| Arise Arjuna Hinduism And The Modern World |
 |
| Books By David Frawley |
| YOGIC SPIRITUALITY AND ISLAM | |
| Mohammed and
the Koran If we examine the life of Mohammed it could be argued that we do see a great man in a number of ways. But we cannot regard Mohammed as a yogi or avatar in the traditional Hindu or Buddhist sense unless we are willing to rewrite the facts of his life and teaching. Even most Muslims would not portray him in this light. Mohammed was a poet, mystic, religious reformer, political leader and victorious general, but he did not follow the life of a yogi or give his teachings in harmony with the yogic approach, nor did he have the behavior of what Christians would call a saint. The Koran, one could similarly argue, is a great book with much poetry, mysticism, history and theology, but not the Word of God or Absolute Truth. If it is the Word of God that God is very different than the Divine Reality of yogic traditions, who is not a personal God involved in the affairs of the world, like Allah. The Koran cannot honestly be said to be a yogic teaching like the Bhagavad Gita, for example, and does not speak of meditation, Karma or liberation. Not surprisingly, Muslims see in the Koran a very different view of the Divine than in yogic texts like the Gita. A case for religious tolerance is made in the Koranic statement that there should be no compulsion in religion. This statement of non-compulsion merely means that in religion we (Muslims) will go our way and those who don't agree with us can go their way, which way we do not approve of. This we will go our way and you can go yours is not a statement of mutual sympathy or respect. |
|
