifesting in human form) was also questioned. According to Hindu scriptures, the Vedas were revealed to the sages before any advent of any Avatar. The purpose of an Avatar is to protect and foster the principals in the Vedas whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice. Thus the purpose of an Avatar is stated in the fifth Veda.
To understand and to obtain information from the Vedas, one cannot rely on translations. It’s an ancient document that also speaks the language of symbols and one has to be well versed in Vedic vocabulary and the technique to be able to interpret it.
ARIFF SHAH R.K., George Town, Penang