Page 164 - Islam and Buddhism

Islam and Buddhism

gions have been distorted over the course of time, still they are de-

voted to God's revelations and found their faiths upon Him. Even if
the essence of Buddhism actually comes from a true source, it has
completely departed from that essence and become smothered in su-
perstitious ritual, with only a few true moral principles left.
Buddhism resembles the monotheistic faiths of Judaism,
Christianity and Islam in another way: It, too, believes in the End
Times and in one ultimate savior for humanity—Jews and Christians

know him as the Messiah; and for Muslims, he is the Mahdi.
The End Times is the period immediately preceding the Last Day.
Both the Qur'an and the sayings of the Prophet (may God bless him
and grant him peace) contain a number of indications that in the End
Times, Islamic morality will spread throughout the whole world. The
Qur'an says that Jesus (peace be upon him) did not die, that he was not
killed but was raised to the presence of God while he was still alive,
and that he will come to earth again. The Prophet Muhammad (may
God bless him and grant him peace) also announced the good news

that Jesus will be sent to the world again, and in those End Times while
he is here, the world will be filled with peace, justice, well-being, and
prosperity. The Prophet's sayings reveal that the Mahdi will assist Jesus
in his blessed work. (For a more detailed account, see Harun Yahya's
Jesus Will Return, Ta-Ha Publishers, London, 2001.)
In the Prophet's sayings, the End Times are divided into two dis-
tinct periods. In the first, God will be openly denied; the number of

people living according to the values of religion will be few; the cost
of living and distress from material want will be great. There will be
famines. People will suffer from natural disasters; injustice will be
widespread, wars and conflicts will increase, and pitilessness and
cruelty will dominate over love, mercy and compassion. Afterwards,
humanity will be saved from the godless and irreligious philosophies
that are the real source of all their anguish and turn to the values of re-

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