There are various and different types of prayers and modes of worship in Hinduism. One of them is called ‘shashtang’. The word ‘shashtang’ is made up of ‘Sa’ and ‘Asht’ which means eight and ‘Ang’ which means ‘parts of the body’. Thus, shastang is a mode of worship touching eight parts of the body. The best way a person can do this is like Muslims who prostrate in their Salah touching their forehead, nose, two hands, two knees and two feet.
Idol Worship Is Prohibited in Hinduism
Idol worship, which is very common amongst the Hindus, is prohibited in Hinduism. It is mentioned in Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 7, verse 20:
“Those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires they worship demigods i.e. idols. (Bhagavad Gita 7:20)
It is mentioned in Svetashvatara Upanishad chapter 4, verse 19 as well as in Yajurved Chapter 32, Verse 3:
“There is no image of Him.” (Svetashvatara Upanishad 4:19, Yajurved 32:3)
It is also mentioned in Yajurveda, Chapter 40, verse 9:
“They enter darkness those who worship natural things (for e.g. air, water, fire, etc.). They sink deeper in darkness those who worship sambhuti i.e. created things (for e.g. table, chair, car, idol etc.)” (Yajurved 40:9)
3- Zakah
Zakah is the third pillar of Islam, which means purification and growth, as it purifies the giver from sin and his wealth from impurities and saves his property from lose and damage. Every rich Muslim who has a saving which is more than the minimum level called ‘Nisab’ and equal to 85 gms of gold, should give 2.5% of his wealth in charity every lunar year.
Giving Zakah contributes to the eradication of poverty from this world. There will not be a single human being who will die of hunger. Zakah ensures that wealth does not circulate only amongst the rich. Almighty Allah says:
In order that the wealth may not (merely) circulate amongst the wealthy. (Al-Hashr 59:7)
Charity in Hinduism
Charity is also prescribed in Hinduism. In Rigved, book, 10 hymn 117, verse 5:
“Let the rich satisfy the poor implorer, and bend his eyes upon a longer pathway. Richest come now to one, now to another, and like the wheels of cars are ever rolling.” (Translation by Ralph Griffith).
“If it is expected of every rich man to satisfy the poor implorer; let the rich person have a distant vision (for a rich of today may not remain rich tomorrow). Remember that riches revolve from one man to another, as revolve the wheels of a chariot.” (Translation by Satyaprakash Sarasvati & Satyakam Vidhya Lankar) (Rigved 10:117:5).
Charity has been prescribed in Bhagvad Gita in several places including chapter 17, verse 20 and chapter 16, verse 3.
Sawm (Fasting)
‘Sawm’ or fasting is the fourth pillar
of Islam. Every healthy adult Muslim has to abstain from eating and
drinking, from dawn to sunset, in the complete lunar month of Ramadan
with the intention of worshiping Almighty Allah.
The wisdom behind fasting has been mentioned in the Glorious Qur’an:
O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous (Al-Baqarah 2:183)
Today the psychologists inform us that if a person can control his hunger, it is very likely that he will be able to control most of his desires.
Fasting for one complete month is a good opportunity for giving up one’s wrong habits. If a person can abstain from drinking alcohol, from dawn to sunset, he can very well abstain from alcohol from the cradle to the grave. If a person can abstain from smoking, from dawn to sunset he can very well abstain from smoking from the cradle to the grave.
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This picture shows the difference between
worship in Islam and Hinduism. The system of worship in Islam is based
on true, preserved divine message, not like the concept of worship in
Hinduism.
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