Qur’anic Verses And Vedic Verses

Similarities Between Islam And Hinduism - Part 9
By Dr. Zakir Naik


Some Similarities Between The Scriptures Of Hinduism And Islam Similarities Between Qur’anic Verses And Vedic Verses


There are several verses in the Veda which have a meaning similar to that of Qur’anic verses:


1. Surah Fatiha

a. It is mentioned in Surah Al Fatiha

Praise be to Allah
The Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds. : (Al Qur’an 1:2)

A similar verse is mentioned in Rigved:
“Verily, Great is the Glory of the Divine Creator.” (Rigved 5:81:1)


b. Most Gracious, Most Merciful
(Al Qur’an 1:3)


A similar verse is mentioned in Rigved Book:
“The Bounteous Giver.” (Rigved 3:34:1)


c. Show us the straight way, The way of those on whom
Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, Those whose (Portion) Is not Wrath, And who go not astray.
(Al Qur’an 1:6-7)

A similar verse is mentioned in Yajurved chapter 40 verse 16 (Y.V. 40:16)

“Lead us to the good path and remove the sin that makes us stray and wander.”
(Yajurved 40:16)


A similar message is given in Rigveda book 1 hymn 189 verse 1, 2 (R.V. 1:189:1, 2)


2. Surah Maun

It is mentioned in Surah Al Maun

1. Seest thou one Who denies the Judgement (To come)?

2. Then such is the (man) Who repulses the orphan (With harshness).

3. And encourages not The feeding of the indigent. (Al Qur’an 107:1-3)


A similar verse is given in Rigved

“The man with food in store who, when the needy comes in miserable ease begging for bread to eat, hardens his heart against him even when of old did him service – finds not one to comfort him.”
(Rigved 10:117:2)


Similarities Between The Teachings Of Islam And Hinduism


1. Prohibition of Alcohol

a. It is mentioned in the Qur’an in Surah Al Maidah:

O Ye who believe! Intoxicants and gambling (Dedication of) stones, And (divination by) arrows, Are an abomination Of Satan’s handiwork; Eschew such (abomination), That ye may prosper.
(Al Qur’an 5:90)


b. It is mentioned in

i. Manu Smriti Chapter 9, verse 235:

“A priest-killer, a liquor drinker, a thief and a violator of his guru’s marriage bed - all of these, and each separately, should be known as men who committed major crime.” (Manu Smriti 9:235)


Further after two verses it is mentioned in:

ii. Manu Smriti

“These miserable men - whom no one should eat with, no one should sacrifice for, no one should read to, and no one should marry - must wander the earth excommunicated from all religions”.
(Manu Smriti 9:238)


A similar message is repeated in:

iii. Manu Smriti Chapter 11 verse 55:
“Killing a priest, drinking liquor, stealing, violating a/the guru’s marriage bed, and associating with those (who commit these acts) are called the major crimes”.
(Manu Smriti 11:55)


It is mentioned in

iv. Manu Smriti Chapter 11 verse 94
“For liquor is the defiling dirt excreted from rice, and dirt is said to be evil; therefore a priest, ruler, or commoner should not drink liquor.” (Manu Smriti 11:94)


c. Intoxicants / Intoxicating drinks are prohibited in several other verses of Manu Smriti including

i. Manu Smriti Chapter 11 verse 151

ii. Manu Smriti Chapter 7 verses 47-50

iii. Manu Smriti Chapter 9 verse 225

iv. Manu Smriti Chapter 12 verse 45

v. Manu Smriti Chapter 3 verse 159

vi. Rigved Book 8 hymn 2 verse 12

vii. Rigved Book 8 hymn 21 verse 14



2. Prohibition of Gambling

As mentioned earlier, the Glorious Qur’an prohibits gambling in Surah Al Maidah Chapter 5 verse 90:


a. Gambling is also prohibited in the Hindu Scriptures in

i. Rigveda Book Book 10 Hymn 34 Verse 3:
“A Gamester / gambler says, ‘My wife holds me aloof, my mother hates me’. The wretched man finds none to comfort him.” (Rigveda 10:34:3)


It is further advised in

i. Rigved

“Play not with dice : No, cultivate thy corn land. Enjoy the gain and deem that wealth sufficient”.
(Rigved 10:34:13)


It is mentioned in

ii. Manu Smriti Chapter 7 verse 50

“Drinking, gambling, women (not lawfully wedded wives) and hunting, in that order, he should know to be the very worst four in the group of (vices) born of desire” (Manu Smriti 7:50)


b. Gambling is also prohibited in several verses of

i. Manu Smriti including

ii. Manu Smriti Chapter 7 Verse 47

iii. Manu Smriti Chapter 9 Verses 221-228

iv. Manu Smriti Chapter 9 Verse 258


Footnotes:

English translation of verses of the Glorious Qur’an is taken from Abdullah Yusuf Ali”
In the next article in the present series, we shall InshaAllah study the other several similarities between the teachings of Islam and in Hinduism, especially those pertaining to prohibition of: fortune-telling, giving bribes and consumption of pork.


And all praises are for the One and Only God and Creator Allah, who alone is worthy of devotion, complete submission and worship.


(To be continued)


The author, Dr. Zakir Naik, is a well-known orator and scholar of Comparative Religion. He is the President of the Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation.


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