5. Semitic Religions
• According to the Bible, originated from the
Prophet Noah Shem.
• Religion originated among the
Jews, Arabs, Assyrians, Phoenicians, etc.
• Major one Judaism, Christianity and
Islam.
• Prophetic Religion, believe in Divine
Guidance sent via prophets of God.
6. Non-Semitic Religions
Divided into :
Aryan Religion :
• Originated from Aryans.
• Vedic : Hinduism or Brahmanism.
• Non-Vedic : Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism
• Non-Prophetic Religion.
• How about Zoroastrianism??
7. Non-Aryan Religions:
• Have diverse origins.
• Chinese origins : Confucianism and Taoism.
• Japanese : Shintoism.
• No concept of God.
• Referred as ethical systems.
8. Concept of God in Hinduism
• Polytheistic Religion.
• Believe in the philosophy of
Pantheism – Everything is the
manifestation of God.
• Vedas, Upanishads and
Bhagwad Geeta.
9. • “Those whose intelligent has been stolen
by material desires surrender unto
demigods and follow the particular rules
and regulations of worship according to
their own natures.”
[Bhagwad Geeta ch.7 v.20]
10. The Nature of God in Hinduism
from the Holy Scriptures
11. Scripture Analysis
Upanishads Holy Quran
• “Ekam evaditiyam”
•“ ”
“He is the One only without a
“Say: He is Allah, the One and
second” - [Chandogya
Only” – [Ch.112 V.1]
Upanishad 6:2:1]
• “Na casya kasuj janita na
•“ ”
cadhipah”
“Of Him there are neither “He begetteth not, nor is He
parents nor Lord” – begotten” – [Ch.112 V.3]
[Svetasvatara Upanishad
6,9]
12. Upanishads Holy Quran
•“ ”
• “Na tasya pratima asti”
“There is no likeness of Him” – “And there is none like unto Him.” -
[Ch.112 V.4]
[Svetasvatara Upanishad 4:19]
•“ …”
• “Nainam urdhvam na
“…..there is nothing
tiryancam na madhye na
whatever like unto Him,
parijagrabhat na tasya pratime
and He is the One that
asti yasya nama mahad yasah”
hears and sees (all
“There is no likeness of Him whose
things).” – [Holy Quran
name is great glory” – [The
Ch.42 V.11]
Principle Upanishad by S.
Radhakrishnan page 736 & 737]
13. Upanishad Holy Quran
• “Na samdrse tisthati rupam • “No vision can grasp Him,
asya, na caksusa pasyati kas but His grasp is over all
canaiam. Hrda hrdistham vision: He is above all
manasa ya enam, evam vidur comprehension, yet is
amrtas te bhavanti”
acquainted with all things.”
“His form is not to be seen; no – [Holy Quran 6:103]
one sees Him with the eye.
Those who through heart and
mind know Him as abiding in
the heart become immortal”-
[Svetasvatara Upanishad 4:20]
14. Yajur Ved
• “There is no image of Him whose glory verily
is great. He sustains within Himself all
luminous objects like the Sun etc. May He not
harm me, this is my prayer. As He is
unborn, He deserves our worship.” – [The
Yajurveda by Devi Chand M. A. pg377]
• “Lead us to the good path and remove the
sin that makes us stray and wander.” –
[Yajurveda 40:16]
15. Atharva Ved Holy Quran
• “Dev maha osi” • “ ”
“He is The Great, The
“God is verily
Most High.” – [Holy
Great” –
[Atharvaveda 20 Quran 13:9]
58:3]
16. Rig Ved
• “Ma chidanyadvi shansata.”
“O friends, do not worship anybody
but Him, the Divine One.” –
[Rigveda Book 8:1:1]
17. The Nature of God in Sikhism
from the Holy Scriptures
• “There exists but One God, who is
called The True, The Creator, free
from fear and hate, The Immortal not
begotten, Self-Existent, Great and
Compassionate.” – [Sri Guru Granth
Sahib vol.1 Japuji v.1]
18. One God with different
attributes
• Kartar – The creator
• Sahib – The Lord
• Akal – The Eternal
• Sattanama – The Holy name
• Parvardigar – The Cherisher
• Rahim – The Merciful
• Karim – The Benevolent
19. Sri Guru
Granth Sahib Holy Quran
• “When some trouble toucheth
• “Dukh mein Sumirana sabh
man, he crieth unto his Lord, turning
karein Sukh mein karein na
to Him in repentance: but when He
koya Jo sukh mein sumirana
bestoweth a favour upon him as from
karein To dukh kaye hoye.”
