Do The Hindu Scriptures Preach The Oneness of God Like The Qur’an? (Comments on Dr.Zakir Naik’s approach.)

Many Muslims (based on the arguments of Brother Dr.Zakir Naik) argue that _the Hindu Scriptures preach The Oneness of God, and it is the Hindus who do not understand their scriptures and commit polytheism_. To defend this they have also memorized some verses from the Hindu Scriptures, the same ones Dr. Zakir Naik quotes.

In reality, the one who has ever gone through the Gita or the Vedas line-by-line, will realise that this understanding is false. The Hindu Scriptures have a mixture of pantheism (i.e. the idea that everything is god) and polytheism (multiple gods), they also at times mention some quotes which ‘may appear’ to speak about monotheism but are in reality pantheism again.

The example of saying or thinking that Dr.Zakir Naik understands and explains the Hindu Scriptures better than the Hindu priests and scholars, is similar to thinking that some non-Muslims can understand and interpret The Qur’an And Sunnah better than Muslim scholars, and yes, it is absolutely false to think so.

If some verses amongst the thousands of verses in Hindu Scriptures prove that there is ‘Oneness of God’ in Hinduism (like Dr.Zakir Naik asserts), then (like some non-Muslims falsely say) The Qur’an is ‘perrenialistic’ (i.e everyone who believe in Allah and does good deeds will go to Paradise, i.e not necessary to be a Muslim) based on some misquoted Ayaat of The Qur’an.

Muslims, especially students of knowledge, should inculcate the value of cross checking anything that they take from any speakers or scholars. Anything doesn’t become true just because Dr.Zakir Naik or anyone else of a greater stature than him said so. (For the information of the readers, I completed reading the translation and explanation of Gita by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (the one published by ISKON) around 10 years ago, I also went and discussed some issues with ISKON priests at the same time once I was done with reading it.)

I will just give one example where Dr.Zakir Naik has unintentionally misinterpreted the Hindu Scriptures. He says, The Gita condemns worship of demi-gods (small gods), “Those whose wisdom has been taken away by this or that desire, go to other gods (demi-gods), following this or that rite, led by their own nature.” (Gita 7:20)

But perhaps he forgot to check that this statement was made by Krishna, so Krishna is not telling (in our terms) that idol worship is ‘Haraam’ (prohibited), he is just telling it is lightly ‘Makrooh (disliked)’. In 7:23, Krishna says that those who worship demi-gods will get a small reward but those who worship the main god (Krishna himself) will have infinite reward.

In the Gita 7:23, Krishna says, “Verily, the reward (fruit) that accrues to those men of small intelligence is finite. The worshippers of the gods go to them, whereas My devotees come to Me.”

So again, we see that idol worship is not even ‘Makrooh’ (disliked) in the Hindu Scriptures, rather it is also rewarded in a small way. And the ‘one’ that is being invited to be worshipped, it is actually ‘Krishna’, who has a human nature as well as a divine nature according to Hindu Scriptures. So there is nothing similar to the Islamic concept of Tawheed (The Oneness of Allah) in The Gita, let alone the Vedas.

Also, in The Gita itself, Krishna shows Arjuna, his ‘true self’ with all the planets and gods inside him. Thus Krishna also asserts, that there are multiple gods, albeit smaller ones, besides him.

(Arjuna said:) I am delighted, having seen something never seen before; yet my mind is distressed with fear. Show me that form only, O God; have mercy, _O God of gods_, O Abode of the universe. (Gita 11:45)

“The Blessed Lord (Krishna) said, “It is very hard indeed to see this form of Mine which thou hast seen; _even the gods are ever longing to behold it_.”” (Gita 11:52)

As a conclusion, Muslims should invite non-Muslims to Islam based on The Quran And Sunnah. Not based on telling, ‘The Quran has the same message as The Gita and The Vedas’ so accept Islam.

This is also for the brothers forwarding the videos of some callers to Islam, who at times in TV debates yell out, ‘Come to The Gita, Vedas, Upanishads, The Qur’an, Hadith, and Worship Allah Alone and follow Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam)’.

Know my dear brothers, that the difference between what is there in The Quran and what is there in The Hindu Scriptures, is like the difference between chalk and cheese. May Allah guide all of us to what is correct. Aameen.

[Whatever I wrote with regards to Dr.Zakir Naik is in order to show his wrong approach when dealing with the Non-Ahlul-Kitaab books, like the Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist Scriptures. However when Muslims deal with the scriptures of the Ahlul-Kitab (Jews and Christians), we may point out their inconsistencies and scriptural errors, since the followers of these two faiths claim that they’re on the same religion as Prophet Ibraheem (Alaihis Salaam) and they have been challenged likewise by Allah for their errors in The Quran and The Sunnah.]

-Mohammed Manna (January 24, 2024)