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By Ijaz Chaudry

Common traits between Buddhism & Islam;

Buddhism;

Buddhism is a spiritual tradition that focuses on personal spiritual development and the attainment of a deep insight into the true nature of life.

Islam;

Islam is also spiritual, in nature however, Islam is not a tradition but a belief system.  Islam also gives deep insight to human nature but obtains guidance from the environment and nature through inspiration from God.  Muslims follow God’s guidance by observing the Quran (The Final Testament) and or following the messenger if present, fortunately Al-Muzzammil alias Ijaz Chaudry is the messenger at the present time. The emphasis is on leading a righteous life, Quran explains how to obtain righteousness and promises great rewards for the people who do this, both in this world and in the Hereafter.

[2:62]  Surely, those who believe, those who are Jewish, the Christians, and the converts; anyone who (1) believes in GOD, and (2) believes in the Last Day, and (3) leads a righteous life, will receive their recompense from their Lord. They have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.

[2:66]  We set them up as an example for their generation, as well as subsequent generations, and an enlightenment for the righteous.

[2:82]  As for those who believe, and lead a righteous life, they will be the dwellers of Paradise; they abide in it forever.

[2:103]  If they believe and lead a righteous life, the reward from GOD is far better, if they only knew.

[2:112]  Indeed, those who submit themselves absolutely to GOD alone, while leading a righteous life, will receive their recompense from their Lord; they have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.

Buddhism;

Buddhism teaches that all life is interconnected, so compassion is natural and important.

Islam;

Quran also teaches us to be gentle with the environment and be peaceful;

[25:63]  The worshipers of the Most Gracious are those who tread the earth gently, and when the ignorant speak to them, they only utter peace.

Buddhism;

Buddhists can worship both at home or at a temple

Islam;

Muslim’s also can worship both at home or mosque;

[7:31]  O children of Adam, you shall be clean and dress nicely when you go to the masque. And eat and drink moderately; Surely, He does not love the gluttons.

[10:87]  We inspired Moses and his brother. "Maintain your homes in Egypt for the time being, turn your homes into synagogues, and maintain the Contact Prayers (Salat). Give good news to the believers."

Buddhism;

Origin of suffering (Samudāya)

Our day-to-day troubles may seem to have easily identifiable causes: thirst, pain from an injury, sadness from the loss of a loved one. In the second of his Noble Truths, though, the Buddha claimed to have found the cause of all suffering - and it is much more deeply rooted than our immediate worries.  Three forces defined as follows;

Greed & desire

Ignorance & delusion

Hatred & destructive urges

Islam;

Greed & desire, Islam also negates these two aspects of human nature.  Islam promotes charity and discourages hording;

[68:7]  Your Lord is fully aware of those who strayed off His path, and He is fully aware of those who are guided.

[68:8]  Do not obey the rejectors.

[68:9]  They wish that you compromise, so they too can compromise.

[68:10]  Do not obey every lowly swearer.

[68:11]  A slanderer, a backbiter.

[68:12]  Forbidder of charity, a transgressor, a sinner.

[68:13]  Unappreciative, and greedy.

[18:28]  You shall force yourself to be with those who worship their Lord day and night, seeking Him alone. Do not turn your eyes away from them, seeking the vanities of this world. Nor shall you obey one whose heart we rendered oblivious to our message; one who pursues his own desires, and whose priorities are confused.

[53:3]  Nor was he speaking out of a personal desire.

[53:23]  These are but names that you made up, you and your forefathers. GOD never authorized such a blasphemy. They follow conjecture, and personal desire, when the true guidance has come to them herein from their Lord.

There is a subtle difference between personal desire which is not seen in a positive way and the desire attributed to God, the want of closeness to God by means of worship which is acceptable.

Ignorance & delusion, Islam also negates these aspects in the human nature.  Ignorance is acceptable if it is by mistake and that person promises not to be ignorant again and repent to God else all ignorant behaviour is talked in a negative sense in the Quran where as the enlightenment in the Quran is opposite to ignorance.  God talks about the people who want to deceive God (by practicing non-religious events in the name of God for example) they in fact deceive themselves.

[2:9]  In trying to deceive GOD and those who believe, they only deceive themselves without perceiving.

Hatred & destructive urges, Islam promotes compassion and constructive urges and abhors hatred & destructive urges;

[2:205]  As soon as he leaves, he roams the earth corruptingly, destroying properties and lives. GOD does not love corruption.

[5:91]  The devil wants to provoke animosity and hatred among you through intoxicants and gambling, and to distract you from remembering GOD, and from observing the Contact Prayers (Salat). Will you then refrain?

