Islamic Belief in the Prophets who were not Jewish

(viii) The Prophets of Other Religions

So far we have talked only about the prophets of the Bible and the Quran. What about the prophets of other religions and nations? According to the Quran, God has sent His messengers to every nation:

“There is not a people but a Warner has gone among them” (35:25)
“For every nation there is a Messenger” (10:48)

The Muslims, therefore, believe that earlier religions were also founded by God’s messengers. Their teachings, however, were corrupted by their followers over the course of time. Below are given the names of some of the founders of other religions who could be equated to the prophets of the Quran and the Bible.

Luqman: mentioned in the Quran by name but his territory is unknown. According to some scholars he was the
Greek “Aesop” while according to others he was a Prophet in Abyssinia. Luqman does not correspond to any Biblical prophet.

Zoroaster:  The founder of Zoroastrianism, an ancient religion of Iran. Zoroaster’s period is roughly placed at around 1500 B.C.

Krishna, Ram Chandar: Krishna is known among the Hindus as an “Avatar” Ram Chandar or a manifestation of God. It appears that both Krishna and Ram Chandar were the Hindu equivalent of the Quranic nabis. They, however, were not the founders of the Hindu religion.

Mahavira: Founder of Jainism, Mahavira lived in India in the sixth century B.C. He tried to abolish the caste system that existed in Hinduism.

Buddha: Siddhartha Gautama Buddha was the founder of the Buddhist faith. He lived in India in the sixth Century B.C. The word ‘Buddha’ means the Enlightened One.

Confucius: Founder of Confucianism, a Chinese religion. Confucius lived in China in the fifth century B.C. His teachings placed great emphasis on social ethics.

Lao Tze: The founder of the Tao religion of China who lived in the sixth century B.C.

https://www.alislam.org/library/book/book-religious-knowledge/islam-religion-obedience/islamic-beliefs/

I appreciate the above article written by Jamaat Ahmadiyya, a very scholarly article indeed.

Regards

 

Prophets: Krishna, Buddha, Moses, Zoroaster, Jesus

http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/3827858-post80.html
Please click the above link to know the context of discussion and join the discussion.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Vinayaka

“paarsurrey, I feel you will continue to project your idea about what a prophet is onto Hinduism, even if 100 Hindus came here and told you Hinduism doesn’t have prophets. So you will always have your ‘truth’ and we will always have ours.

This is the result of subconscious mind (memory mind) conditioning, and quite understandable. You’ve read or been told over and over that all religions have prophets, so have come to believe it.” Unquote

Paarsurrey wrote:

This sub-forum is not DIR; when somebody writes here, it implies that one wants an open discussion.

There are Hindu denominations who think that Krishna definitely made a prophecy for the latter days; and I quoted it from a Hindu site.

If some or many or all Hindus consider Krishna a god; not withstanding that approach, he made a prophecy for future that stands fulfilled now; so in this sense he is a truthful prophet and I love him and believe in his truthfulness.

This prophecy has many parallels.

Likewise Jesus made a prophecy for the latter days; his Second Coming in the End of times; and everybody here knows that Christians consider Jesus a god, not withstanding that approach, he made a prophecy that stands fulfilled now, so in this sense Jesus is a truthful prophet and I love him and believe in his truthfulness.

Likewise Buddha; though not all Buddhists worship him as god. I consider Buddha also a truthful prophet and I love him and believe in his truthfulness.

Likewise Zoroaster; but his followers definitely don’t worship him and are monotheists and I have read many of their scriptures, very beautiful scriptures. So I have no reason not to believe in his being a truthful prophet and no reason not to believe in his truthfulness.

Likewise Moses; though the Judaism people don’t consider him god; but definitely in “image of G-d”. And Judaism people also wait for a Moshiach.I consider Moses also a truthful prophet and I love him and believe in his truthfulness.

Likewise… and likewise and likewise…

Where do I err please?

Since some other non-Hindus; probably or most probably Christians also written here.

