12 Jul 2020
Shri Anil asked: Padanamaskaram Swami! By quoting some verses from the Veda, a muslim devotee wants to claim that Prophet Mohammad was mentioned in the Vedas. The verses mentioned by him from the Veda and the corresponding interpretation given by him are given below. I request You to kindly grace us with Your opinion on these interperations.
This muslim devotee says that the prophecy mentioned in the Atharva Veda, Book 20, Hymn 21, Verse 6, describes the well-known battle of Ahzab or the Battle of the Allies, during the time of Prophet Mohammad. He also says that the enemies’ defeat in the conquest of Makkah is mentioned in Atharva Veda, Book 20, Hymn 21, Verse 9. In the Ṛg Veda, Book 1, Hymn 53, Verse 9, the Sanskrit word suśrama, which means praiseworthy or well-praised, means Mohammad (PBUH) in Arabic. In the Sāma Veda, Book 2, Hymn 6, Verse 8, it is said, “Ahmed acquired from his Lord, the knowledge of the eternal law. I received light from him just as from the sun.” This devotee claims that the ‘Ahmed’ mentioned in this verse is Prophet Mohammad. In mantras (verses) 1–13 of the Kuntap Sukta (Atharva Veda), it is mentioned that twenty camels draw his carriage, with him being also his wives. He says that this refers to the Prophet riding a camel. He further says that this clearly indicates that it cannot be an Indian ṛṣi, since it is forbidden for a brāhmaṇa to ride a camel according to the Sacred Books of the East. According to Manu Smṛti, Chapter 11, Verse 202, “A brāhmaṇa is prohibited from riding a camel or an ass and from bathing naked. He should purify himself by suppressing his breath”.]
Swami replied: O Learned and Devoted Servants of God! By the extreme grace of God, we are blessed to believe in Universal Spirituality. So, we must encourage such interpretations that bring unity among religions. The differences and contradictions between world religions is spoiling the peace of the world and it forms the basis of religious terrorism. God is greatly pleased with the devotees taking steps to establish the Universal Religion, which enables one to follow one’s own religion while still being a member of the Universal Religion. The result of this is loving one’s own religion without hating other religions. Such interpretations referred by you must be encouraged. Similarly, references to various Hindu Gods should also be located in the scriptures of other religions and interpreted to bring unity among religions.
Prophet Mohammad establishing peace through the sword can be compared to the Incarnation of God called Kalki in Hinduism. The childhood of Jesus had many similarities to the the childhood of Krishna. The preaching of Jesus was similar to the practical ideal human behaviour preached by God Rāma as well as the preaching of God Buddha. All the fundamentals of all the world religions are exactly one and the same. The single God appearing in various divine forms in different places and times to give the scriptures of various religions is the universal and common basis of all religions. Thus, the basic syllabus of all religions is one and the same. Language, culture, traditions etc., are only superficial and the differences between religions are only at this superficial level. These differences do not change common fundamentals of all scriptures. Neither do these differences affect the one and only one unimaginable God who alone, through different divine forms, gave the scriptures of various religions. Every religion says that its God alone created this entire earth with this humanity. Unfortunately, there is only one earth with this one humanity, which proves that there is only one God, who created the entire universe, along with this earth and humanity.
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