Difference between Buddhism and Islam, Islamic point of view;

Buddhism;

There is no belief in a personal God. It is not centred on the relationship between humanity and God.

Islam;

Muslim’s believe in One God the creator of Heavens and Earth.  Islam is centred towards being appreciative of what we have and thank God for providing that.  Being unappreciative is paramount to idol worship and is the only sin unforgivable by God if practiced until death.

[7:144]  He said, "O Moses, I have chosen you, out of all the people, with My messages and by speaking to you. Therefore, take what I have given you and be appreciative."

[14:7]  Your Lord has decreed: "The more you thank Me, the more I give you." But if you turn unappreciative, then My retribution is severe.

Buddhism;

Buddhists believe that nothing is fixed or permanent - change is always possible

Islam;

Muslim’s also believe that nothing is permanent for us except the word and presence of God.  For us mortals change is always possible.  And indeed as far as Islam is concerned God sends new information through His messengers since the time began.  There is lot new which I found and for you to look at in this site from the Quran.  God communicates with us through inspiration or by sending a messenger who receives revelations.

                 How God Communicates With Us

[42:51]  No human being can communicate with GOD except through inspiration, or from behind a barrier, or by sending a messenger through whom He reveals what He wills. He is the Most High, Most Wise.

Buddhism;

The path to Enlightenment is through the practice and development of morality, meditation and wisdom.

Suffering (Dukkha)

Suffering comes in many forms. Three obvious kinds of suffering correspond to the first three sights the Buddha saw on his first journey outside his palace: old age, sickness and death.

Islam;

For the believers in Islam a complete happiness is guaranteed.  Happiness is not achieved by wealth, happiness is achieved by having a healthy soul and by being appreciative of what we have and thank God for that.  Quran is clear to explain that God controls everything in the Heavens and Earth, hence He is the ultimate provider of happiness and those who seek God are happy people.  The main reason for their happiness is that they are content with what God provides them with.

                 Happiness: Now and Forever

[10:62]  Absolutely, GOD's allies have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.

[10:63]  They are those who believe and lead a righteous life.

[10:64]  For them, joy and happiness in this world, as well as in the Hereafter. This is GOD's unchangeable law. Such is the greatest triumph.

[10:65]  Do not be saddened by their utterances. All power belongs to GOD. He is the Hearer, the Omniscient.

[3:109]  To GOD belongs everything in the heavens and everything on earth, and all matters are controlled by GOD.

Buddhism;

Cessation of suffering (Nirodha)

The Buddha taught that the way to extinguish desire, which causes suffering, is to liberate oneself from attachment.

This is the third Noble Truth - the possibility of liberation

Islam;

Quran is clear to the believers that this life is temporary and that the Hereafter is ever

lasting.  The believers will be rewarded generously in the Hereafter.  For the believers a loss of life in a family is like separation for a short time before meeting them in Paradise.  As for losing material things God emphasizes on spiritual wealth rather than material wealth.

[2:79]  Therefore, woe to those who distort the scripture with their own hands, then say, "This is what GOD has revealed," seeking a cheap material gain. Woe to them for such distortion, and woe to them for their illicit gains.

[2:174]  Those who conceal GOD's revelations in the scripture, in exchange for a cheap material gain, eat but fire into their bellies. GOD will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them. They have incurred a painful retribution.

[3:14]  Adorned for the people are the worldly pleasures, such as the women, having children, piles upon piles of gold and silver, trained horses, livestock, and crops. These are the materials of this world. A far better abode is reserved at GOD.

Buddhism;

The Fourth Noble Truth

Path to the cessation of suffering (Magga)

The final Noble Truth is the Buddha's prescription for the end of suffering. This is a set of principles called the Eightfold Path.

The Eightfold Path is also called the Middle Way: it avoids both indulgence and severe asceticism, neither of which the Buddha had found helpful in his search for enlightenment.

Islam;

Indulgence and severe mode of life is also seen in a negative sense in Islam, unless it is in the cause of God;

[9:79]  Those who criticize the generous believers for giving too much, and ridicule the poor believers for giving too little, GOD despises them. They have incurred a painful retribution.

[24:60]  The elderly women who do not expect to get married commit nothing wrong by relaxing their dress code, provided they do not reveal too much of their bodies. To maintain modesty is better for them. GOD is Hearer, Knower.

[89:19]  And consuming the inheritance of helpless orphans.

[89:20]  And loving the money too much.

This article has direct reference to material on www.bbc.co.uk/religion.  Thus the paragraphs under the heading Buddhism is from BBC.  Lot of effort has been taken to leave this material in its original form and minimize the amount of material in proportion to what BBC has put on their site.   This is done in compliance with Section 110 (5) of the Copyright Act 1976.