Islam and Hinduism

Vikramaditya

Evidence is now available that the whole of Arabia was a part of the great Indian King Vikramaditya's vast empire. The extent of Vikramaditya's empire is one of the main reason for his world wide fame. It could be that Vikramaditya himself had this peninsula named Arvasthan if he was the first Indian to monarch to capture it and bring it under his sway. The second intriguing aspect is the existence of Shivalinga or the Mahadeva emblem in the Kaaba shrine in Mecca. 

Anthology of Ancient Arabic Poetry: Sayar-ul-Okul

In Istanbul in Turkey, there is a famous library called Makteb-e-Sultania which is reputed to have the largest collection of ancient West Asia literature. In the Arabic Section of that library is an anthology of ancient Arabic poetry. That anthology was compiled from an earlier works in A.D. 1742 under the orders of Turkish ruler Sultan Salim. 

The pages of that volume are made of HAREER - a kind of silk used for writing on. Each page had decorative gilded border. It may be recalled that gilding pages of sacred books is an ancient custom associated with old Sanskrit Scriptures found in java and other places. The anthology itself is known as SAYAR-UL-OKUL. It is divided into three parts, the first part contains biographic details and the poetic compositions of pre-islamic Arabian poets. The second part embodies accounts and verses of poets of the period beginning just after Prophet Mohammad up to the end of Banee-Immayya dynasty. The third part deals with later poets up to the end of Khalifa Huran-al-Rashid's times. Incidentally "Banee" means "Vanee" and Ummayya as as in Krishnayya are Sanskrit names.

Abu Amir Abdul Asamai, a distinguished arabian bard who was the poet laureate of Huran-al-Rashid's court has compiled and edited teh anthology.

The first modern edition of Sayar-ul-Okul anthology was printed and published in Berlin in A.D. 1864. A subsequent edition was published in Beirut in A.D. 1932. This work is regarded as the most important and authoritative anthology of ancient Arabic poetry. It throws considerable light on the social life, customs, manners and entertainment forms in ancient Arabia. The book also contains an elaborate description of the ancient Mecca shrine, the town and annual fair known as OKAJ which used to be held there every year. This should convince readers that the anual Haj of the Muslims to the Kaaba is only a continuation of the old fair and not a new practice. 

But the OKAJ fair was far from a carnival. It provided a forum for the elite and learned to discuss the social, religious, political, literary and other aspects of the Vedic Culture then pervading Arabia. Sayar-ul-Okul asserts that the conclusions reached at those discussion were widely respected throughout Arabia. Mecca, therefore, followed the Varanasi tradition of providing a sear for important discussions among the learned while the masses congregated there for spiritual bliss. The principal shrines at both Varanasi in India and at mecca in Arvasthan were Shiva Temples. Even to this day the central object of veneration at both Mecca and Varanasi continues to be the ancient Mahadeva Emblems. IT is the Shankara stone which Muslim pilgrims reverently touch and kiss in the Kaaba.

Entry of Non Muslims Forbidden

A few miles away from Mecca a big signboard which forbids entry to any non-Muslim in the area. This is a reminder of the days when the Shrine was stormed and captured solely from the new established faith of islam. The Object obviously was to prevent its recapture. 

As the pilgrim proceeds towards mecca he is asked to shave his head and beard and to don a special sacred attire. This consists of two seamless sheets of white cloth. One is to worn round the waist and the other over the shoulders. Both these rites are remnants of the old Vedic practice of entering Hindu Shrines, clean shaven and with holy seamless spotless white sheets.

The main shrine in Mecca which house the Shiva emblem is known as the Kaaba. It is clothed in black shroud. This custom could also originate from the days when it was thought necessary to discourage its recapture. According to encyclopedias Britannica and Islamia the Kaaba had 360 images. Traditional Accounts mention that one of the deities among the 360 destroyed, when the shrine was stormed, was that of Saturn, another was of Moon and yet another was called Allah. In India the practice of Navagraha puja that is worship of nine planets is still in vogue. Two of these nine are the Saturn and the moon. Besides, the moon is always associated with Lord Shiva. A Crescent is always painted across the forehead of the Shiva emblem. Since the presiding deity at the kaaba shrine was lord Shiva. It is that crescent which is now adopted as a religious symbol of Islam. Another Hindu tradition is that sacred because t was regarded as but another Ganga since pre-islamic times. Muslim pilgrims visiting the Kaaba shrine go around it seven times. In no other mosque does this perambulation prevail. Hindus invariably perambulate around their shrines. This is yet another proof that the Kaaba shrine is a pre-islamic Shiva temple where the Hindu practice of Perambulation is still meticulously observed. 

Allah is a Sanskrit word. In Sanskrit Allah, Akka and Amba are synonyms. They signify a goddess or mother. The term Allah appears in sanskrit chants while invoking goddess Durga i.e. Bhavani. The Islamic word Allah for god is therefore not an innovation but the ancient Sanskrit appellation retained and continued to be used by Islam.

The seven perambulations too are significant. At Hindu wedding ceremonies the bride and bridegroom go round the sacred fire seven times. The practice of seven perambulations around the kaaba shrine in Mecca is, therefore, a Hindu Vedic Custom. It is also a proof that Mecca that Mecca was Makha or the shrine of the sacred fire around which worshipers made seven perambulations. 

Sayar-ul-Okul tells us that a pan-Arabic poetic symposium used to be held in Mecca at the annual Okaj fair in pre-islamic times. All leading poets used to participate in it. Poems considered best were awarded prizes. The best poems engraved on gold plate were hung inside the temple. Others etched on camel or goat skin were hung outside. Thus for thousand of years the Kaaba was the treasure house of the best Arabian poetic thoughts. This tradition was of immemorial iniquity. But most of the poems got lost and destroyed during the storming of the Kaaba by prophet Muhammad's forces.

Sayar-ul-Okul is a poem by Umar-Bine-Hassnam. He was an uncle of prophet Mohammad. He refused to get converted to Islam. He died a martyr at the hands of Muslim fanatics who wanted to wipe out non-muslims. This poem was adjudged as the best in the annual fair at Kaaba. 

Qafa Vinak Ziqra min ulumin tav aseru kalabun ayattul hawa Va Tazakkaru

va tazakeroha audan elalvadae lilvara valuk yanik zatulla he yom tab aseru

va ahlolaha azahu armimah mahadev o manazel ilamuddine minjum va sayattaru

va sahabi keyam feem quamil hinde yoman va yaquloon latahazan fainnak tavajaru

mayassayare akhalaqan hasnan kullahum najumun azaat summ gabul hindu

Translattion: 

A man who has spent all his life in sin and immorality and has wasted away his life in passion and fury,

if he repents in the end and want to return to morality, is there a way for his redemption?

Even if only once he sincerely worships Mahadeva, he can attain the highest position in Path of righteousness.

Oh lord! take away all my life and in return pray grant me even a single day stay in Hind(India) as a man becomes spiritually free on reaching that Holy Land.

By dint of a pilgrimage of Hind a man attains the merit of noble deeds and gets the privilege of pious touch with ideal Hindu teacher.