Author: Mehrullah Azizi
An Analysis of the History and Beliefs of Buddhism (part 20)
Beliefs and Doctrines of Buddhism
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Worship of Buddha as God
Explanation of the Belief
Human beings are created with an innate disposition toward belief in Allah (SWT), and this natural inclination guides them to worship Him. Accordingly, some people follow this innate nature and worship the One True God without a partner, while others, due to ignorance and misguidance, associate partners with Him and worship others besides Him.
After the death of Gautama Buddha, some of his followers sought to understand the nature of Allah and the path to reach Him, as Buddha himself had remained silent on such matters. Consequently, certain groups came to believe that Buddha was not merely a human being but that the spirit of God had incarnated in him. From this point, the worship of Buddha as a divine being and manifestation of the divine spirit began to spread among some followers.
Response and Critique
Worshiping a human being (such as Buddha) or anything besides God is considered an act of polytheism (shirk) and a grave injustice.
Allah says in the Holy Qur’an: إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ Translation: Indeed, associating partners with Allah (SWT) is a great injustice. [1]
He also says: إِنَّهُ مَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ ۖ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ Translation: Indeed, whoever associates partners with Allah (SWT) has forbidden Paradise for him, and his abode is the Fire. And there will be no helpers for the wrongdoers. [2]
Allah sent messengers to call people toward monotheism and to forbid them from polytheism: وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولًا أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُوا الطَّاغُوتَ Translation: And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger [proclaiming]: ‘Worship Allah and avoid false deities.’ [3]
Based on this, worship is exclusively for Allah (SWT), and any form of worship directed to others is false.
Allah also declares: إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ Translation: Indeed, Allah (SWT) does not forgive associating partners with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. [4]
If Buddha or any human is worshiped as a god or as a manifestation of the divine spirit, then this constitutes clear polytheism, since worship is the exclusive right of God.
The Holy Qur’an further emphasizes the following: مَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَن يُؤْتِيَهُ اللَّهُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحُكْمَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ ثُمَّ يَقُولَ لِلنَّاسِ كُونُوا عِبَادًا لِّي مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ Translation: It is not for a human being to whom Allah (SWT) has given the Scripture, authority, and prophethood to then say to the people: ‘Be servants to me instead of Allah (SWT). [5]
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) warned against exaggeration: لَا تُطْرُونِي كَمَا أَطْرَتِ النَّصَارَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ، فَإِنَّمَا أَنَا عَبْدٌ، فَقُولُوا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولُهُ Translation: Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians exaggerated in praising the son of Mary. I am only a servant, so says the servant of Allah (SWT) and His Messenger. [6]
Al-Dhahabi stated that the gravest of major sins is associating partners with God, including worshiping anything besides Him, whether it be a human, object, or any created being.
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Belief in the Incarnation of the Divine Spirit in Buddha
The belief that the spirit of God incarnated in Buddha implies either division or transfer of the divine essence, both of which are impossible. [7]
A distinction must be made between the knowledge of God and His essence. Allah’s knowledge encompasses all things, but this does not mean His essence is physically present everywhere.
The idea that God physically dwells within creation is irrational and unsupported. It is not valid to claim that God is physically present in all places or that His spirit entered into a human body such as Buddha.
Scholars have noted that the doctrine of incarnation has parallels in certain Christian theological ideas.
Abu Ja’far al-Tahawi states that Allah is exalted above limits, parts, and being contained within directions.
Fakhr al-Din al-Razi argues rationally that if something were to “indwell” in another, it would imply dependence, yet God, as the Necessary Being, cannot depend on anything.
Based on the above, this belief is regarded within Islamic theology as a form of polytheism without valid foundation. It stems from exaggeration in elevating human status. Islamic scholars have clearly refuted the doctrine of incarnation through both textual and rational arguments.
To be continued…
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Sources:
- Luqman 13
- Al-Mā’idah 72
- An Nahl 36
- An Nisa 48
- AI Imran79
- Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 3445
- Al-Dhahabi, Al-Kabāʾir, p. 9
- Bassam al-ʿAmoush, Ṭāʾifat al-Sīkh wa Mawqif al-Islām Minhā, p. 152
- Raouf Shalaby, Al-Adyān al-Qadīmah, p. 259
- Abu Ja’far al-Tahawi, Matn al-ʿAqīdah al-Ṭaḥāwiyyah, p. 45
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Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, Maʿālim Uṣūl al-Dīn, p. 49