Should the globe be divided into many parts; one created and ruled by Krishna and another created and ruled by Jesus. Should we reasonably and rationally divide the humanity in pieces and the infinite pieces as there are said to be 32000+ denominations of Christianity and innumerable (exact figure not known, please tell me exactly) denominations of Hinduism and other religions .

While apparently there is no difference between a human in the East or human in the West and North and South.

My questions are addressed to everybody and open for response to everybody.

To make it clear; I am and Ahmadi peaceful Muslim

Regards

Peripheral issues with Bible should be interpreted within the core teachings of Jesus

The viewers should access the following link to know the context of the post; and then they should from their own sincere and independent opinion.

SnapThought – Wrested from My Hands

paarsurrey says:
April 3, 2014 at :

Hello everybody!

Most Issues with the Bible will get diluted; if instead of the peripheral issues one concentrates on the core teachings of Moses and Jesus:

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:36-40

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+22%3A36-40

All the peripheral issues should be interpreted within the scope of the above core teachings of Jesus or else rejected forthwith.

This is a way of reconciliation between the Atheists who were previously Christians; the crowbar need not be applied.

Does this help?

Preamble

paarsurrey says:
April 3, 2014 at :

@Jericho Brisance

“it is possible to bring down a structure by removing the right component, the right foundational brick. The brick in this case was removed”.

What was the foundational brick of Christianity in your case? Please

Regards

Demerits of Christianity do not make positive merits of Atheism automatically

Paarsurrey wrote comments on the following blog; the viewers could give their valuable opinion.

“FINDING TRUTH”
“WHAT IT WOULD TAKE”
http://findingtruth.wordpress.com/?s=WHAT+IT+WOULD+TAKE
http://findingtruth.wordpress.com/2012/04/06/704/#comment-8724

paarsurrey
March 10, 2014 at 7:37 am

@ Nate :March 9, 2014 at 11:27 pm

I got the impression from your post (of March 9, 2014 at 11:41 am ) that morality was the issue that you changed from Christianity to Humanism/Atheism. Now you have clarified that it was not the prime issue. I, therefore, leave it here (though later we may discuss it also).

Then we come to my question formulated again with a little variation; what positive merits did you see in Atheism/Humanism that you left Jesus’ religion for it?

I understand you found faults in Pauline Christianity:

“I left Christianity because I no longer found it believable. There are a number of inaccurate prophecies, contradictory passages, bad science, bad history, etc in the Bible. When I added to that some of the doctrinal problems, like the idea of an eternal Hell, I just didn’t find it believable anymore.”

First of all these are not the core or prime teachings of Jesus or Moses or the prophets; these are the secondary points which could be explained away

But demerits of Christianity, negativeness of Christianity, do not make positive merits of Humanism/Atheism automatically.

We want to know the positive merits of Humanism/Atheism for which you left Christianity.

I like your matter of fact style of writing; no complain with it.

Thanks and regards

“Is there a God?” : Yes there is God; but Jesus was not a god

Please view Paarsurrey’s comments on the following blog for your valuable opinion:

“Is there a God?”
“Welcome to atheists (and others)”

http://www.is-there-a-god.info/blog/

Welcome to atheists (and others)

paarsurrey
MAR 03, 2014 @ 22:46:52

Jesus mentions his core teachings :

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:36-40

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+22%3A36-40

It does not mention of Jesus himself being a god. Your believing him as god or son of god is most unfair to Jesus and his teachings.

One could believe in on witnessing of others

I commented on the blog < http://independentsguide.wordpress.com/2013/07/16/its-not-only-2/> and then a discussion ensued; the same is given here-under for the viewers of this blog.

 

1. 

   paarsurrey

     /  July 16, 2013

   @ Argus

   Quote from your post
   If you had to write; would’t it had been better if you have visited it?

   Thanks

   Argus Says:
   July 16, 2013 at 10:43 pm | 
   

   I’m an older guy in New Zealand carefully balancing a budget—budget doesn’t allow for popping over to all (or any) of the things that most intrigue me. So I have to rely on other folks …

   Sadly many folks are either easily deluded (stage magicians, priests, and politicians make a good living from it) or look at different aspects of whatever’s there than I would. Some are out to impress; many just gush. So I sift the sand an hope to find a gem or two.