Himself, (man) doth forget what he
“Everyone remembers God cried and prayed for before, and he
during trouble but no one doth set up rivals unto Allah, thus
remembers Him during peace misleading others from Allah.s Path.
and happiness. The one who Say, quot;Enjoy thy blasphemy for a little
while: verily thou art (one) of the
remembers God during peace
Companions of the Fire!quot; - [Holy
and happiness why should he
Quran 39:8]
have troubles” – [Sant Kabir]
20. The Nature of God in Judaism
from the Holy Scriptures
• “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the
LORD is one!” – [Deut 6:4]
• “I, even I, am the LORD, And besides Me
there is no savior.” – [Isaiah 43:11]
• “I am the LORD, and there is no other; There
is no God besides Me.” – [Isaiah 45:5]
• “Remember the former things of old, For I am
God, and there is no other; I am God, and there
is none like Me.” – [Isaiah 46:9]
21. • “You shall have no other gods before Me. You
shall not make for yourself a carved image, or
any likeness of anything that is in heaven
above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is
in the water under the earth; you shall not bow
down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD
your God, am a jealous God…” – [Exodus
20:3-5]
22. The Nature of God in cHRISTIANITY
from the Holy Scriptures
• “…my Father is greater than I.” – [John 14:28]
• “My Father, who has given them to Me, is
greater than all…” – [John 10:29]
• “…I cast out demons by the Spirit of God.” –
[Matthew 12:28]
• “…I cast out demons with the finger of God.”
– [Luke 11:20]
23. • “…the word which you hear is not Mine but the
Father’s who sent Me.” – [John 14:24]
• “And this is eternal life, that they may know You,
the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You
have sent.” – [John 17:3]
• “Men of Israel, give ear to these words: Jesus of
Nazareth, a man who had the approval of God, as
was made clear to you by the great works and
signs and wonders which God did by him among
you, as you yourselves have knowledge.” – [Acts
2:22]
24. The Nature of God in Islam
from the Holy Scripture
• “Say: He is Allah, The One and
Only; Allah, the Eternal,
Absolute; He begetteth not, nor is
He begotten; And there is none
like unto Him.” – [Ch.112 V.1-4]
• Acid Test!
25. Why “AllAh”?
• Has no gender.
• Always singular, never plural.
• Means = The only One to be
worshipped
26. Characteristic of Allah
• “And He it is that feedeth but is not fed.” – [Holy
Quran 6:14]
• “There is no god but He,-The Living, The Self-
subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him nor
sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on
earth…” – [Holy Quran 2:255]
• “Allah is never unjust in the least degree..” –
[Holy Quran 4:40]
• “…my Lord never errs, nor forgets.” – [Holy
Quran 20:52]
27. So, who is the true God then???
• “If thou ask them, who created them, they will
certainly say, Allah. How then are they
deluded away (from the Truth)?” – [Holy
Quran 43:87]
• “Then woe to those who write the Book with
their own hands, and then say:quot;This is from
Allah,quot; to traffic with it for miserable price!-
Woe to them for what their hands do write, and
for the gain they make thereby. “ – [Holy
Quran 2:79]
28. Wallahu A’lAm
“Those who reject (Truth), among the People of the Book
and among the Polytheists, were not going to depart (from
their ways) until there should come to them Clear
Evidence,- An apostle from Allah, rehearsing scriptures
kept pure and holy: Wherein are laws (or decrees) right
and straight.” The Holy Quran 98:1-3
quot;And you shall know the TRUTH, and the truth
shall make you FREE.“
John 8:32
Reference : “Concept of God in Major Religions” – Dr. Zakir Naik
