Your comments indicates a basic lack of understanding of the Hindu Religion. Being a Muslim should not limit your thinking process or your ability to understand other faiths.
Reason for idol worship: We Hindus believe that God is omni-present. Probably you believe the same. Because He is omni-present, He occupies all the space in the Universe. This includes us Humans, Trees, Animals, Stone, Everything. So essentially you can pray to anyone and anything and God will be present there. The presence of an idol or an image helps focussing while praying. Would you rather see and listen to a movie or only listen to one ? The image helps in the Visualization process.
Hinduism allows us to even worship Allah or Christ aswell. The Goal is Nirvana, Enlightment or Moksha. The path is immaterial. The destination is important. Such thoughts come from maturity of the religion. Cristianity / Islam felt very insecure for its existance when they were formed. That is why their founders prohibited acceptance of other religions. I am sure that after a couple of thousands, your religions will attain this maturity. And I do not say this out of skepticm. I really mean it.
RE:Explaination of Idol Worship
by saif muneer on Aug 31, 2007 04:16 AM Permalink
"Because He is omni-present, He occupies all the space in the Universe."
GOD created TIME & SPACE. HE cannot be limited or defined by TIME and SPACE. HE is not INSIDE or OUTSIDE. HE is not EVERYWHERE or NOWHERE.
CREATOR is separate from CREATION. This the teaching of ISLAM.
RE:Explaination of Idol Worship
by Milind on Aug 31, 2007 07:35 AM Permalink
I realize that indeed there are some similarities between the Hinduism and Islam as far as God is concerned. I agree that God is not limited by time or space. The only difference is Islam distinctly creates the CREATER and CREATION where as Hinduism says CREATER exists everywhere including the hearts of its CREATION.
Regarding Time and Space, this is dealt with in detail in Hinduism wherein we believe everything starts from zero or Nothing. "Srushti ke pehle kuch nahi tha. Satya bhi nahi tha or Asatya bhi nahi tha". My Christian colleague told me that Scientists now believe that Universe as it exists today is due to the imbalance of matter and anti-matter. Apperently he had read the theory in Hinduism before I did.
RE:Explaination of Idol Worship
by Milind on Aug 31, 2007 02:39 AM Permalink
I meant a couple of thousand years for Christianity/Islam to accept other faiths. Islam in its current form my take much longer than Christianity. Ofcourse in all fairness, it is younger than Christianity aswell.
RE:Explaination of Idol Worship
by mohammed siddiqui on Sep 03, 2007 03:31 AM Permalink
I think u r Hindu . so plz read this from Vedas. "Ekam evadvitiyam" "He is One only without a second." [Chandogya Upanishad 6:2:1]1
"Na casya kascij janita na cadhipah." "Of Him there are neither parents nor lord." [Svetasvatara Upanishad 6:9]2
"Na tasya pratima asti" "There is no likeness of Him." [Svetasvatara Upanishad 4:19]3
The following verses from the Upanishad allude to the inability of man to imagine God in a particular form:
"Na samdrse tisthati rupam asya, na caksusa pasyati kas canainam."
"His form is not to be seen; no one sees Him with the eye." [Svetasvatara Upanishad 4:20]4