   • paarsurrey Says:
     July 17, 2013 at 4:35 pm | 
     

     So one could benefit from the witnessing of other persons who have seen or observed another phenomenon or experience themselves till such times that one has is able to experience/witness them oneself.

     If we carry this reasoning forward; the messengers prophets have seen/witnessed the one true God themselves; one should benefit from their experience.

     Don’t you agree with it?

     Thanks for visiting my blog and sharing your thoughts.

     New Zealand is a good country.

2. • 

     Argus

       /  July 19, 2013

     I don’t believe in angels (have never met one) any more than I believe in gnomes, imps, elves, and goblins (never met one of those either). I also cannot believe in the Abrahamic God any more than in Odin, Vishnu, Aphrodite, Isis (insert name of own choice here, and there’s millions of them).

     By the same token I’ve never floated in space or set foot on the moon; yet somehow I’m hard-wired to give more credibility to the eyewitness reports of those guys than ‘angels’.

     My own sister is a spiritualist medium who talks routinely to dead guys. Sadly the dead guys all seem to say the same stuff, and when I asked her for the coded message agreed between our Father and I before he passed away; no joy. She tried, a few wild stabs and educated guess, but ol’ Dad was a bit remiss with the codes (I guess crossing over must’ve wiped his memory a bit.) To each his own …

     • 

       paarsurrey

         /  July 20, 2013

       If you don’t believe in angles; you miss one pillar of the true faith.

       • 

         Argus

           /  July 20, 2013

         I miss most of the pillars—

         I do believe that people should be nice to each other, and get along like rational reasoning (dare I say ‘compassionate’?) beings.

         Instead we have vicious slaughter, stonings, burnings at the stake, crusades, torture, beheadings, napalm, holy war etc etc all in the name of the One True God (insert deity of own choice here) (there’s lots of them). Not good.

         • 

           paarsurrey

             /  July 20, 2013

           The Humanists must have to be nice with others; otherwise they shall have to morally change their name from the Humanist as they had previously changed from Atheist, a meaningless name, in my opinion.

           You have however been nice to me; a man committed to reason must be.

           Anyway I will call them with the name they like for themselves.

           Pillars are important for a building, you know.

           • 

             Argus

               /  July 20, 2013

             A building is no good without a reliable foundation (even the Bible says as much); and yes, as an atheist I am allowed to quote from it … peace …

             • 

               paarsurrey

                 /  July 21, 2013

               You mean from Word of Revelation from Jesus?

3. 

   paarsurrey

     /  July 21, 2013

   Our friend Argus never visited the pyramids in Egypt; but preferred to comment on their construction; merits and demerits. The same way he could believe in the one true God on the witnessing of messengers and the prophets. If not, why not?

A question for theists

Paarsurrey says:
Referring to your question in the post; “are there any credible (confirmed) criteria for differentiating one’s religion as “true” and another’s as “false”?”

Yes; there are five basic criteria:
1. Belief in the one true God.
2. Belief in the angels.
3. Belief in the revealed books.
4. Belief in the messengers prophets.
5. Belief in the Day of Judgement.

Every religion has these five beliefs to qualify for being called a revealed religion. All revealed religions are truthful in their origin and have these basic beliefs; differences occurred naturally as there is no compulsion in any revealed religion so when they deviated from the right truthful path they lost or got any one or more of them obscured; so the message from the one true God got revealed again.

Thanks

Peel away the colourful ritualistic outer layers, bypass the guidebooks, skip over the oral traditions and dive through the charismatic mind-sets to the core within and anyone curious enough to look will find that there are but two ostensible, universal truths pervading all religions:

1) They all claim to be true

2) Not one has ever emerged twice on the planet

That’s it. There is nothing lurking any deeper than these two truisms, and as the second maxim annihilates the first claim there’s really no need to even litigate the petitions forwarded by any single religion as it’s already perfectly clear that any allusion to authenticity is entirely groundless. If this were not the case, if any single religion were indeed true, we would have seen that religion emerge unsupervised at least twice on the planet. Its truth would in fact be demonstrable in this supernatural event. Such an event…

