Page 74 - Islam and Buddhism

Islam and Buddhism

vantage of the beautiful aspects in the world (apart from base and un-

lawful behavior), not to restrain themselves needlessly, nor to inflict
pain upon themselves. For this reason, God revealed (Qur'an, 7: 157)
that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had "relieved his
followers of their chains":

Those who follow the Messenger, the Ummi, whom they find
written down with them in the Torah and the Gospel, command-
ing them to do right and forbidding them to do wrong, making
good things lawful for them and bad things unlawful for them,
relieving them of their heavy loads and the chains which were
around them. Those who believe in him and honor him and help
him, and follow the Light that has been sent down with him, they
are the ones who are successful.
In short, Islam is a liberating religion that saves people from use-

less customs and prohibitions, social pressures and worries about
what other people may think. It calls them to lead calm, peaceful lives
with the purpose of gaining God's approval. So it is that our Prophet
(may God bless him and grant him peace), in many of his sayings, ad-

vises us to make religion simple and easy.
"Make things easy for the people, and do not make it difficult for them, and
make them calm (with glad tidings) and do not
repulse (them)." 1
"You have been sent to make things easy (for the people) and you have not
been sent to make things difficult for them." 2

Buddhism enslaves its devotees in misty monasteries and forces
them into a life of suffering and poverty. Strangely, it discourages
good food, cleanliness, comfort—the blessings that God has created

for human beings—accepts suffering as a virtue and advises its devo-
tees to lead a miserable life.

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