Islam vs Buddhism

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Islam and Buddhism
Rooted in thousands years of tradition, rituals and practices Islam and Buddhism are at the forefront of the major World Religions. Their influences on culture, politics and society have reached far and wide; from quaint villages in the Middle East to roaring metropolitan areas of China and Japan. Islam is born out of the teachings of the prophet Muhammad, while Buddhism focuses on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. Although many people claim to know these two religions, the reality is that many continue to not realize the great differences between them. While both religions seem very similar in nature, their main differences come from their sacred texts and ritual practices.
Islam and Buddhism are similar in that they both have a strong belief in abiding by sacred scriptures. While Islam’s scriptures come out of one holy book, Buddhists use a wide variety of Holy Books depending on their specific sect. According to Muslims, The Qur’an is believed to be the direct words of Allah, which was revealed to the prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years by the angel Gabriel. Gabriel transmitted the ayahs (verses) and surah’s (chapters) for Muhammad and from that the Qur’an was born (Oxford 218). The term “Qur’an” is derived from the root q-r- meaning to read and recite, which is what Gabriel commanded Muhammad to do upon presenting him with the scriptures. The Qur’an contains verses of commands and warnings, to stories and parables for the people of Islam to live by. Commentary relating to the Qur’an is the Tafsir, meaning ‘unveiling’ or elucidating the meaning of the texts (Oxford, 219). Interpretations of the Qur’an are based off of three authoritative sources: The Qur’an itself, the sayings of the Prophet Muham...

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...elp them achieve liberation as they pass through the bardo state between death and rebirth. It is through these ritual practices in Buddhism that one can both express their faith and feel connected to their spirituality.
Islam and Buddhism differ greatly their sacred texts and ritual practices. But both of these religions have a global following of thousands, and the writings and practices serve a deeper purpose than just to memorize scriptures and perform acts. For these religions, their texts give a guideline for their followers to live their life for a higher purpose by while the ritual practices connect their followers to something greater than themselves. It connects millions of people from across the globe together. Whether it be to build a personal connection to Allah, or become more like the Buddha each religion serves its people to find a higher calling.

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