Author: Muhajer Azizi
The History and Beliefs of Buddhism (part 4)
In the previous sections, the introductory and conceptual discussions of this research were presented. In this section, we now address topics such as the classification of religions, as well as the geography and history of Indian religions, since Buddhism originated in the land of India.
Classification of Religions
The religions that people believe in can be divided into two categories based on the object of worship:
First Category: Revealed Religions
These are religions that call for the worship of one God and are based on divine revelation. At the forefront of these religions is Islam; after it comes Judaism. However, Christianity, in terms of its actual theological reality, has been affected by polytheism, as Jesus (peace be upon him) and the Holy Spirit are worshipped alongside God, even though its followers claim to worship one God with three hypostases.
Second Category: Man-Made Religions
These are religions whose teachings and doctrines have been established by humans themselves. They include idolatrous and polytheistic religions that call people to worship beings other than Allah, the Almighty.
Among these religions are Hinduism, Buddhism, and other ancient and modern polytheistic and man-made traditions. Christianity may also be placed in this category from this perspective, since its followers worship Jesus (peace be upon him) and the Holy Spirit. [1]
The above classification of religions has been proposed by Muslim scholars. However, some researchers in the field of the history of religions have classified religions from different perspectives. For example, Robert E. Hume, the author of The World’s Living Religions, categorizes religions in various ways: such as living and dead religions, based on geographical origin, according to their historical beginnings, based on their scope of expansion, and according to their values and outlooks.
He also points out an interesting observation: “Asia is considered the birthplace of all the living religions of the world.” Accordingly, religions can be classified as follows: Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism originated in South Asia; Confucianism, Taoism, and Shinto arose in East Asia; while Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Islam originated in West Asia. [2]
Difference Between Revealed and Man-Made Religions
There is a significant difference between revealed and man-made religions, which can be explained as follows:
A revealed religion is one whose authenticity is supported by reliable evidence and whose text is preserved and sound. In contrast, a man-made religion lacks both reliable transmission and textual integrity. Therefore, a religion may originally be revealed—being attributed to divine revelation—but due to distortion and alteration in its text, parts of it may become man-made, as the condition of textual preservation is no longer maintained.
Dr. Ewaz Ullah Hijazi summarizes the differences as follows: A revealed religion is based on divine revelation and is conveyed to humanity through a prophet chosen by Allah. In contrast, a man-made religion consists of teachings developed by humans themselves, agreed upon by them, and practiced accordingly. Such teachings are products of human thought and reasoning.
A revealed religion consistently calls humanity to monotheism and the worship of one God without partners. It directs people to bow only before Allah, seek help only from Him, and offer sacrifices solely in His name.
On the other hand, a man-made religion may sanctify stones and idols and allow polytheism, leading to the emergence of multiple gods—sometimes even contradictory ones, such as a God of good and a God of evil, or a God of war and a God of peace. [3]
A revealed religion declares that Allah the Almighty is completely free from any resemblance to His creation. He is unlike His creation in His essence, attributes, and actions. As Allah says: «قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ * اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ * لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ * وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ» [4] Translation: Say: He is Allah ( SWT), the One. Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, and there is none comparable to Him.
In contrast, a man-made religion may accept a deity in the form of a human, animal, or stone, which people worship, revere, and offer sacrifices to. Throughout history, some have worshipped the sun, others have taken the calf as their deity, and some even declared Pharaoh who said, I am your supreme lord as a god.
Idols and temples have also been revered and worshipped among various nations. Even in the modern era, despite scientific and civilizational advancements, in some regions people still sanctify certain individuals, seek closeness to them, or worship animals such as cows and sheep, as seen in India and elsewhere.
All of these false deities, which have been worshipped instead of Allah (SWT), are incapable of creating anything—not even the weakest of creatures. They do not possess power to benefit or harm even themselves. Allah the Almighty says in Surah Al-Hajj: «يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ضُرِبَ مَثَلٌ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ لَنْ يَخْلُقُوا ذُبَابًا وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعُوا لَهُ» [5] Translation: O people, an example is presented, so listen to it: indeed, those whom you invoke besides Allah will never create even a fly, even if they gathered together for it.
From a doctrinal perspective, the core beliefs of revealed religions are not subject to change or replacement, as all prophets (peace be upon them) shared the same fundamental beliefs: belief in Allah and His attributes, belief in the prophets and their infallibility, and belief in the Hereafter with its reward and punishment. In all divine messages, the Creator is one, worship is exclusively for Him, He possesses all attributes of perfection, and He is free from all defect. He holds all people accountable for their deeds. These principles are the common foundation of all revealed religions.
In contrast, in man-made religions, the object of worship may change from one generation to another or from one tribe to another. Moreover, man-made religions are inherently incomplete and imperfect, as they are products of human thought, and humans are incapable of fully addressing all the changing needs of humanity.
On the other hand, a revealed religion is complete, comprehensive, and universal, as it is revealed by the Creator of the heavens and the earth—One who knows the unseen, to whom nothing, whether small or great, is hidden, and who encompasses all things with His knowledge. [6]
Continues…
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References:
[1] Saud ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, Dirasat fi al-Adyan al-Yahudiyyah wa al-Nasraniyyah, p. 12.
[2] Robert E. Hume, trans. Abdul Rahim Govahi, The World’s Living Religions, p. 34.
[3] Al-Adyan al-Wad‘iyyah, p. 12.
[4] Surah Al-Ikhlas: 1–4.
[5] Surah Al-Hajj: 73–74.
[6] Al-Adyan al-Wad‘iyyah, p. 12.