View original post 432 more words

Bible | Quran | Parents

 

Question and Answer with Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, 12 January 1996

http://www.alislam.org/v/546.html

Please start viewing the video, setting play-head position, for the relevant Q3 @ 00:13:56 My understanding after reading the Holy Bible and the Holy Quran is that second to Allah Almighty we should put our parents first. Though we should always respect our parents, their wishes and their guidance is there and time and cause that where we probably have the opportunity to disagree with exception of faith on social matters? Its answer ends @ 00:17:12; the answer is only: 3.38 in duration.

Paarsurrey noted following hint words and syllables in the contents of the reply to the questions asked, in case of doubt, please hear the video and correct accordingly:

Premise, after God the prophets, must be given priority, obey the Government, if there is a difference always Allah and the prophets should be given preference,

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bible scribes did character assassination of the messenger prophets to attract more people

All messengers prophets of the one true God were perfect men; it is the scribes who did character assassination of them and made them like that they were sinful.

Being a perfect man or an innocent man is a pre-requisite of messenger prophet of the one true creator God.

The selection of the one true God or His choosing from among the human beings is never wrong.

In the olden times the narrators would verbally or out of their memory narrate the stories of the religious heroes of their people; to allure more people to their gatherings; they put some drama and scandals or cheap narratives in them to make them more interesting; later when the things were committed to writing these stories got added up.

A little thinking; when one’s read the Bible one discerns it.

Faculty of reason: Faculty to receive Revelation

Man has been bestowed with the faculty of reasoning for guidance in ordinary matters though not equally to everybody; it differs from person to person. The same way man has been bestowed with the faculty to receive revelation from the one true creator God.

These two faculties make man specifically distinct from an animal. Adam got evolved and was better equipped with the tools of speaking, reasoning; he also got Revelation from the one true creator God and that was an epoch making event in human evolution and history.

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad- the Promised Messiah and the End-Time Reformer of all religions explains this phenomenon:

Quote:

“As God has invested man with the faculty of reason for the understanding to some degree of elementary matters, in the same way God has vested in him a hidden faculty of receiving revelation.

When human reason arrives at the limit of its reach, at that stage God Almighty, for the purpose of leading His true and faithful servants to the perfection of understanding and certainty, guides them through revelation and visions.

Thus the stages which reason could not traverse are traversed by means of revelation and visions, and seekers after truth thereby arrive at full certainty.

This is the way of Allah, to guide to which Prophets have appeared in the world and without treading along which no one can arrive at true and perfect understanding; but an unfortunate dry philosopher is so much in a hurry that he desires that whatever has to be disclosed should be disclosed at the stage of reason.

He does not know that reason cannot carry a burden beyond its strength, nor can it step forward further than its capacity. He does not reflect that to carry a person to his desired excellence God Almighty has bestowed upon him not only the faculty of reason but also the faculty of receiving revelation.

It is the height of misfortune to make use of only the elementary means out of those that God has, out of His Perfect Wisdom, bestowed upon man for the purpose of recognizing God, and to remain ignorant of the rest. It is foolish to waste those faculties through lack of use and to derive no benefit from them.

A person who does not use the faculty of receiving revelation but denies its existence cannot be a true philosopher, whereas the existence of this faculty has been established by the testimony of thousands of the righteous and all men of true understanding have arrived at perfect understanding through this means”

Unquote.

(Surma Chashm Arya (Qadian, 1886), Now published in Ruhani Khazain, Volume 2 (London, 1984) Arya, pp. 39-42).

http://www.alislam.org/books/essence/chap2/chap2.html

Jesus and Mary did not need to wager for religion like Pascal did; they got sure knowledge of the one true God. People like Paul did not have this faculty; so they ventured and invented weird concepts and creeds of a new religion “Christianity- a misnomer” which was deviant from the path that Jesus and Mary followed.

It is for this deviation that people like Blaise Pascal, Christian Aplolgists, had to wager on religion; and had to cut a sorry figure against the atheists like Christopher Hitchens.