Introduction
Religion refers to worshipping and believing in superhuman powers like a god or God. All over the world, people from different families and groups have different beliefs that depend on either Islam, Hinduism, or Christianity religion. In the current world, it is evident that people have different religions, thus having different perceptions and beliefs. In this paper, we shall discuss Islam, the Abrahamic religion, and Hinduism religion on their perception of the creation and origin of the world (Paul Victor, & Treschuk, 2020). We shall discuss the differences and similarities between these two families on the world’s creation and origin.
How the topic is understood within the first tradition
Around the world, many traditions explain the origin and creation of the world in different ways. Generally, in the first tradition, it is believed that the world was created due to the actions of spirits and divine beings. The world was created through the acts of the spirits, such as forming it from pre-existing materials or speaking it into existence. Again, it is understood that in some traditions, the creation is seen as the result of the void and primordial chaos. In contrast, in other traditions, it is believed or understood that the world was created due to an act of self-creation or divine sacrifice. In addition, the world’s creation is traditionally viewed as an ongoing process but not as a one-time event. It is evident in those indigenous traditions that the world is understood to be recreated through continuous cycles such as birth, rebirth, and death.
How the creation and origin of the world are understood in the second tradition
Also, in the second tradition, differences exist in the beliefs and understanding of the creation and the origin of the world. The creation and origin of the world in the second tradition will be generally understood in the context of different traditional belief systems. According to these conventional belief systems, it is understood that the creation stories as a result of supernatural force. An excellent example of the traditional belief system in the second tradition is Hinduism, where it is understood that creation is a result of the actions of Brahma. In addition, it is understood that the world’s creation resulted from the balance of forces in the universe. According to this tradition, it is believed that the universe is changing and constantly evolving. The ongoing creation and destruction result from the actions of the beings and phenomena.
Comparison between Islam and Hinduism religion on the creation and origin of the world
Creation and origin of the world. (Islam religion)
These two religious families or groups perceive the world’s origin and creation differently. Islam is also referred to as the Abrahamic religion because, traditionally is considered that Abraham was the first Jew who made a covenant with God. Since Abraham is regarded as the first prophet in Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, they are called the Abrahamic religion. Abraham is referred to as the father of Arab people, and they call him Abraham by the name Ibrahim. Islam religions believe and read a book known as Quran just as the Hindus read vendors (Jayadi et al 2019). The Quran narrates the story of the origin and creation of the world according to the Islam religion. In the Quran’s six days, Allah created the heavens and earth and all that dwells in them, in which initially there was nothing.
The earth and the heavens were joined together as the unit of creation. After these two were joined together, they later “cloven asunder.” The heavens and earth came into their present state after parting through a phase when they were like smoke. Unlike Hinduism, in Islam, the world begins and ends with Allah. According to Islam, the world’s creation is described in the Quran as Allah creating the world with a single command (Wadud, 2021). During the world’s creation, it is believed that Allah had power through the word; let it be where it will be done. It is commonly held that Allah was responsible for creating the heavens, the earth, the sun, the moon, and the rest of the universe. Allah also created animals and plants and placed them on earth. Allah’s creations, including plants and animals, determined the laws governing how the natural order of all creation functions. In Islam, the universe is independent, proving that Allah existed. Allah’s greatness is evidenced through the natural phenomenon that He ushers in the dawn and makes the night rest. In Islam, the order of creation is as follows;
- Allah created the earth, heavens, and the mountains
- Allah created the seas and the seas
- Allah created the moon, stars, sun, and the planets
- Then Allah created trees, shrubs, animals, and human beings
First creation water
Allah first created the waters; thus, according to the prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu, when asked how the earth started to exist, the prophet said that Allah existed externally and nothing lived with him. Allah created everything from water that, even before creating light and darkness, heavens and earth, guarded tablets, and the throne made water first. The water was the origin of the other creation because Allah created the throne from water then, followed by the upper pen and the guarded tablet.
The throne:
It refers to Allah’s most incredible creation, a platform with four pillars. Kursiyy described the throne as a ring in a huge open space. It referred to the vast throne carried by the four huge angels. On the day of the judgment, the throne will be carried by eight angels. The throne is not a place for Allah, and the angels surround it.
The upper pen $ the guarded tablet
It was created after Allah created the water and the throne. After the creation of the upper pen, Allah created the guarded tablet and, later, the rest of the creation. The upper is described as a white pearl, and its edges are made up of red ruby. It is estimated that its width is a distance of five hundred years. Allah then commanded or ordered the pen to write, which wrote without anyone holding it by the will of Allah. The upper pen wrote on the guarded tablet about what will be in this life till the end. After this event, Allah took over fifty thousand years and created the heavens and earth in six days.
The seventh earth
It is the highest earth and one of the seventh earth where human beings live, and it is separate from the other. It is on this earth where sijjin where the souls of blasphemers go after death until the resurrection. Jahannam is also found in the seventh earth, a fire that Allah threatened sinners and blasphemers.
Seventh heaven
Allah created the seventh heaven after the earth. Each heaven has no pillars; thus, it is a solid body.
The first human
According to the creation story, Allah created Adam on the sixth day, the last day. Allah created Adam from clay after it was mixed with the water from paradise. From Adam’s rib, Allah made a lady known as Eve.
Creation and origin of the world (Hinduism religion)
According to many scholars, Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world, with many customs and roots. It has many followers and is the third-largest religion behind Christianity and Islam. Hindu religion has no one simple account of creation but has several inter-elated stories about creation (Shani, 2021). According to Hinduism, Brahma is the god of the Hindu creation and the original creator of the world. After being created by Brahma, Vishnu’s power is to preserve the world and human beings. Then it is believed that, as part of life, birth, and death, Shiva will ultimately destroy the world. One should clarify the matter when we talk about creation in Hinduism; if one is talking about the birth of living creatures, the birth of culture, the birth of consciousness, or the birth of matter. According to the Hinduism creation story, when time began, there was no heaven, space, or even earth; there was extremely nothing. On the edge of this nothingness, waves of a vast, dark ocean lapped on it, and a giant cobra floated on the water. Vishnu, the preserver of the human being and the universe, was asleep in the snake’s coils, where the snake kept him safe, and Vishnu slept peacefully. A slow sound grew louder and filled the emptiness, thus throbbing with the energy, driving the emptiness away. From the navel of Lord Vishnu, a magnificent flower grew where Brahma sat in the middle of the flower and was told to work and create a world (Tank, 2019). Brahma stilled the waves, calmed the wind, thus bringing peace, and finally split the flower into three parts; the earth, heavens, and the sky.
Once more, the early Vedic hymns describe society as an organism (Purusha). It came into being as a result of the coming together of four distinct types of humans: those who supply services make up the feet, those who are in charge of storing information make up the head, those who are in charge of land make up the arms, and those who are in charge of the market make up the trunk. Also, Brahma is regarded as the father of all living things and is referred to as Prajapati. From the mind of Brahma, mind-born sons are created, referred to as asexual production. In Tantras, the Goddess came first and from her mind, taking three male forms; Vishnu, the king; Shiva, the ascetic and Brahma, the priest. Brahma was beheaded as He sought control of the Goddess. Shiva was turned into a husband as he sought to reject the Goddess.
On the other hand, Vishnu became the Goddess’s beloved and caretaker. The Puranas state that the mind existed before the world and that the world was brought into being when Vishnu became conscious. In His tale, Brahma sits on a lotus that he has grown and feels frightened and alone. Because he was aware of where he came from, he conceived of and brought into existence various living things. The worshippers of Vishnu believed and asserted that the world came into being because of Vishnu waking up and tossing off his sleep after a long period of slumber. The Hindu god Vishnu is credited for raising the globe from the ocean’s depths.
Similarities between the Hinduism and Islam religions on the creation and origin of the world
Despite the difference between these two religious groups on the creation stories and origin of the world, they also have similarities in their perspectives on the creation and origin of the world. Islam and Hinduism believe in one supreme power, the Brahma of the Hindus and the Allah of Islam.
Conclusion
Finally, different groups of people have other religions where they differ in their perspectives and beliefs. In the introduction part of the paper, the term religion has been defined to gain a better understanding of what is Islam and Hinduism religion. Islam differs entirely from the Hinduism religion o their perception of the creation and origin of the world. According to Islam, they believe that Allah created the world out of nothing. Allah was their supreme being; he made the water first, followed by the throne, and finally upper pen and guarded tablet. The earth and the heavens were joined together as the unit of creation. After these two were joined together, they later “cloven asunder.” The heavens and earth came into their present state after parting through a phase when they were like smoke. Allah also created the sun, moon, trees, and animals and finally made the human being on the six days. Since Allah created water first, it is believed that he created all living things from the water except human beings. The human being was last to be made on the sixth day. According to Hinduism, the belief is that Brahma created the world. After Brahma created the world, it was the responsibility of Vishnu to protect and preserve the world; human beings and shiva had the power to destroy the world. Hinduism believes that the Brahma stilled the waves and calmed the wind, thus bringing peace and finally splitting the flower into three parts; the earth, the heavens, and the sky. Finally, there are similarities between these Islam and Hindu religions regarding the world’s creation and origin. They both believe in the supernatural powers of Allah and Brahma.
References
Paul Victor, C. G., & Treschuk, J. V. (2020). Critical literature review on the definition clarity of faith, religion, and spirituality. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 38(1), 107-113.
Jayadi, S., Demartoto, A., & Kartono, D. T. (2019, June). Social Integration between Islam and Hindu Adherents through Perang Topat Tradition in West Lombok Indonesia. In WESTECH 2018: Proceedings of 1st Workshop on Environmental Science, Society, and Technology, WESTECH 2018, December 8th, 2018, Medan, Indonesia (p. 378). European Alliance for Innovation.
Wadud, A. (2021). Reflections on Islamic Feminist Exegesis of the Qur’an. Religions, 12(7), 497.
Tank, N. (2019). Binti: Re-Thinking Santal Identity through the Creation Myth. Folklore foundation, India India, 12.
Shani, G. (2021). Towards a Hindu Rashtra: Hindutva, religion, and nationalism in India. Religion, State & Society, 49(3), 264-280.
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